#to destroy the MIND FLAYER TADPOLE that made its way in there | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

alpydk · 7 months ago

Text

Cabinet of Oddities (The Final Chapter)

Gale x Tav (OC F)

The final chapter. The defeat of the Netherbrain, the docks, the Chionthar. 2 epilogues. The first is the "canon" happy ending. The second is the one I prefer but decide for yourselves.

((I'm going to add a long blurb of thanks here. And some of my own unwanted backstory.

Nana was created for a DnD game back in 2021. A year when everything for me went to shit and I had a nervous breakdown. Her aversion to touch reflected my own insecurities with it, Thomas was the self-destructive tendencies which I clung to so desperately, her 5 years in the past was my 2021 as I lost myself to my mental health. Either way, this story was written as a reflection of all that happened and the friends that helped pull me out of it (despite all the struggles that came in that area).

But yeah, thank you to everyone who has read and enjoyed the story. It's meant a lot, especially with this being the first fic I've ever written. So again, thank you, thank you, thank you.))

Ao3 Link

Nana fell onto the Netherbrain, her slight changeling form hitting the flesh beneath her. “Ooo squishy…”

“Tormentum!” Gale fired off a barrage of magic missiles at the mind flayer that loomed over her. “Nana, pull yourself together!” The battle so far had been intense, fighting their way through the High Hall, taking down cultists, ghouls and mindflayers and they’d had little time to recuperate before the final stages came. Now they bided their time as their own mindflayer ally opened the last portal giving them access to their foe. Gale ran to her, helping her from the ground where the enemy had shoved her.

“Thanks,” she said, wiping the ichor from her armour before leaning around him and firing an arrow past him into a tentacle that had suddenly emerged. “This is fun, right?” He could see how light her eyes were and the way her lips curved as she saw the arrow hit.

He looked at her in confusion but then a smile crept on his face. “Hardly the verbiage I would choose, my love.”

The portal erupted into view and the group sprinted for it ready to face the brain, the hardest part they had to overcome. Gale still thought of the orb, of that final choice he would have to make if things began to go badly for them. They continued to fight valiantly leaping between the plates that barely held in place around the brain. He could see the wear and tear of Astarion’s armour, the bruises on Shadowheart’s face, and again the choice presented itself to him. If this is what is needed, then so be it.

“Pew pew!” Nana dived past him firing arrows at the brain, his thoughts interrupted. Does she even realise where we are right now? He felt his head throb as the Netherbrain attempted to dominate the tadpoles they carried within. “Tormentum!” Another collection fired in the direction of the brain. Just go for the Magic Missile and fire away. Never fails.

It was a spell from the Shadowheart that was the final nail in the coffin, causing the Netherbrain to cry out in agony. He heard its voice within his head pleading with them to surrender or work alongside it but the mindflayer accompanying them ordered them to kill it. Gale stood with the crystals, looking at the Netherbrain in front of him, knowing only one thing; He needed to get the crown. He commanded with authority for the Netherbrain to destroy all the tadpoles and itself, immediately feeling intense pain in his skull, the worm withering away to nothingness.

-------------------------------

Nana watched as Gale made the order, her cheeks flushing a little at the sight. Oh, he is nice when he’s in charge… She bit her lip and then grimaced before crumpling to the ground in pain. She clenched her eyes shut, hoping for it to end and as it did, she looked up seeing the crown shatter into pieces before falling out of sight.

She looked down into the water. Everything was quiet. Too quiet. No Thomas, no tadpole, just the ramblings of her own mind. Jam, cushions, Gale. Going to be a fun night. And then there was a new sensation, one she had never experienced before, falling a large distance.

She felt the wind in her hair, savouring the moment before she hit the cold water beneath. A strange feeling overtook her as struggled to stay afloat, her arms growing weaker against the current, water entering her lungs. She could see the light above the surface but her mind kept drifting away from her, willing for sleep to take her. It was only as Astarion grabbed her pulling her upwards and the air entering her lungs again that she realised what had happened. She gasped for breath as she was pulled up onto the docks, coughing up mouthfuls of water. “I need to… learn how to swim.”

Astarion stood up next to her wringing out the water from his clothes. “Darling, you need to learn so much more before swimming.”

She felt Gale’s hand on her back, rubbing gently, and looked up to him with a smile. “We made it…”

----------------------------------

Gale walked along the docks indulging in the sensation of finally having his mind to himself again. He thought over the crown and where it was within the water, how he would find it and reforge it, and whether he was still willing to hand it over to Mystra as she had ordered of him. He looked over at Nana as she removed her soaked leather armour revealing her cotton shirt underneath, her pale skin moist with droplets of water. She shook her head, spattering Astarion, and Gale watched as he chastised her for it, her laughing at his temper. Is godhood worth losing all this?

It was as her smile faded that his attention moved to what she had seen. Karlach stood on the edge of the docks, the flames of her skin licking higher. She’d spoken little of her affliction to him throughout their travels, but he knew what was happening as Shadowheart ran towards her with concern on her face. He watched, unable to hear the words they spoke to one another as Karlach burnt hotter and brighter than any of them had seen previously, his mind racing, looking for solutions. An ice blast, the water around us. All other options except the one he knew she was against. It was Wyll who shouted past him about Avernus, the reluctance showing on her face as she heard the words, but Shadowheart managed to convince her to see sense.

They had no time to say goodbye to the trio before they fled through the portal, the heat of Karlach’s flames becoming too much for any of them to handle. Nana stood next to him, a tearful and shocked look on her face.

Astarion came closer towards them both with a smirk. “Well, loves, I guess it’s just our merry- ow!” He flicked his wrist as if he had been bitten by an insect. Gale saw how his skin began to smoke, the delicate fingertips of his hands cracking into a soft blue. “What the - oh gods. Oh no.” The sunlight.

Nana's panic was clear to see as she watched how Astarion fled across the docks, his abilities being altered by the absence of the tadpole. “We have to go after him!” she called to Gale, before beginning to run.

Gale reached an arm out stopping her progress. “There’s little point. There’s nothing we can do for him.”

“Maybe not, but he’s our friend. We can’t just leave him alone out there,” she pleaded with him. In mere moments she had lost over half of the people who had ever come to care for her, leaving only him alone with her. “We have to find him. Please, Gale.”

You’re right. The crown can wait. He gave a small nod and together they ran off in the direction they had seen Astarion flee.

---------------------------------

It had been over one hundred years since Astarion had felt the sun last burn his skin, a cruel torture technique that Cazador had used a few times for entertainment. But over the last few weeks, he had forgotten the feeling of it, the sting and then the pain that followed. He ran to the shadows, glad for the layer of dust in the air that blocked the sun’s direct rays from burning him up instantly. He crawled into himself, the days of those small beams prickling at his skin flashing in his mind, and he closed his eyes, willing them away, trying to work out his route to the Underdark where he would have to continue on alone.

What Astarion had not expected was to feel someone sit next to him as he sat alone behind the crates. He lifted his head and sat in confusion seeing Nana with him. After all they had been through, how he had treated her, and distrusted her so much. She still refused to abandon him like so many others had before. “He’s here, Gale,” she yelled out into the air.

Astarion didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want anyone to see him in this condition, with his face burnt by the sun, and his clothes tattered and torn. He buried his face in his knees again to shield himself from her view. As he spoke, his voice was quiet, more vulnerable than he would have liked, “Leave me alone.”

She said nothing but he didn’t feel her move. He heard Gale’s steps on the stone beside him and felt as he sat too. I don’t want their concern. He wanted to shout for them to leave again, he wanted his strength back, he wanted the sun, but they chose to never leave him. Even as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, they sat quietly with him waiting until he was ready to say goodbye on his own terms.

--------------------------------------

“You’re going to be okay, right?” Nana’s lip quivered as she spoke the words on the shores of the Chionthar.

Gale gave her a reassuring smile, placing his hands over hers. “I will be.” He spoke with confidence, despite the worries he held within. He was thankful for the tadpole’s absence making these little moments that much easier to handle. “I will find the crown and come back to you. Do not worry for me.”

“I’m going to wait right here. I’ll stay here until you’re back.”

He could see the concern on her face, and he wished he could reassure her further. The letter he’d written lay in the journal he’d gifted her on the desk at the Elfsong Tavern, and he hoped she would never have to read it. Even if she did, he had spent hours with a quill in hand trying to provide the best words that could give her comfort if the worst were to happen. The kiss they shared felt too short, and Gale hoped it would not be their last. He boarded the boat to go out into the waters, letting his hands slip from hers. “Nana, know that I will always love you.”

He watched as she sat alone on the shore, her legs pulled up to her chest, and as she slowly disappeared from view he gave a quiet prayer to his goddess for her protection.

*****************************************

Epilogue

It was a sunny day outside of Waterdeep. A lone gravestone could be seen, purple flowers lined around the base. Not far from it sat Nana in her natural changeling form, her short white hair had grown out and the scuffed leather armour had been replaced with an elegant silk gown.

"So, it's been a year now since that day by the river. A lot's happened, as you know. I held a proper funeral for you here and I was able to say my goodbyes. I met up with Karlach and the gang again. They said Avernus has been good to them. They mentioned something about a refinery and that they’re hopefully sorting something permanent for Karlach’s machine. I’m hopeful for her. Astarion went back to the Underdark as well and has pretty much put himself in charge of all the vampires. He looks well, a lot more at ease with himself than he used to be.”

She brushed her hair behind her ear. “And then there is me... Well, me and Gale are getting married. Yeah, I think he’s crazy too. I know you probably won’t be too happy about it, but then you were never really that happy about anything, were you? I wonder if you were always that way. Was there any way I could have really saved you?”

She sighed deeply looking at the tattered journal that sat beneath the stone. “I think that’s why I'm here today. I wanted to explain the choice I made a year ago. Why I didn't want to help you. I’d believed that I wasn’t enough, and when I met you, I thought that for maybe a moment you were the answer to everything. Too many times I questioned what you did and yet I allowed it, afraid of you leaving me. I was selfish and because of me, people got hurt, and people died. After meeting Gale, and everyone else, I realised that I am special in my own strange way and that being alone isn’t really what I want anymore. I guess what I’m saying is, I don’t need you anymore. I do hope though that you’re happy. You showed me a new world outside of my swamp, and maybe at some point, you did feel something for me other than the disgust you did a year ago.” She wiped away a stray tear and smiled. “Either way, I hope now that you’re gone, you’ve found some peace in death that you never had in life."

A few feet away Gale approached, his hair still weaving around the collar of his robes, though now with a layer tied neatly back. "Nana, If I could give you longer I really would but my mother is quite the stickler for being punctual. We’ve also received a letter about a tree growing at the location we previously camped at in Rivington. They’d like for us to come and claim it before they cut it down."

Nana looked at Gale and smiled before turning back to the gravestone. "Well, I guess this is it then…” She stood and placed a hand on the cold stone. “Goodbye, Thomas. I'll always remember our time together." She breathed deeply and approached Gale, sharing a brief kiss with him before settling her hand in his.

Together they left the resting place of Thomas, only the sound of birdsong left hanging in the air.

*************************************

Epilogue (Alternative)

The rains poured outside of Waterdeep. A lone gravestone could be seen, purple flowers lined around the base. Not far from it sat Gale his dark hair had grown out, greying more than it previously did and the scuffed purple robe had been replaced with leather armour.

"So, it's been a year now since that day by the river. A lot's happened, as you know. I held a proper funeral for you here and I was able to say my goodbyes. I met up with Karlach and the group again. They said Avernus has been good to them. They mentioned something about a refinery and that they’re hopefully sorting something permanent for Karlach’s machine. I’m hopeful for her. Astarion went back to the Underdark as well and has pretty much put himself in charge of all the vampires. He looks well, a lot more at ease with himself than he used to be.”

He brushed his hair back with his hand. “And then there is me... Well, I’m returning to my swamp. I stayed here for a while with Tara and your mother but they’re a bit much for me. I see the way they look at me, blaming me for what happened. I should have gone with you, I should have stopped you. I should have prayed harder to Mystra…”

Nana sat in his form holding her arms tightly around her body. She sighed deeply looking at the tattered journal that sat beneath the stone. “I think that’s why I'm here today. I wanted to say goodbye properly. I’d always believed that I wasn’t enough, and when I met you, I thought that for maybe a moment you were the answer to everything. I kept your form for comfort just like I did all those days past with Thomas and I know in some way you’re still with me but I know that I can’t keep doing this. I need to let you rest, I want to hold onto you, but I know it’s not what you want. Your letter brought me comfort and I keep it in the journal you bought for me. You never let me down, never. You were always worthy, always good enough and I just wish you knew that. I wish you were here so I could tell you every day how much I love you, how much I’ll always love you.” She wiped away a stray tear. “I’ll keep writing poetry for you."

A few feet away Astarion approached, a large black umbrella held over him, blocking his suit from becoming soaked. "Darling, if I could give you longer I really would but they expect the rain to clear in the next few hours and I’d love to get back to the Underdark long before that happens."

Nana looked at him and waved an arm not wanting to be rushed before turning back to the gravestone. "Well, I guess this is it then…” She stood, reverting back to her natural form. “Goodbye, Gale. My moon and star." She breathed deeply and approached Astarion, giving him a small nod, thankful for the rain coming down upon them.

Together they left the resting place of Gale, only the sound of raindrops hitting the umbrella left hanging in the air.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 gale #gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #gale bg3 #galemance #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 astarion #well so long and thanks for all the fish

15 notes · View notes

thornfield13713 · 1 month ago

Note

6, 7, 8, 29 and 30 for Ned

How would the player go about meeting them in Act 1? What is their introduction?

At the owlbear cave, after the owlbear herself is dead. I could see Ned being found mourning over the creature, but also returning the body to nature by allowing mushrooms to grow from it, helping it decompose more quickly and feed the soil, highlighting their powers as a Circle of Spores druid and their deep reverence for the natural world. Maybe even include them assuming that the party are the ones responsible, and it taking a quick perception/persuasion check to convince them the goblins are responsible. And if you can't, they use their abilities to puppeteer the owlbear's corpse to get revenge.

Describe their arc. How would a player help resolve it? What choices can be made? Can your Tav be turned down a dark path, or pulled to a lighter one?

Ned's arc is mostly related to the fear of Lolth, and their feelings that...actually, letting the tadpole do its work and thus destroying their soul entirely...might be preferable to letting Lolth get her hands on them. The player can either encourage their fear of Lolth and the idea that fighting or defying the gods is impossible, and the best one can hope for is escaping them, or encourage them not to give up on themselves, to try and find a way to free themself from Lolth's lingering influence on them that doesn't involve sacrificing their very self to do it. Alternatively, it might be possible to encourage two very different ways of dealing with the problem - seeking out a form of true immortality, which...historically, has not ended well and is particularly dubious for a druid (there are spells for druids that can extend their lifespan immensely, but that's not quite the same thing), or else embracing a power other than Lolth's, most likely Eilistraee, as a potential means of escape from Lolth's lingering claim upon their soul. Or they could just take the sacrifice and become a mind flayer in the endgame. They'd probably offer, same as Karlach, if for subtly different reasons.

The other part of it has to do with their ability to interact with the world. Ned at the start of the game is a hermit, who has been living in the depths of the Underdark avoiding all contact for...quite some time, certainly since the death of Derendil, whom they loved even if, as it turned out, 'Derendil' never even existed. Getting Ned to open up to the possibilities of connection with other people, to trust for the first time in their life, despite the hedgehoggish mixture of profound loneliness and terror of other people and their intentions that their upbringing in Menzoberranzan has left them with, is probably an ongoing thread throughout the game.

After Act 3, what does their life look like? What are they talking about at the reunion party?

Assuming their best ending, Ned is going to be talking about exploring the surface world as a wandering druid and part-time adventurer. They're more interested in seeing and preserving great sites of natural beauty than anything else, and learning more about the sort of druidry practiced on the surface, but they'll help people in need if it comes up, and if people are willing to accept the help of a deeply socially uncomfortable drow druid. Assuming neither were romanced, they're probably travelling with Astarion, and both seem happy with the arrangement, even if they both miss the sun and are hoping to find a solution to their newfound difficulties with daylight.

What fears keep them up at night?

That they will never be entirely free of the Spider Queen's power and influence - they were her cleric once, or training to be, after all, and even if Lolth wanted them dead or driderified, she hasn't renounced Ned so entirely that they don't feel her influence until such time as they pledge themself to a new goddess for the sake of protection, and then the concern shifts to whether that really counts as faith strong enough to give Eilistraee a claim on their soul after death.

That their mother is still alive, somewhere in the depths of the Underdark, transformed into a drider or some other monstrosity of Lolth's in their place, or else suffering one of the long, slow, torturous deaths that the drow are so good at.

That their relationship with Astarion, like their relationship with Derendil, will end with the rug being ripped out from under them, and it turning out that none of this was real after all, just some horrific trick or trap, that nobody is capable of truly loving them without some sort of mind-altering magic being involved, and that they bear the guilt and responsibility of that despite having had no input in that magic being cast and no influence over any such things.

What does your Tav want more than anything?

Oooh, I think Ned would spend a long time sitting and staring at the wall, contemplating that one. They've spent a long time living like an animal - often literally in wildshape - and that means living in the moment, not thinking beyond immediate needs and wants, so trying to figure out what they want most is going to be tricky. To know their mother's fate, might be their first thought, except that there are so many answers to that that might irreversibly break them. To be free of Lolth, is another, except that- that wasn't actually an immediate concern until they were dying, and were going to have to face the horrors of the Demonweb Pits a lot sooner than they thought.

I think, though, that they want more than anything is to be able to know, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are loved. They never knew their mother loved them until she sacrificed herself to save their life. They believed Derendil might love them for a little while, and then it turned out that 'Derendil' himself was just a quaggoth's hallucination, and that has pretty much wrecked their ability to trust in anyone or anything really loving her, whether that love is friendly, familial or romantic. They've been in the sort of situation they're with with the party before, starting to open up to new friends- and then the Derendil thing happened, and between that and all the other dysfunctions that led to that group falling apart, it...did not go well for Ned. So, that's it. Not just to be loved, but to be able to believe in people's love for them before it is too late.

#ned #baldur's gate 3 #bg3

2 notes · View notes

namig42 · 1 year ago

Text

Wyndolyn's Ending

So I finished my first run in Baldur's Gate and was very upset at the lack of closure I got from the ending, so I decided to write my own ending and expand on what happened in game. Wyndolyn is a half-orc barbarian who fell in love with Karlach and Halsin, and became especially attached to Astarion as well throughout their journey together. This is the ending I decided happened after the credits rolled. Enjoy!

Summary: Based off the events of the final cutscene of Baldur's Gate 3 and continuing on them to achieve proper closure.

On the docks of Baldur's Gate, the party all greet the new day with a sense of relief and peace. The Netherbrain is gone, everyone is free of the tadpole and the threat of becoming a mind flayer, and all should be right for the band of heroes.

"Well would you look at that, I guess the tadpole's effects were permanent!" Astarion commented on his ability to still be able to stand in the sunlight, even though the tadpole that was protecting him from his vampiric restrictions had suddenly vanished. Wyndolyn smiled along with him, glad to see that her friend has so much to smile about. They all do now that they've saved the city, but especially him.

After the pure shit he had endured under Cazador for the last 200 years, the tadpole granted him his first sense of freedom. He was able to walk in the sun and enter homes without permission. Besides the hunger, he was able to feel alive, and most importantly, was free of Cazador's command. The tadpole had been his opportunity to finally end Cazador once and for all, and even with the power of the Rite of Ascension there for his taking, Astarion instead kept his humanity and ended the toxic power cycle that came with being a true vampire. The whole party was so proud of him that day for not taking that power for himself, and he thanked Wyndolyn especially for believing that he was more than what he could see. She saw something in him and made him feel like he could be more than what he had been for so long. This moment now, here in the sun, without the tadpole and without Cazador, Astarion could dream of a life he never would've allowed himself to imagine. The smile on his face was probably the purest she had ever seen. It was breathtaking.

Lae'zel had her moment as well. Now having destroyed the Absolute, Vlaakith would finally reward her for her devotion. Though Wyndolyn tried to encourage her to stay with their party and find her own purpose in life, Lae'zel was set on serving her queen. It was, after all, her greatest wish. Though they all disagreed with her fanaticism, Vlaakith looked on in approval by bestowing Lae'zel with her own young red dragon, the highest honor of a githyanki rider. With her new mount, Lae'zel climbed upon the dragon and said farewell to them all as she rode off into the dawn, off to who knows where.

Gale had a moment of questioning his next steps in life as well: he could go searching for the Crown of Karsus and the Netherstones and become a god with its power, return the crown to Mystra, or simply leave it so that no one would ever be able to abuse its power again.

"What do you think I should do?" he asked Wyndolyn.

Gale had always valued Wyndolyn's opinion during their adventure together, whether he liked to admit it or not. After being rejected by her, he never spoke quite the same way to Wyndolyn again. There was now a sense of guard at all times, but he still always relied on her for her insight. Wyndolyn never understood why Gale respected her word so much though, or anyone in the party. She wasn't always the sharpest tool in the shed. She was quick to act on her temper and, only until the illithid ship, had never managed to hold the respect of anyone, friend or lover. Still, he and the others would come to her and treat her with the utmost respect, whether it felt deserved or not.

"It's probably best left lost, that way no one can ever be tempted by that power again."

"That is indeed a wise decision. Besides, I've quite enjoyed this merry band of ours! Perhaps we should be celebrating instead of brooding!"

"A celebration sounds like a wonderful idea." Wyndolyn said with a smile.

"I suppose a drink would be nice after everything we've endured," interjected Shadowheart, still playing coy at how much she would actually enjoy a celebration amongst friends.

"I honestly don't mind what we do, just as long as we get to - ow!" Everyone turned towards Astarion. "What...? Oh gods... oh no!" A sizzle could be heard, then smoke appeared from his skin. The soft, pale complexion began to crack, just as Petras' had when Astarion held him to the open window in the inn a few days ago.

Without the tadpole, the afflictions of a vampire were returning.

"Well... it was nice while it lasted." He said while panicking. He was swatting at where his arms were disintegrating, about to burst into tears. Wyndolyn was in such a shock that she didn't know what to do. She couldn't move to help him. No one did.

"Augh, I'm sorry! I have to go!" He ran off towards the buildings on the docks in search of a shelter made of shadows. He was stumbling from the pain and the shock of everything happening all at once, his eyes damaged from the sun on top of it. There was no dignity in his run, only a small creature who feared for his life.

"Astarion!" Wyndolyn yelled after him. She was about to take off running after him when she heard Gale say, "Well, I suppose that's the last we'll see of him." She was shocked. She turned back to the party, frozen in place, surprised and disgusted that no one seemed to feel anything more than pity towards the friend that they had fought so hard to help in their time together. They seemed content to write him off, to close the book on his story, not even to say they'd search for him later. Just... to leave it at that.

Wyndolyn looked to Karlach, shocked that her partner of all people, the tiefling who wanted nothing more than to defend her friends, hadn't said anything. Looking at her now though, Wyndolyn understood why.

Karlach had taken a few steps back towards the edge of the dock and away from the party. Flames were shooting out of the exhausts on her shoulders. "Well... this is it, soldier. The city is going to be alright, and so are you." Wyndolyn dashed to her side, kneeling in front of her and feeling so powerless and pathetic. She wanted to hold Karlach now, to comfort her in these final moments that the two of them knew were inevitable, but still neither were quite prepared for. She reached for Karlach's face, but the fire was too intense. The skin on her hand would've melted in an instant if she held her love.

The pain was becoming too much for her, but this was the way Karlach had wanted to go. In Baldur's Gate, free of Zariel and Gortash and all those despicable people, with her favorite person by her side. She was home, she had defended it, and now she had the most beautiful view for her last: the love of her life sitting with her while they sat under a beautiful morning dawn.

"Engine's finally cooked. Held out just long enough. S-so how'd I do?"

With a great deal of pain and choked back sobs, Wyndolyn answered, "you were spectacular in every way."

"How'd I do? Spectacular? Augh," she said, another wave of pain rolling over her. "It's the one thing I can't beat, isn't it. Same below as above." Karlach smiled before wincing at the pain again. "I love... you. You, more than anything I saw- ow, gods!" The fires were turning from red to blue, the intensity getting only stronger by the second. Karlach looked up at the sky. "Goodbye sun. Goodbye sea. Goodbye."

Wyndolyn could only look on with tears in her eyes. It wasn't too late to try and drag her back to Avernus, but Karlach had insisted every time it came up throughout their time together that she never wanted to go back. She wanted to end it on her own terms, and this is what they were. She accomplished what she set out to do. She had saved her home, protected her friends, and found true love. The only regret she had was that she wouldn't get to live long enough to enjoy everything she had worked for.

"I'm ready. I... I... Stand back, I'm going to-"

She screamed a fiery scream as the flames shot out all around her. Her body was glowing, with her heart becoming blinding from the light. One final burst, and Karlach, Wyndolyn's love, was gone. She simply disappeared into a puff of smoke and ash, nothing left of her except the heat she had left behind.

Wyndolyn sat there on the dock in shock. The grief left her paralyzed, and she couldn't do anything. Karlach was gone, and with her, the love of Wyndolyn's life. Wyndolyn had developed feelings for others along their journey, most notably Halsin, but it was never to the same extent as what she had felt for Karlach. Her strong, beautiful, goofy tiefling that wanted nothing more than to live a life of joy, surrounded by the friends they had come to make together and the family they had built from the tragedy of the tadpoles.

Everyone sat in silence, Halsin placing a gentle touch on Wyndolyn's shoulder, though there was no reaction from her. The rest of the party began to shuffle back towards the streets of Baldur's Gate, talking about their mourning of Karlach and what they should do in her memory. They glanced back at Wyndolyn, leaving her to have some space so she could grieve.

"She was the bravest of us all," Halsin said, trying to give Wyndolyn some comfort.

Only silence.

"Is there anything I can do for you, my heart?"

"I..." Wyndolyn began weakly. She couldn't find the words. So many people had found their way into her heart during this adventure. Growing up on the outskirts of Wyrm's Crossing with no family and no friends, just herself and the animals of the forest that she learned to enjoy the company of, Wyndolyn never would've expected in her life to have found so many connections that she would risk her life for. Karlach especially was such a ray of sunshine and optimism, in spite of the literal hells she had endured for so long. Being in Karlach’s presence made life feel like it could always be good, no matter where they were or what was happening. So long as they were together. Hells, a simple date had brought the two of them such joy. A moment of normalcy in everything that had been going on… why couldn’t they have time for more peaceful days like that?

Karlach was a fierce protector as well. When anything happened to anyone in their merry band, she was always the first to be there, sword in hand against any foe. After they found the first upgrade for her engine so she could be able to touch others again, Karlach also tried hugging away as many problems as she could across camp. All she wanted was for everyone in their camp to find happiness. Whether it meant destroying someone's enemies, lending an ear, or a simple hug, Karlach was the one everyone knew they could turn to. In a lot of ways, she was the light of the camp. The fire in her heart, even if it was from that damned infernal engine, brought everyone a warmth they could never have imagined without her there.

Now that she was gone, it felt like that warmth would never be there again. Especially for…

"I want to go find Astarion." Wyndolyn finally managed to say.

Yes... everyone in their party would finally be able to return to a semblance of their old lives, though hopefully now for the better. Honestly, after their treatment of Astarion, she questioned if she ever wanted to see them again. They were so quick to betray his trust, were they truly the companions she had thought they were?

Her and Astarion hadn't gotten along at first, what with him trying to slice her throat and him disapproving of every good action Wyndolyn took the first few days, but over time, she managed to let her guard down around him and even come to trust him. The reveal of his vampirism was the first moment that he had shown any kind of truth in his actions since meeting Wyndolyn. On the night he tried to bite her, Astarion had seemed different from the man she had become accustomed to in those early days. Normally, he felt so calculated and rehearsed, but in that moment by the campfire, he seemed nervous and unsure, something that was very unlike him based on Wyndolyn’s first impressions. She had allowed him to bite her, and after being exsanguinated to death, brought back to life with a scroll, and one punch to his charming face later, the two were on okay terms with a rule that he wouldn't feed on anyone at camp after that. Enemies, however, were perfectly fine.

After that night, Astarion finally opened up gradually about his past. He would every so often share stories about Cazador and his cruelty, and over time, Wyndolyn found herself wanting to protect Astarion more and more. He was more than capable of handling himself with his sword and bow, but there was still so much darkness in his heart that threatened to swallow him up. The night in the Shadowlands that they found out about the truth of his scars from Raphael, Wyndolyn promised Astarion that whatever it was that he felt he needed to do, she would support him. Whether it was to kill Cazador, flee, or even take the Rite of Ascension for himself, she would be there for him.

Then the day came where they finally found their way to the Szarr Palace, and the entire time, Wyndolyn felt terribly uneasy and kept glancing at Astarion. Being back in the place where all those awful things happened must’ve been a lot for him to process, so she followed his lead, letting him go at his own pace and leading the charge. This was something he needed to do for himself, after all. Whatever Astarion needed, she was there beside him, ready to jump into action the moment he gave the word.

When they finally encountered Cazador, she stood beside Astarion in silence as he was finally able to vent his anger for the first time in centuries to his former master. When put into position for the Rite of Ascension, Wyndolyn immediately went to free Astarion from his restraints before anything else, Karlach protecting her from behind, and after defeating Cazador, when Astarion asked for help to complete the ritual so he could be take the power of the rite for himself, Wyndolyn was ready to help him kill thousands if it was what he truly thought was the solution he needed. Something was off though when he asked for help. She looked into his eyes and saw that it wasn't the power that he really wanted, but instead to be free of Cazador, to finally feel safe and not have to fear anyone. The rite seemed like the safest way, but it wouldn't be right. He would no longer be Astarion, but rather another vampire lord that would go on to wreak the same suffering onto others that Cazador had onto him.

After all they had been through, she had been there to support him, and in that moment in Cazador’s dungeon, she was able to voice Astarion's doubts to him, and he knew that she was right. He ended Cazador's life in a vicious, bloody mess, and at the end of it, retained his humanity and sense of self instead of giving into power.

Back at camp that night, everyone had said that it was an admirable choice Asatrion had made, but two people in particular were incredibly proud of him for what he had done and made sure that Astarion knew: Karlach and Wyndolyn. The two of them were so proud of him and made sure that he knew they saw him as more than a surviving spawn of a cruel master, and he had been grateful to know that he had managed to find friends that saw more in him than what he could see for himself.

Astarion had just found true freedom at the end of this whole ordeal, only for it to be taken from him all over again. If anyone needed a shred of Karlach's warmth right now, it was the one who was just relegated back to the cold shadows. Wyndolyn may not be able to share that same level of optimism and positivity as her love, but she knew that she did care about what happened to her dear friend. With everyone gone off to give Karlach a proper memorial at a tavern and drink in her honor, Wyndolyn decided she would go to search for the friend that she wanted to protect. She vowed that she would find him and, if he would have her, never leave him to feel alone again for as long as she lived. That's what Karlach would want instead of a drink at this moment, Wyndolyn was sure.

"Alright, if that's what you wish, then we shall search for him. Perhaps if we split up, we may be able to find him faster. Shall we meet back at camp once it gets dark? Hopefully by then one of us will have found him."

"Yes... alright. Let's get going."

Halsin took the western part of the Lower City, and Wyndolyn took the east. Astarion likely didn't get too far, but still she combed the streets and found no signs of him. She looked in buildings but remembered the rule of vampires not being able to enter homes unless given permission. Did that apply just to houses, or any building that people lived in? Would taverns or inns be okay? She was so used to Astarion being able to roam freely alongside her that she had never bothered to consider or ask about the technicalities that come with being a vampire. Gods... now would've been a good time to know all these little details.

While chastising herself for not being smart enough to have thought to read all those Curse of the Vampyr books she had found so long ago, she looked down and saw out of the corner of her eye a manhole cover. Of course, the Undercity! They had explored so much of it the past few days, perhaps he found his way down there! She opened the hole and climbed down into the depths. No immediate sign of him, but that's alright. There were only so many places down here after all. She began exploring the ruins of what remained after the Netherbrain’s damage, and after a while, she began to lose hope. She had been looking for hours now, what if something had happened to him? If he couldn't get to shelter in time as the sun rose higher and higher into the sky? Gods... she didn't want to think what could've happened. It was at that moment near a river of green, rancid water that she heard another noise. A sob?

Someone was crying.

She sprinted in the direction of the sound, rounded a corner, and saw Astarion curled into a ball, tears streaming down his face. He had heard Wyndolyn coming from a mile away with her heavy, orcish footsteps giving her no sense of delicacy or grace. Wyndolyn stood frozen in place and looked at him with a mixture of worry, distress, and relief. His face was still burnt and cracked, as if he was a marble statue that had been sitting out in a garden for centuries.

"Don't look at me!" he yelled, burying his face back into his arms. He may not have known what his normal face was anymore, but he knew what sun damage on a vampire looked like and that it was repulsive.

Wyndolyn took the blue cape that she wore and draped it over Astarion's head, covering him in a shroud. She took a seat next to him, not too close, but near enough that he could feel her presence. Under the veil, Wyndolyn saw him still shaking, the sobs racking his body. She simply sat there, not saying a word, as she usually did. She felt that she was terrible at finding the right words, so she often opted to say nothing and waited for the other party to initiate the conversation. If only Karlach were here... She'd know how to comfort him in her own way.

After some time, the sobs seemed to calm, and Astarion's breathing returned back to something resembling normal. He peeked from under the cape, still very much self-conscious about his face, and really looked at Wyndolyn for the first time since she arrived. "I don't suppose you have a healing potion with you?" Wyndolyn searched her pockets and found her last one that managed to survive the Netherbrain battle. She handed it over to him. "Oh thank gods..." he mumbled as he opened it and drank the whole thing in just a couple gulps. Some of the sun damage seemed to fade, though not entirely. His face still had cracks and was that marble, ashy white color, though the damaged spot seemed to shrink ever so slightly. He appeared to feel a bit better, even letting the cape fall off his head and around his shoulders, allowing Wyndolyn to look upon him. He looked at her and gave a half-hearted smirk. "I must look absolutely dreadful."

"You really don't," she said, smiling back, and she meant it.

They sat for another moment of silence, then he began to speak. "For the second time in my life, I've lost the chance to stand in the sun. I've lost the chance for a normal life and the ability to feel alive all over again. I thought that the first time this happened, when Cazador turned me, that I had experienced the worst possible feelings a person can have, but now that all seems so... trivial. I had my freedom in my grasp for the first time in 200 years... only to lose it all over again." He sighed and took a pause before continuing. As he spoke about freedom, he reached out for something in the air in front of him, only to open his palm and show that there was nothing to be had.

"Do you want to know the worst thing?” He took a pause before continuing, his eyes cast down to his boots. “At the very least when I was first turned, I never had to question what my purpose was. As awful as it was serving under Cazador, I never had to question what I wanted since it was simply never an option. I simply went through each day not because I wanted to, but because I would've suffered more if I didn't at the hands of that bastard. Now I'm back to where I started, cursed to live in the shadows once more, though now I have nothing! I'm still the same, miserable monster, only now I suppose I have 'freedom.'" He used air quotes on the last word. "What use is freedom in a life that gives you nothing but pure shit?" He spit out those last words, his anger at the world and his misfortune palpable in every syllable.

"Well, you find something new to live for then." Wyndolyn said matter of factly.

"Oh?" he scoffed. "Like what, love? Companionship?" He made such kind things sound like the plague.

"Yes." Wyndolyn said with no hesitation, looking Astarion directly in the eye. Though he was being heavily sarcastic, she genuinely meant it. If it weren't for the people she cared about, life wouldn't be worth living. Despite all the hardships and dangers of the past few months, the time they had all spent together was the happiest of her life. For the first time ever, she found people that wanted to be close with her and that she wanted to be with as well. Nothing felt more worth living for than for the people she loved.

"Please,” he scoffed. “No one bothered to give a damn about me outside of a successful lockpick here and there when you didn’t smash the bloody door down yourself. Well… besides you, I suppose.” He turned to Wyndolyn with a huff. “What did you even find me for? Shouldn't you be celebrating with those other bastards? Drinking the finest wines and sharing a moment with your fiery lover?"

A pang struck Wyndolyn's heart. The bursting flames came back to mind, then the puff of smoke. She thought of Karlach's final "I love you," and had to turn her gaze downwards.

"Karlach... she's..." Wyndolyn started, not being able to get the words out. She stared down at the water rushing by their feet, holding back her grief. Astarion took a moment to understand what had happened. "Oh," he said, surprised and feeling a bit sorry for his jaded tone before. "I'm... I’m sorry. Her engine...?" He asked, afraid to finish the thought.

"Yeah, it finally burnt out. Just as you had to get out of the sun."

"I see..." he said, processing this new information. He had always enjoyed Karlach's company. Next to Wyndolyn, Karlach was the person he was most likely to talk to when he wanted to have a light-hearted chat or open up about himself back at camp, sometimes even causing a little mischief together. The two barbarians were surprisingly comforting to be in the presence of, especially Karlach.

"All Karlach wanted was to keep everyone in our group safe and happy, and that includes you." Wyndolyn said, looking back to Astarion. He seemed a bit taken aback by the sincerity in her voice. "You deserve a happy ending as well, even if it is in the shadows."

He blushed and looked away from Wyndolyn, unaccustomed to such kind words. Normally that was the kind of line he would deliver as an empty flirt. Being on the receiving end of a statement filled with such honesty was a strange feeling. He couldn't tell if he liked it or not. After a moment, he regained a bit of composure and looked back to Wyndolyn. "Well… I suppose having my favorite traveling companion around a while longer would be welcome. I still don't know where to go though. Living in the sewers for the rest of my days doesn't seem quite becoming of someone of my stature." He sat up a bit straighter and titled his chin up a bit, regaining some of his usual, noble composure. Wyndolyn smiled a bit then thought for a moment.

"What about the Underdark?" she finally spoke. "There are thousands of spawn there now that have no idea what they're doing. You sent your siblings to help guide them, but even when they find somewhere to settle, they won't have any idea what to do with themselves either."

"I... suppose that's a start." He said, lowering his face down again to ponder. Whether he went and became a leader or simply lived amongst the spawn, at least it would be a group of people that he could relate to. Though, gods... so many of them he personally ruined the lives of. Would he be welcome or would they want to kill him the moment they laid eyes upon him? Maybe they'd allow him the chance to help since he did help free them in the first place. Maybe... helping the people he lured to Cazador could be a purpose in itself. It wasn’t such a dreadful idea.

"Well then, let's go." Wyndolyn said. "Though I should make a quick stop back at camp and let Halsin know. I imagine he'll stay on the surface, but perhaps he'd like to tag along and see a new side of nature. I wonder if he's ever been to the Underdark…?"

Astarion shot her a perplexed look. "What do you mean? You make it sound like you're coming with me to stay." Wyndolyn looked at him with wide, honest eyes.

"Well... if you'll have me, I would like to stay by your side." Everyone on the surface would be fine without her, and perhaps Astarion would be too, but truthfully, Wyndolyn was afraid of no longer being needed by her friends. Karlach was gone, and though Halsin did care for Wyndolyn a great deal, he understood the migrational mindset of an adventurer and that time apart didn’t mean that their connection would grow any weaker. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, after all, and he didn't want to settle anywhere most likely anyway. His love for Wyndolyn was a deep, intimate care that would be there regardless of where they were, either together or miles apart.

"Oh," Astarion said with a bit of shock before throwing on a flirtatious grin and leaning towards Wyndolyn just a touch. "I wasn't aware my charms had gotten to you. I haven't even been trying, darling."

Wyndolyn smiled and leaned away from him just a touch. Though he hid it well, Astarion was surprised at her recoil. "I care about you, Astarion, and I'd like to keep you safe and make sure you're happy. It's something I think Karlach would've wanted, and it's something I know I want. Knowing her, she would've followed you the moment you ran off earlier if things had gone differently. She'd probably ask if she could wrap you in a big hug too..." she trailed off, thinking of Karlach's smile, another pang in her chest at the thought of her tiefling’s beautiful face.

"I suppose you're right.” Astarion agreed, thinking of his friend as well. “Well... if you can stomach being around a whole colony of vampire spawn and keep that pretty neck of yours safe, I suppose I wouldn't mind the company.” He hesitated for a moment, then continued, “I'll be fine though, alone, just so you know, if you’d rather stay with the others."

"I would rather come with you.” Wyndolyn said, looking Astarion directly in the eye and speaking firmly. “I want to go with you because I care about you and I love being your friend, and I'd like to have many more moments together that we can look back fondly on in the future. I want to protect those who I consider the closest to me in my own way, just as Karlach would’ve. Next to her and Halsin, you mean the world to me, Astarion."

Astarion didn't think he had ever heard such kind words spoken to him. They weren't compliments about how beautiful he is or declarations of how much she wanted to bed him or even be intimate in any capacity. She loved him as a friend, for himself and nothing else, and that was a feeling he couldn’t recall having ever experienced. After years of being used by so many, this was a new sensation for him. There was a warmth in his chest, something that felt strange since he normally ran cold. It would take him time to admit, if he ever did, but hearing the word "friend" in such a genuine voice was something he had never realized he had wanted until he had heard it.

"Well... thank you. Truly. I welcome your company, my friend."

Wyndolyn smiled and moved a bit closer once more. "Can I give you a hug?"

"Yes, darling." After a long, tight embrace, Wyndolyn stood up and offered her hand. "Would you care to take a walk with me? The sun should be setting by now, and we have a long journey to prepare for."

"I suppose I wouldn't mind a stroll under the stars." He took her hand, and the two made their way back into the streets of Baldur’s Gate, ready to begin a new adventure.

#baldur's gate 3 #fanfic #comfort #spoilers #bg3 spoilers #act 3 spoilers #bg3 act 3 spoilers #karlach #halsin #astarion #tav #platonic astarion #wyndolyn #writing

9 notes · View notes

too-destiny-panda · 1 year ago

Text

Day 9: Nautiloid

A/N:ANother day, another ficlet. I had such a lovely idea for this but as it turns out said idea ended up pretty short lol. Prompts belong to @sagscrib, and additionally tagging @commander-yinello WC: 595

When Wyll travelled to the Hells to hunt Karlach, he expected many things. Fiends of all kinds of powers and rank, screaming souls, mindless creatures made only for war. An illithid nautiloid was not one of those things.

When Karlach jumped aboard the ship from the cliff where he had chased her to, he only had a split second to decide whether to follow. A more cautious person would have at the very least thought about this more, but caution was pointless when his goal was within reach. So, he jumped after the devil-like figure, hoping to finally, finally catch up to her enough to kill her. Maybe he would even get a few mindflayer kills under his belt.

Once on the ship, he had realised his mistake. The entire layout was wholly unfamiliar to him. The fleshy walls pulsed with life; an organism shaped into a flying vessel. The corridors he slinked through were empty so far, at least for now. A blessing as far as he was concerned. He didn’t need to be wasting his strength on stray Intellect devourers and commanding mind flayers. He would let the hell spawn clear the way for him instead. But something wasn’t right. For one, it was quiet. Even with his limited knowledge about mind flayers and their vessels, he knew they usually had many a thrall under their commands, and other than to eat them or transform them, it would be logical to assume they would be used for mor menial tasks, such as patrolling. But he hasn’t encountered a single soul, not even a corpse.

Perhaps they were all gathered in one place? The damage on the ship would suggest that they were attacked right before entering this realm, so it is possible they were all sent to protect whatever is most precious in such a ship. Still, the Blade of Frontiers couldn’t shake the feeling that the moment he stepped onto the ship, he turned from hunter to prey. It was a dreadful feeling, this doubt, almost paranoia. But surely, he would have noticed if he was being stalked. Right?

The multitude of thoughts raced against one another in his skull as he crept down one of the viscous hallways, blade draw. The figure that manipulated his mind into making itself invisible to him floating a few feet behind him. It studied him, carefully weighing its options with the rest of the hive mind. Thrall or sustenance? His aura and ability to survive in an unnatural environment such as the Hells was a desirable trait. A trait needed to enforce the Grand Design. Yes, he would make a fine thrall.

A simple mind blast does wonders to the unaware mind. Wyll Ravengard was a powerful warlock, with the strength of a Hill giant and the power of a devil, but when one’s entire offensive repertoire is dependable on psychic damage, even the strongest of heroes can crumble in just one moment. And as the Blade was floated into one of the pods, a tentacled being willing him to consciousness to insert a tadpole into his eye before denying him his mind once more, he could only despair at not being able to kill his quarry before meeting such a fate.

And when Wyll crawled out of the rubble of the now destroyed vessel, back in Faerun, his head throbbing and his vision hazy, bile rising in the back of his throat at what he had just experienced, not in his wildest dreams could he have predicted what fate had in store for him.

#wyllvember #wyll ravengard #bg3 wyll #blue writes

5 notes · View notes

purplishsweetie · 1 year ago

Text

So.. the spawn thing.

After some of my playthroughs Dark Urge and spawn shit got me thinking. In fact, illithids are also spawn, spawn of the Elder Brain, i can see is something similar with vampire spawns, bhaalspawns..

There are a lot of them (well, in Bhaal's case, he HAD a lot of spawn, but he is quite ready to make even more, judging by Sceleritas's answer regarding your love if you become the chosen one of Baal), especially illithids. They are not free, although the methods of control are slightly different. Bhaalspawn are manipulated by Bhaal (most likely through someone like their butlers) and can be controlled to some extent by the Father through their Urge, illithids are completely controlled.. almost like vampire spawn by their master (they can't resist their master commands..).

Bhaalspawns is born with their Father blood already in their veins, true vampire master is sharing their drop of blood with vampire spawns, and, well, illithid is actually reborn as new creature while infected with its tadpole…sometimes with some memories about its past.

IDK, intellect Devours feel like Bhaalspawn's butlers to me, but actually its more like pets (then..why did i raise this question?). But butlers actually are also a way for Bhaal to control his children more and communicate better with them. I mean, look at Sceleritas: how lovingly he talks to Durge, he kind of praises them (admires them) for their terrible deeds and stuff. This is feels like a really good way to get people to comply..But prizes for murders, especially Isobel's murder, are manipulation to make sure the MC complies. Their life is full of this crap. Even if they know it's manipulation, they can't do anything, i think..

But they have different purpose. Illithids purpose is domination over the world, service to The Grand Design. Bhaalspawns purpose is to kill and destroy everything, even themself in Bhaals name. Even his gift/prize to you, - the Slayer - in fact, is destroying you. It's breaking your mind. ("Regarding the Slayer" book)

..and Vampire spawns literally just a slaves, and as Cazador said, they are more likely made to be consumed.

Also, interesting thing, the intellect devourer “Us” (I’m not sure, but I believe they are an anomaly for Absolute and her thralls due to control of the karsus crown) says that the MC are here to be known, TO BE LOVED… I think the Elder Brain really loves its children when Bhaal is not (they talk about love, the butler and people from the cult promises the Father's love, but we know it really is not. The Slayer is an ancient symbol of hatred. Bhaal and the concept of love to living things are incompatible.) Regarding vampire spawn and their masters I’m generally silent, everything basically is clear with them.

The Elder Brain's psionic control has a certain reach, and in some cases there are mind flayers that can resist it and escape. I don't know about Vampire spawns, i guess they need to be somewhere nearby their master too?? I mean, they obey to their master's commands, yeah, and can't resist, ability to feel something is fading.. and what?..Vampire can't know where can be their spawn.. and Bhaal, well, you could say, is everywhere. He is god. Bhaalspawns can't hide from him (and from their butlers), i'm pretty sure he always knows what they are doing. He may know what redeemed durge do, althought he can't control them. MC is still his children. His last living children… And their blood descedants still will be under his control.

Damn it, The EB, true vampire and quasi-deity that is Bhaal, can be killed, but you know, time will pass and Bhaal will be revived, unlike the other two..

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #im crying #bg3 bhaalspawn #durge #dark urge #but in the same time no #bc Emperor remember itself as Balduran #vampire spawn #mind flayer #illithid #creepy thoughts about bhaal #being bhaalspawn is so disturbing really #after this I feel like Durge and Empy have more in common

2 notes · View notes

alicelufenia · 7 months ago

Text

I 180'd so hard on the Emperor in one playthrough Alice could take flight with the spinning

Initially I thought 'well it doesn't talk like any other mind flayer, and either way it has the same goals as us'. I even was down to use the astral tadpole, and getting hype at how much power it gave. But then I decided a few hours into act 3 that I'd rather not finish my first playthrough all veiny and fucked up. So I reloaded and turned it down

And saw the 21 Wisdom check to refuse. Not a saving throw, a CHECK. I had to exert a deliberate force of will rather than reactively defend from an outside force. Even given advantage my paladin had little chance.

And upon failing the narrator's tone shifts to this SINISTER cadence as they make it clear YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL and your very desires and decisions are being determined FOR you. Taking the astral tadpole is YOUR decision and the most important one, why would you ever do otherwise.

That was when I knew the Emperor could never be trusted.

I recalled what Minthara said about being controlled by the Absolute.*

"The tadpole... the Absolute... they work together like a drug. I did not feel I was compelled to act against my will, I felt ecstatic to serve. "Every action seemed a deliberate choice - the best choice - even though I could no more have resisted its commands than flesh can resist decay. "Even rational minds like ours cannot reject such a powerful influence. "The Absolute can make the impossible seem inevitable."

As it turns out, the tadpoles exert a similar influence. Using even one tadpole to unlock Illithid powers turns the "No way" option from just something you can pick to requiring that massive check.

Which is why it makes perfect sense that Minthara is the ONLY companion who is willing to use the astral tadpole without being convinced, gaining a ton of approval for inviting her to use it even. She's the only companion who by default starts with Illithid powers; she has grown the power of her tadpole already, and as we've seen, it's influence is real and potent. She was always going to accept the astral tadpole, and her being able to choose her reasoning for it (it will give her the power to defeat our adversaries) is just a rationalization the Emperor has allowed her to come up with, rather than controlling her outright.

That is it's idea of being trustworthy, of showing Mercy.

I guarantee she would not be so warm to using the tadpole if she hadn't already been mind jacked before. Which is why she seems so satisfied that they are rid of the tadpoles after destroying the brain. Sure she still chastises the player for giving up on that power, but she now has the choice to consider other possibilities; that it was better to remove it as a threat, that she and Tav can wage war and conquer by their own power, that they are free of the influence of would-be gods to determine their own destiny. All thoughts we know she always possessed, that always seemed to be conveniently forgotten when it came to her desire to take control of the brain.

Which makes me feel REALLY bad for any character who has gained Illithid powers and manages to pass that check. It's the mental equivalent of reading the finest of fine print, and being able to find a loophole for yourself, but seeing how screwed everyone else is. Especially if they had saved Minthara, or convinced anyone else to use them. Suddenly every decision they make that the Emperor wants them to do has to be called into question, up to and including their being saved from the nautiloid crash.

*once again proving that siding with and recruiting Minthara was the best decision I could have made for my first playthrough. 10/10 would do it again (my weekly "you should kill the Grove" propaganda post quota has now been met)

**SPOILERS for Act 3**

But this shit right here made me hate the emperor (besides the scene with Ansur)

Because what. the. fuck. You won’t allow Minsc because he won’t “aid our cause”? Nah ima have this little bromie on the team. Man I hate the emperor so much.

#bg3 #bg3 screenshots #the emperor #minsc #fuck the emperor #and I didn't even see the worst that it had to show me #bg3 spoilers #act 3 spoilers #minthara baenre

100 notes · View notes

mybg3notebook · 3 years ago

Text

Lore: The Netherese in 1492 DR

Disclaimer Game Version: All these analyses were written up to the game version v4.1.104.3536 (Early access). As long as new content is added, and as long as I have free time for that, I will try to keep updating this information. Written in June 2021. Detail: BG3 takes place in 1492 DR.

To understand what's the context around "Netherese magic" and, let's hope, its nature, I think it's of vital importance to know a bit about Netheril and what happened in recent years.

The game does a good job in showing us what happened with their fall at Karsus' hands. I explained in the post of "Well-known Characters" a good amount of information about him. His desire for godhood was a bit more complex than just wanting to be a god, even though the game shows it as blind arrogance and ambition: so far we know, it was Mystra who commanded her priests to spread this version of Karsus' Folly, as if he only wanted power alone.

After Karsus' folly, all the floating cities of Netheril fell to the ground, destroying their population with them. However, only three cities were saved since they were too high in the air: their fall gave enough time for Mystra to be reborn in minutes and saved them. A fourth enclave, ruled by Telamont Tanthul—also called Lord Shadow—was teleported to the Shadow Plane (now called Shadowfell) days before the catastrophe. This was possible because Shadow Lord had been experimenting with the Shadow plane energies for a while. When he returned to Faerûn to see the aftermath of Karsus' folly, he recognised the need to stay in the other plane and gather strength to rebuild Netheril. After 1700 years, he started his plan for the return of his Civilisation in 1372 DR.

This is the context in which the trilogy of The Return of the Archwizards is set. This also belongs to 4e, which is one of the concepts that have annoyed more players, since this return made the Shadovars the Big Bad Evil everywhere. Maybe WotC wants to clean this aspect in the game. Maybe not. We don't know for sure. But we may suspect that Netherese people are returning in BG3: many details ingame keep giving context about them: Gale's explanation about Karsus' Folly, Excavation of the Enclave of Nhalloth (book), The Approachable East: Vol5 (book), and then the presence of Netherese magic not only in Gale's "orb" but in the tadpoles.

I think it's worth checking the ingame book called “Excavation of the Enclave of Nhalloth”. Nhalloth was a Netherese city floating above the Sea of Fallen Stars in Faerûn. After Karsus' folly, it sank into the sea, claiming for some underwater creatures. As a consequence of the Spellplague, the geography changed, the waters lowered, and allowed a bit of exploration. Little was found, and explorers reported odd feelings and ghosts around it.

What do we know about the Return of Netheril in 1372?

These new Netherese people started to spread their influence in Faerûn, looking for Netherese old artefacts and spying on people and places that could possibly hinder their ultimate goal of creating a new Netheril in their image. But, were these people truly Netherese? The question comes from the fact that living creatures can't stay in the Plane of Shadow (currently merged with the Plane of negative energy which transformed it into the Shadowfell) without being affected by it. So, in an attempt to be short but still provide important facts I will numerate vital details of them that may become handy in BG3:

This floating city used to be called Thultanthar, and after its return, it's more commonly referred as the City of Shade.

Somehow, the Netherese people survived, and became more united and secretive.

Over 1700 years, each generation of these netherese people become more and more attuned to the shadow plane, some of them even turning into Shades: twisted, dark, humanoid creatures with longer lifespan than humans. Lord Shadow was still the main ruler of the City of Shade because he is now a Shade.

A big percentage of their population are worshippers of Shar.

The archwizards (ruling class) in the highest ranks are called Shadovars. Not every Netherese or Shade person is a Shadovar. Despite this, most folk refer to all Netherese as Shadovar nonetheless.

Most Shadovars are followers of Shar.

Shadovars are masters of Shadow Magic. It's a common mistake to think that Shadow magic is the same as Shadow Weave magic. Shadow Magic is magic using the energies of the Plane of Shadow. This can be done using Weave or Shadow Weave. Since most shadow casters are evil-aligned, Shar tried to offer them the Shadow Weave as a means to cast their magic without using the Weave (an element of a neutral-good aligned deity). This is related to the effect of worshipping without consent: Using the Weave is always a way to worship Mystra even if the caster wants it or not. This always gives power to Mystra. Shar created the Shadow Weave as a way to divert all those evil-aligned casters into her own worshipping. More details in the post of "Mystra and her Chosen ones"

With the return of the Shadovars, they tried to corrupt the recently recovered Weave and turn it into Shadow Weave.

In 1487DR, Lord Shadow tried to gain the power of the Mythal of Myth Drannor, but Elminster killed him and the City of Shade fell upon Myth Drannor, destroying both cities.

However, this was not the end of the Shadovar. We may have some information about how they are in 1490s DR (let's remember BG3 is during 1492 DR):

Lord Shadow may be part of the Weave now (I have no idea why Ed said this. Lord Shadow was not a Chosen of Mystra, why would he be a weaveghost now?)

Two of his daughters and a Netherese arcanist survived: The sisters Lelavdra and Manarlume and the arcanist Gwelt have been calling themselves "The Three".

The Three have been collecting Netherese and others loyal to the Shade Empire from the ruins of the Citadel of the Raven in the western Moonsea region since late 1487 DR. They had collected at least 60 low level arcanists and 20 low born Netherese within a short period of time.

Gwelt was leading the hunt for others calling their group "The Court of the Three."

Their goals were supposedly to collect other Netherese, make allies, identify foes, take command of the remaining floating Netherese cities, and find a remote location to regroup and plan their re-emergence. It is unknown how far they have come.

Why all of this may be important?

Because part of this canon material may or may not be part of the story of BG3.

It's true that Larian has already changed some very consistent canon facts, such as the spell of the Hag eye (Ethel justifies her spell as a very personal customised one) or—the most impressive change—the Ceremorphosis process: Gale explains that the normal process removes the personality of the person in the sixth day after the infection, when in Forgotten Realms canon it should happen few hours after the infection. So my expectations for them to follow all canon material are not blind. They will change canon concepts as they think suitable, which is how DnD works. Still yet, it seems reasonable to read about all this in order to have a better context of what we will see, since the canon context is undeniably there.

Personally I always saw the presence of Netherese/Shadow Magic in the tadpoles as the intervention of Shar, but I never could find a group of mortals who would do that work and have such specific knowledge. We know that, with the exception of Mystra, contact with mortals is forbidden to all gods; therefore, Shar could not be the one to have approached these Mind Flayers. Now, the presence of the Court of the Three, working alongside or co-opting The Three Dead's plan seems a more reasonable possibility for me.

So far, what we know is that

Shadow Magic is equivalent to Netherese Magic ( EA, Ethel's words)

Shadow Magic is magic related to the plane of Shadows. This plane was altered by Shar when she merged the negative energy plane with it, causing the Shadowfell. The Shadowfell was Shar's realm for a while.

Shar was a great loser in the last edition. She could not change the Weave into Shadow Weave and become the greatest deity of magic as she planned. So she may want to counter-attack now.

Shadovars—who tried to help Shar in turning her into the Goddess of Magic—are masters of Shadow Magic and Shadow Weave magic.

The Shadow Weave was not destroyed, it's recovering at a similar pace to the Weave.

The tadpole can't turn the host into a mind flayer because Netherese magic (the dream person) attached to it works as a stasis process. ( EA)

The Netherese magic—aka dream person—seems to restrain the Mind Flayer transformation while having strong connotations of Bhaalspawn essence. ( EA)

These small details may suggest that maybe the Shadovar are returning, or the three dead are using Shadovar's knowledge or vice versa. The possibilities are many and it seems hard to decide which ones are more likely since EA gives little information for such estimation.

Sources:

2e: Sea of Fallen Stars 3e: Lost Empires of Faerûn 4e: The Return of the Archwizards, The Herald, Grand History of the Realms Article: After the Fall by Ed. Greenwood: https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/after-fall

Ed Greenwood Twitter

This post was written in June 2021. → For more Gale: Analysis Series Index

#bg3 meta #bg3 lore #lore #shadovar #netherese magic #bg3 early access #FR lore

16 notes · View notes

lairofsentinel · 4 years ago

Text

What can we say about the relationship between the tadpole and the person who appears in dreams?

[Baldur’s Gate 3, Early Access, Spoilers]

At a first glance, in a careless attempt, we immediately connect the tadpole with the image of the person in our main char’s dreams. One is inclined to think it is the tadpole itself asking for the host to let them in. However, after carefully watching the scene, and checking all its options... I started to doubt it.

During Early Access we only can see four dreams [video compilation of the dreams]:

The first one, in which only the voice is heard for a couple of seconds, shows a weird... tentacle-like creature? It’s not made of the gray skin of a Mind Flayer, it’s red, and unless it’s a terrible bug... it may say that we are in the presence of something different than the usual Mind-Flayer. In fact, I think it looks like a tiefling or a Cambion tail/wings (they have thorns). Could it be Raphael’s since he is red? How do we explain those boots in the top of the screenshot?. Maybe it’s a mere bug.

The second one, in which the main char awakes in that intense green garden, has a peaceful sense to it.

The third one is when that desired person in the dreams shows you an enemy you stab in self defence, and then you observe an entire city under siege.

The forth one is when you have the ability to kill that person in the dreams.

After having the second dream, we can talk about this with our companions. All of them, except by Astarion, explain that their dreams were about desire and power. About a promise.

It's clear for us that Gale dreamt about Mystra and Wyll about Mizora. Both women are the embodiment of power and desire. We don't have a clue who Shadowheart dreamt about, but we know is a he that represents the same values. Astarion is the one who disrupts the pattern.

He dreamt about Cazador, which is for sure the representation of power, but of his desire? At first I thought it was a twisted taste forced onto him over two hundred years of slavery. As a slave, maybe he had to learn how to enjoy the worst things just to endure it, so the incredibly wicked and twisted insinuation of Astarion being attracted to his tormentor... was surprising at first. Especially when you explore his dialogue and he shows a strong bad reaction to such insinuation.

Thinking about it a bit more, I realised that maybe Astarion “desiring” Cazador is another thing he is forced to do against his own will. Or maybe it's the typical consequence of the vampire relationship with the sire: the childe is always attracted to their sire, no matter how much they hate them. Astarion is not even free of having his own desire due to Cazador's power, so... his dream about Cazador was another display of the control that such figure has over him. Therefore, we can say that, in the end, he is also following the pattern, but his desire is commanded by being a vampire spawn.

When it comes to the main char, we also know that such figure in their dreams is someone they are attracted to [that's exactly what we were asked to do in the character creation part].

The tadpole in the main character's head reacts negatively to this desired person, and it’s strange. It can mean that the projection of that figure and the tadpole are not the same (Gale, are you wrong?). The figure acknowledges the presence of the tadpole and the transformation in process, and they seem to be in power of stopping it if only you let them “in”. But the presence of the tadpole is always there while interacting with this figure, uncomfortable and wanting to get away from that desired person. The tadpole feels threatened by this figure.

At times, this beautiful figure feels like an entity proper of a demon, asking you to let it in and possess you. We know by Shadowheart’s comment that this voice appeared in her head when she was in the ship, so that we can assume it started to affect the hosts by the same time the tadpole process started.

The hag provided us the most valuable information I found out in the game. She confirmed that the tadpole has been altered, as everyone had suspected. But not only that... they had netherese magic, shadow magic (*) in it. This, however, feels wrong in terms of lore: mind flayers detest arcane magic, they believe its a corrupt version of the psionic power they have. Mixing it with their traditional birth procedure looks odd. Odd if this new experiment is only their idea. Maybe the big mind behind these new tadpoles is not a Mind flayer.

With this bit of information given by the hag, I was inclined to think that this magical compound may explain the presence of the person in the main char's dreams. What surprises me is that the tadpole wants the figure away, so how is it possible that both, the figure and the tadpole, work one against the other? If we assume that the tadpoles were altered to perform a transformation of some sort, shadow magic embodied by that figure and the tadpole should work together. However, the tadpole triggers hunger and animal instincts to rip that figure out. It feels endangered. Maybe it’s because the whole procedure is an experiment yet.

The desired figure keeps claiming they want you to help, but in the process, they also tell you that you can be more powerful and conquer Baldur's Gate [yes, despite the blurriness, it is enough to distinguish the characteristic entrance of the city].

[image from the trailer]

The last dream is one of the most disturbing ones. You awake with symptoms of your skull starting to change its bones, and apparently, the presence of the figure is the only thing which is preventing the transformation. The figure is irritated. You can ask them for help you because the parasite is going too far. The figure says that they need to go deeper into you to calm down the “animal” inside. And once more the tadpole activates a defence mechanism.

You can indulge yourself in the desire of destroying the figure apart, and you ride the figure strangling them and killing them. The figure calls you “monster” and tells you that you deserve what's coming for you [which I assume, it's the standard Mind Flayer transformation]. The experiment may have failed in this way since you destroy the stasis.

If you resist the impulse of killing them and at the same time resist the intrusion of the figure, the figure is disgusted with you. The figure only is understandable with you when you tell them the truth about your impulse of killing them. They will state that they knew about it, and they trust you to control it while they go deeper into you.

It’s disconcerting if the sudden hunger for death comes from the tadpole (I put my coins here) or from the figure going deeper into you. I assume it’s the tadpole because the figure will call you monster and wont be happy if you indulge yourself in that hunger.

By the end, the figure calls you ungrateful if you resisted them once more and tells you that the next time you meet them, you will ask forgiveness. Early access allows that last dream and no more.

Hypothesis

Now, all these strange urges for murdering the figure makes me wonder if the magical compound that now these tadpole have is related to some evil divine entity, playing a role similar to Bhaal in Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2. In those previous games, you and a bunch of people were direct spawn of the God of Murder, and in a couple of occasions, you had strong urges to kill losing control of your character [and killing NPCs you were fond of]. What if... this new tadpole is an experiment combining the Mind-Flayer procedure of birth (needed in order to have a completely different body for new demi-god powers) with a divine-infused-magical compound from the shadows. What for?. I don’t know... maybe to create an army of demi-gods? [following the usual flavour of Baldur’s Gate series].

This procedure, if it’s as such, could allow to have god-spawn creatures without the God sleeping with mortals and waiting mortal-gestation times. xD If we follow this train of thoughts, and we believe a God is behind all this, it must be some tyrant God, like Bhaal or Bane, since the dreams are all about power and control, showing Baldur’s Gate under siege. Maybe the procedure is not perfect, since there are two different effects working one against the other: The shadow magic that infuses a degree of divinity is about desire and power, but the tadpole’s only interest is to go on with the standard Mind-Flayer procedure.

I thought about this divinity-compound because we saw that there are third parties interested in this new particular tadpole: Raphael. What Gale says to you after his visit is a fact: if a cambion become interested in these tadpoles, it’s because there is more than souls at stakes. But all of these are specualtions. The only certanties are:

Tadpoles are not only Mind-Flayer-made.

They have been altered with Shadow Magic (weird for Mind Flayers).

The Tadpole and the figure which offers you power are different entities.

The more you use powers of command, the more these dreams come and the more it triggers the Mind-Flayer transformation.

The figure in your dreams is the only one preventing the Mind-Flayer transformation.

Conventional tadpoles only cause Mind-Flayer transformation in a week.

Extra information I found later [here]