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#minsc will have to wait
numberonetrashwitch · 8 months
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Some observations about Baldurs Gate 3 that hit too close to home.
After another few runs i will probably just make an in-Depth Character Analysis for every character simply because they are good reflections of actual trauma-manifestations and how abuse can manifest in people. They are also so well written that it serves a narrative purpose to explore all the material that is out there about them. I am also personally cursed with actual medically-relevant levels of Empathy and Hyperfixation; so writing this helps me put a pin in it and move on.
But so far here are my highlights
(SPOILERS and obviously content warning bc these are deep)
before you ask; i have almost 300h in this game.
You have to convince Shadowheart to eat the Noblestalk. She actually stells you she rather get her memories back from Shar but when you hit the persuasion or intimidation (what the fuck) check to get her to eat it she'll tell you about her childhood friend. Not her name, not her parents but her best firend. Possibly because she has had a closer bond to that person after being abducted and indoctrinated. With her believing herself to be an orphan, she would've looked elsewhere for comfort and sought out her own family, this is why she falls hard and heavy for Shar and builds the backbone of her indoctrination. She is literally ripped out of her home & given a new identity to server her from all she has known. Religious indoctrination, Gaslighting, Abduction, being forced to let go of your personality are her main themes.
There is a scene out there floating around in which you see Astarions pespective of the night when he bites Tav for the first time, in his meditations he is confronted with the rules Cazador put on him, including that he can't eat intelligent creatures, can't be away from Cazador unless allowed to, has to obey every command and that they are should know that they are property. Which in turn means that Astarion literally didn't just have any autonomy, he was objectified (and not just through seductive/sexual measures) and that is really the crux to understanding why he doesn't believe in kindness, but rather shows self-serving behavior in most cases. Since we know that Astarion was extremely young for an elf before he died and became immortal (literally stopping the aging /maturing process) it is also very telling that Cazador constantly calls him brat, boy or other very juvanile names, refering to them as a family... well it is also the story of a very controlling parent. Themes of (Bodily) autonomy, infantilization ( & puer aeternus, forever-child), slavery, depersonalisation, corruption of life and torture to break someone.
Gale isn't just a guy hung up on his Ex, but also a victim of abuse. In this case a power imbalance none of us can fathom; She is described as being a jealous goddess and rules over the domain of mysteries and magic. So with Gale being a Wizard, she is literally his boss. He admits that he was foolish enough to aspire to be an equal to her, but she is so jealous that she tells him he can't really be worthy as long as he takes breath. She could just take his powers away and be done with it, that would be more than enough punishment for a guy who literally made Mystra and her domain his life's purpose, but she rather makes him do it himself. Add to that, that she literally only tells him this after years of self-isolation (after he put down so many wards that he could've blown up a whole army as he says if you click the right dialogue) to really fuck him up well. He also talks about death pretty much constantly, not surprising giving your situation, but he will tell you that he will kill himself at several points in the game, for instance after he comes clear about his nethrese orb. Themes of romantic abuse, power-imbalance, toxic work enviorment, self-isolating behavior, suicidal ideation
Wyll ... well from the looks of it he is the most well adjusted of all the companions (my opinion) but he has something that i'd describe as the "eldest daughter"-syndrome, more commonly known as parentification. This pattern usually occurs within single-household parents and is commonly described as a parent looking to their child for emotional or practical support, rather than providing it to their kid. We meet Ulder and see that he talks over Wyll a lot, not listening but expecting him to follow the standard he sets for him. That is also why Wyll repeats his fathers words like gospel (because this is what, in his mind, fullfills the expectations bestowed upon him) and why he loves fairytales / bard tales so much (because they are an ecapist view of the job he set out to do) Ulder literally exiled his teenage son because Wyll did the only thing he could to save an entire city, by sacrificing himself. Thats a lot to expect from a 17 year old - even more so, he doesn't stop with the heroics. He expects himself, as a human who hasn't even reached the age of 30 to hold up to mystical creatures such as Astarion or Karlach, or even Gale who is a accomplished Wizard. Themes of parentification, escapism, self-harming through putting himself in danger, chronic-self-sacrifice
In plain words; Gortash, Karlach's Idol sold her to a Devil. But add to that that she must have been pretty young when she was sold (late teens to early twenties possibly) and being that if you play as a Tiefling, you face a lot of predjudice she was likely forced into that position as well. Starstruck she was, with a juvenile naitivy that Gortash used. Appropriately, as he is the chosen of Bane the god of "tyrannical oppression, terror, and hate, known across Faerûn as the face of pure evil through malevolent despotism" (Source: Forgotten-Realms Wiki / Bane) So she pretty much was raised in a toxic enviorment, which forced her to become a killing-machine, first figuretively, then with the extraction of her heart, literally. Themes of slavery, oppression, misuse of trust, being taken advantage by a more powerful/older(?) person, being drafted.
Jaheira - to be honest, you need to know the lore of the previous baldurs gate games or just listen to her dialouge, ask her all the questions. She is a war-veteran against Bhaal, the good of ritual murder, and has a long history of fighting to achieve some sort of balance of power. She lost her husband and several close people all to this, or any other war, but due to her wisdom and strength people look to her for guidance. Themes of: Survivors Guilt.
Halsin - he is really closed off at first but then just casually hits you with "i was captured in the underdark and spent 3 years chained to a bedroom wall by a pair of drows who used me as they pleased". He is reprimanded by some of his druids for leaving the grove as soon as opportunity struck, just to get back and leave the next day, and if you talk to him about his position in the grove he is actually very forthcomming. He actively holds himself back; indulging in simple hobbies because he knows what lies within his heart. He is afraid of himself and his potential (canonnically he can't control his wildshape, which is very weird for an ARCH-druid) Themes of: impostor syndrome, avoidant-based self-harm, sexual opression, loss of control, emotional regulation.
Lae'zel is a very tragic case, and one that closely resembles the stories of Shadowheart and Karlach. Her entire existence is based upon a matriachial war society allowing her to live if she proves she can be of use and that in a culture which only values brutality, dominance & service. All of that culimating in her finding out that her oh-so-beloved Queen is actually just an imposter, and that everything she has lived for up to that point is merely political propaganda created to make her, and the rest of her entire species, willing pawns in a war that has no longer bearing on their survival alone, but is fought to justify Vlaakith's (the reigning monarchs) personal ambitions. Not only is she forced to reconcile that she is turned into the thing that controlled her kind for hundreds of years, that the only cure she knows of would kill her and then on top of that, that her hopes and dreams were lies and that she is now the Nr 1 enemy of the person she has served with all her being. themes of: oppression, propaganda, casual violence, objectification, child-warfare, eternal warfare
Minthara in short, her story is about being shamed for growing up in the same scenario that Lae'zel grew up in. Lolth, the god of the Lolth-sworn drows is a crazy queen who values scheming & backstabbing so much and is so volatile that you can't know what to expect of your deeds (and i mean it; there were people who were appraised by her for scheming against her, but also those who were killed. It's almost random.) She considers Lolth to be cruel and abandoned her for the Absolute, only to then be used and abused the same way Lae'zel has. Not with promises, but erasing her memory and exposing her perceived weakness. Themes of: casual violence, violent culture, her own ambition colliding with her desire to be safe, being a pawn in a larger game.
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illithiddies · 7 months
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i cannot express how fucking funny the party limits begone mod is
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i feel like im always managing an increasingly large school field trip about murder
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lixbf · 3 months
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hilarious how astarion is the only one who doesnt disapprove of giving shadowheart back to the sharrans
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lanaevyssmoved · 9 months
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i love the party ai mod because now i get to roleplay what its like to play the game coop and wait 10 minutes for my turn
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rosesrambling · 8 months
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not 2 post bg3 spoilers on main but
I’ve been playing BG3 this whole time thinking to myself “but where is Bhaal? :(” and finally the end of act 2 has rewarded me with not JUST Bhaal but the whole Dead Three
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ttrpgsmoved · 9 months
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anyways *throws abdel adrian to the side ignorinb bg canon* can u imagine gridis as the new bhaal and orin worshipping her. ? i am. i am thinking very much of that
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littlegalerion · 2 years
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I don't think I can explain enough how excited I am for Baldur's Gate 3, how GOOD that game looks so far, how it might actually give The Elder Scrolls and Dragon Age a serious run for their money, and how friggin much I adore Halsin.
He...is almost more beloved than Vanus, if only because Halsin is Vanus' final form. Or just Vanus minus the dramatic act, and now deeply vibing with nature.
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lelianaslefthand · 5 days
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was about to be like “which bg3 companion is NOT beating the crumbs on bed allegations” as if it was a thought provoking question but after 5 seconds of thinking all my brain cells looked at each other like that christian bale kermit nodding gif and went “karlach”
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disgruntledcleric · 8 months
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finally got baldur's gate 3 lads
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BG3 Characters Safest Driver Headcanons
I've been thinking about that poll from months ago way too much, so I've pulled this from my drafts. In this essay, I will explain why Boo is the best driver. Astarion: Terrible. Absolutely terrible driver. He is doing his makeup with the visor down, looking at the mirror more than the road. Suspend your disbelief, he's driving in this universe. He can use mirrors. ♥ You have to grab the steering wheel, regularly. Without warning, the man twists around to find his purse in the back seat because he wants a different eyeliner than what he grabbed. You are on aux duty. He hates everything you've picked. 2/10, he lawyered his way into that license Gale: You would think he would be safe, but then you remember that Gale didn't pay attention in boring classes. And how hard could driving really be?? The man knows how to drive perfectly textbook. He also thinks he knows how to do it better than everyone else. He does not adapt well to poor drivers. The roads are full of poor drivers. He is yeling "Zipper!" at the merging traffic. You spend five minutes in the parking lot so he can find just the right song for the trip.
6/10, you will probably not die Halsin: The man drives slow, I'm sorry. He's fuel efficient as you can get with the windows down. He pulls over and stops traffic for ducks crossing the road, no matter what the current road conditions are. He stops to show you the new tree the neighbor got. He is a Yellowstone Park tourist. He wants to show you the world, one traffic-stopping mid-road parking job at a time. There is no music, we are listening to nature today. 4/10, you will be rear-ended with him and not the way most people want Jaheira: I stand by what I said last time: Jaheira reminds me of so many older women I know. She drives like she wants someone to start shit with her. She's so conditioned by having 5 kids fighting in the backseat at all times that every time she's behind the wheel she's having Vietnam-level flashbacks. Her blood is pumping in her ears. There is no road, there is only the red of her vision. She won't start the road rage incident directly, but by god, she will end it. (You tried to ask about music, but the look she gave you when asked killed the question.) 5/10, you make it to your destination intact. But at what cost? Your pants are a different color at the end of the trip than they were at the beginning. Karlach: Karlach is talking with her hands while she drives. She's fiddling with the radio constantly. You've blown four red lights. Three of them were the same red light because she took a wrong turn. She will not use GPS, she's got the vibe of where she's going. She was trying to show you something on her phone at the same time. It cannot wait. It was so good you have to see it right now. The tunes are so loud she hasn't heard the sirens behind her. 4/10, the tunes almost make up for it Lae'zel: You are helping her check her mirror distance before you get in the car. You are buckled in before the car even starts. You are not allowed to touch the light in the car if it is dark out. She was taught that it's illegal to have on at night and she takes that shit seriously. You are on blindspot-watching duty at all times. You're not allowed to have music on the in car, it is a distraction. 7/10, we are efficient, but we are miserable Minsc: Minsc cannot drive. Minsc was meant to drive today, but Minsc got into the wrong seat. We are all relieved. Jaheira trained him wrong on purpose and will kill you if you correct him. 0/10, don't even try. He will survive the accident, you will not. Minthara: Minthara, light of my life. She is gremlin cackling and riding bumpers the whole time. People are pulling off constantly to get away from her. You are white-knuckling in the passenger seat and are too afraid to let go of the bitch-bar. You pray her airbags are up to date because your life has not stopped flashing before your eyes since you got onto the road. We are exclusively listening to The Flight of the Valkyries. 7/10, it is shockingly efficient when no one else is on the road anymore
Shadowheart: I have been in many a 'Shadowhearts' car. The car is more of a problem than she is. She drives the type of car that makes people go, "You live like this?" She drives a manual. She was not trained to drive a manual. Almost every single dash light is on, the ones that aren't had their bulbs die out years ago. We don't know how old that trash is, but it lives here now. She has one of those cassette players that has to hook into your phone to come out the speakers. Good luck finding the right adaptor in the mess. 4/10, girl get your shit together Wyll: Wyll is the best driver, hands down...when he is alone. Like all things in his life, his greatest flaw is being too polite. He turns his whole fucking head to look at you when you talk because that is the polite thing to do. The road is secondary to how important your conversation and companionship are to him. And you can't not talk him! He's asking you genuine questions about your day because he's interested. You get to listen to whatever you want and he's totally down for it even if it's not normally his thing. He'll find something he likes about it. Alone: 100/10, he somehow makes everyone better drivers by just being on the road With you: 5/10, Wyll, please, look at the road. ;_;
Boo: My eyes are closed. It's better this way. We made it there in record time. I don't know how it happened. I don't need to know how it happened. ?/10, it's best if you don't think about it
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soldat-buck · 11 days
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i had a vision while making coffee this morning
bg3 culinary headcanons: Companion Edition
- Shadowheart: absolute zero regard for contamination while cooking. kitchen habits of a permanent bachelor. licks the tasting spoon clean and keeps using it to cook. eats hot cocoa straight out of the container with a spoon. thinks pouring ranch over an entire head of lettuce and eating it like feral animal while holding it over the kitchen sink counts as "salad". if you can get past the contamination thing, the food she makes actually tastes pretty good, even if it's sometimes odd (she cooks like a stoner, despite being perfectly sober. she is just Like That).
- Astarion: perfectly capable of cooking, and actually can cook quite well. food may not taste the same after becoming a vampire, but his enhanced sense of smell tells him nearly everything he needs to know about how to season and cook food properly. he doesn't cook because he doesn't like to (washing dishes? by hand? no fucking thank you, being undead is harsh enough on the nails and skin. finding a good lotion for normal undead dryness is already impossible)
- Lae'zel: in the modern world, if her life took her in a chef direction, she'd be in a Michelin star restaurant as the world's best and most terrifying sous chef. she absolutely would throw a knife at you for fucking up her plating (she'd intentionally miss. the first time). no nonsense is ever tolerated in her kitchen, but that doesn't necessarily mean she's got temper issues (her coldness and lack of tantrums is what makes her terrifying). she'd put Gordon Ramsay in his place for his rage theatrics and then make him weep with joy after serving him the most competent omelet he's ever had in his life. if she likes you, you may address her as "Yes, Chef!" outside of the kitchen.
- Karlach: uses 4 pots to make ramen. not because she's doing anything fancy or elaborate with it, the first pot was too small and started boiling over (whoops). the second one was, oh hold on, that's a cast iron pan, maybe you're not supposed to use that for boiling liquids, huh? wait shit, can't use this one either, i'm not supposed to use metal spoons on nonstick, don't want to scratch it. There we go! this one is the right size! and if i scratch this one, it's fine! wait, where the fuck did the flavor packet go (you should definitely be concerned about leaving her alone for the weekend)
- Wyll: very resourceful cook due to his Blade of the Frontier days. can improvise a meal out of damn near anything. can identify every edible plant and mushroom and tell you how to use it in a dish. would carry an herb garden in his adventure pack if he could. would absolutely thrive on the show Chopped (he's actually banned from auditioning again because it's not fair to the other competitors to have him on). he could make you a dessert featuring rattlesnake and fresh picked clover, and you don't know how or why, but you actually like it
- Gale: approaches the kitchen the same way he approaches most things in his life - academically. knows the proper safe temperature to cook meats/etc to, knows how to brown an onion, knows what seasonings are typically used together for certain flavor profiles and how to match seasonings to proteins. knife work sucks because he uses mage hand for mise en place and his mage hand has shitty DEX, but he's scared of his chef knife from the one time he sliced his thumb open (he was cutting an onion with improper hand placement and the knife slipped)
- Minsc: would exclusively eat by dumpster diving if it weren't for Boo's disapproval. eats like a human garbage disposal. he will eat a n y t h i n g that fits in his mouth, he is the least picky eater you will ever meet. does not understand how food challenges in the show Fear Factor are supposed to be challenges
- Halsin: world class forager. very competent hunter. prefers to eat everything as raw as possible. understands but doesn't believe in strict food safety because obviously stomach acid kills germs (and anyway, a little dirt here and there never killed anyone; exposure to germs is good for your immune system). open-mouthed kissing him is gambling with your health. makes the best vegetarian salads but do not trust any chicken he has "cooked". people with weak CON might want to consider avoiding his food
- Jaheira: uses Talk to Animals to Cinderella/Ratatouille rodents in the kitchen. she commands them like she's in perilous battle and the entire world is at stake (also rodents are worse to direct than cats, they do not know the difference between left and right. there's a lot of "No! Not that cupboard, the other one! NO, the OTHER other one! Flank him, he's off balance!"). making a cup of tea is a convoluted, stressful process that takes 10 times longer than just boiling the damn water yourself
if you want more bg3 culinary headcanons, there's also: the Absolute Edition
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blackjackkent · 12 days
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More parsed dialogue adventures. I was watching the video linked in this post about Astarion's dialogue if you try to throw the ball in camp if Scratch has been killed for whatever reason. Got me wondering what the other companions say in various ball-throwing scenarios...
If the ball is thrown and Scratch is trapped at the posthouse but could still be rescued:
ASTARION: - Even the power of a squeaky ball isn't enough to break the dog out of that kennel. - Well... there might have been another dog around? - What, I have to go and pick it up myself? Ridiculous. - I should probably free the dog - this ball won't fetch itself. LAE'ZEL: - The dog's still stuck at the post house. - Just - tossing the ball around. - I need to break Scratch out of that kennel. - Throwing the ball around is no fun when there's no Scratch to catch it. GALE: - I suppose teleportation is beyond Scratch. - I should probably fetch Scratch from the post house. - I'm just playing fetch with myself unless I go back for Scratch... - Might as well throw the damn thing at the post house... SHADOWHEART: - I suppose I should really free Scratch before I expect him to come running... - Scratch can't aid me just now - not while he's in the post house. - Worth a try. I really ought to free Scratch. - I don't know what I expected - Scratch can't reach me just now. WYLL: - Scratch is cooped up at the post house. Can't wait to have him back. - Scratch is a good friend. I need to get him back. - The pooch won't be fetching balls until I fetch him from that kennel. - *Sigh* KARLACH: - Scratch is still stuck at the post house. - Don't know what I expected. - We need to go get our boy back from that awful kennel. - This is no fun without Scratch here. JAHEIRA: - Blast. We left the dog to the kennels. - Too much to hope that Scratch would hear it and break free. - Perhaps if I threw Boo, Scratch would come running... do not think I missed that hungry look, hound. - Enough - I do believe the dog himself would be embarrassed for me. Let's go get him back. HALSIN: - Scratch cannot come - he still languishes at the post house. - Of course, my canine friend cannot help just now. He remains at the post house. - Thwarted again. I must see to freeing that poor dog. - Worth an attempt, but it would surely be quicker to just free Scratch. MINTHARA: - Scratch! Here, boy! Where is that damn dog? - Scratch is at the post house. We should organise a rescue mission. - Who do we need to kill to get Scratch back? - I hope he remembers us. (Devnote: Sadly.) MINSC: - Scratch is a captive of the post house still. Unless he breaks out to come and fetch...? No. - Would you like to fetch instead, Boo? - One more throw, and then we shall go and fetch Scratch from his prison. - You are right, Boo. If Scratch could see me now, he would be concerned. TAV: - Ah - Scratch is still at the post house. - It was worth a shot. Could have been other dogs in the area. - Time to fetch Scratch from the kennels, I suppose. - Well, it was worth one last shot.
If Scratch is permadead:
ASTARION: - Good riddance to the dog. Who'd miss that waggy little tail... (devnote: Pretending not to be sad and failing) - Does it have a sad squeak now? Is that even possible? - I suppose I'll just pick it up myself. - Can't believe the stupid dog isn't here to get the stupid ball. LAE'ZEL: - It's not much fun alone. - I really don't know what I thought would happen. - Solo fetch. A miserable pastime. - Can't believe I'm going to say this, but - I miss Scratch. GALE: - You were an excellent friend, Scratch - and that's coming from a cat-lover. - I hope there's balls and bones galore, wherever you are... - Poor Scratch. I'm lucky to have met you. - I hope Scratch doesn't miss his ball, wherever he is... SHADOWHEART: - I need to stop doing this to myself... - I didn't do this enough, when I had the chance. - I hope Scratch has a new ball to play with, wherever he is... - It's silly... part of me felt like Scratch might still show up for his ball. WYLL: - Fetch isn't much of a solo game. - Damn. I miss the furry fellow. - For old times' sake. - I miss you, Scratch. KARLACH: - I miss my dog. - Here, pup. (Devnote: Sadly - the dog is dead and she knows this.) - Why am I doing this to myself? - Scratch should be here. With his family. JAHEIRA: - Enough. This isn't helping anyone. - You deserved better, boy. - Gods, but you'd miss the fuss. The noise. Gods above, even the smell. - Pointless, without a pup to chase it. HALSIN: - I hope you are happy, wherever you are. - I am sorry, Scratch. - I torment myself - Scratch is not going to come. - Poor Scratch. I hope he is at peace. MINTHARA: - Everyone assumes I killed the dog. I liked the dog. - Scratch reminded me of my first displacer beast. A noble creature. - Withers! Be a good skeleton and fetch that ball. - Gah. I miss the damn dog. (Devnote: Surprised by her own feelings.) MINSC: - Scratch, come and... oh. How could I forget he was gone, Boo? - No game of fetch will bring Scratch back from death. - I know he is gone, Boo, but... perhaps this is a way of keeping him alive, no? - I miss him, Boo. TAV: - I suppose I'd better pick it up. No one else will. - Poor Scratch. I miss him. - It's not as fun when no one brings it back. - Scratch really gave that ball life. DARK URGE: - Why can't you fetch, puppy? Death is no excuse! - I think Scratch is up north. Playing in a goat-farm in Icewind Dale, of course! - Scratch was only ever meat of the lowest grade. - Aw, did someone pet you a bit too hard, pup? I thought you liked it!
If ball is thrown but Scratch unavailable/not currently summoned:
ASTARION: - Oh, the dog's had enough fun? Lazy mutt. - Dog? Dog! Fetch the ball. Fetch the - never mind, I'll get it. - First he wants to fetch, now he doesn't want to fetch. Make up your mind, dog. - The dog's tired after one little game of fetch? Weak. Pathetic. Barely a good boy at all. LAE'ZEL: - I don't think Scratch is up for it. - Scratch is resting. Not sure who or what I expected would fetch that. - It's Scratch's naptime. I'll need to get that. - I guess I'll have to get that. Scratch isn't about to. GALE: - Poor pooch is worn out. - Better let Scratch rest up. - The ballplay can wait, I suppose. - Hmm. I suppose Scratch has had enough fun and games for now. SHADOWHEART: - It's too soon - Scratch needs his rest. - Lazy mutt... no, I shouldn't say that. He's a good boy. - Poor thing. He must still be tired. - Still too soon. Scratch is dreaming of balls and buried bones, no doubt. WYLL: - Poor Scratch is tired. I should let him rest. - Scratch needs a snooze. The games can wait. - All tuckered out? Me too, Scratch. Me too. - No point in that. Good ol' Scratch is snoozing away. KARLACH: - Poor Scratch is all worn out. - I shouldn't tease our boy. - Fella must need a little shut-eye. - Better get it myself. JAHEIRA: - Well, Scratch? Do you scratch yourself somewhere? - Would you prefer I wild-shape, and fight you for it? - Take your rest then, Scratch. Eldath knows you've probably earned it more than us. - Lazy pup! Must I fetch it myself? HALSIN: - The poor dog is still weary. I must give him a chance to recover. - The valiant Scratch deserves his rest. Best leave him be for another while. - Even the most loyal of companions needs his rest. Sleep on, Scratch. - Scratch deserves his rest - I can handle this without him. MINTHARA: - Disobedient hound. Where is he? - Scratch. Obey my command! (Devnote: miffed but not actually angry; she likes Scratch too much to be angry.) - Blasted dog. You dare ignore me? - Do I have to fetch it myself? This is demeaning. MINSC: - Scratch is off somewhere scratching himself, I think. - Ah, I see. Scratch is playing fetch in his dreams instead. - Scratch sleeps still? Boo, you will have to share with him some of your stamina-building tricks. - If Scratch will not fetch, and Boo will not fetch, then Minsc must fetch. TAV: - Must be tired from all that running around. - Even good boys need a moment to catch their breath. - Must still be tired. Poor Scratch. - If Scratch won't pick it up, I guess I will.
Some other bonus animal-related items, starting with the owlbear cub talking about Scratch:
If Scratch and the cub are friends: No - Scratch friend! Takes care of me when scared at night. If Scratch was killed: Sad. No want food. No want play. (Player: What's the matter?) Scratch gone. Miss him. (Player pets cub.) Little better... You're nice.
And Scratch about the cub:
If Scratch and the cub are friends: No, nothing happened - just the young one having bad dreams. That's what you heard. (Player: I hear you're friends with the owlbear cub.) Yes! He's a handful, but I like having him around. I stay with him and keep him company when he's scared. He'll settle down, in time. If the cub was killed: It's not the same here. Feels emptier. (Player: What's wrong?) The young cub. He's gone... for good. (Player pets Scratch.) Thank you. I needed that.
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daybrightsims · 3 months
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I have finally done it.
The Absolute is defeated (the Emperor along with it).
Lae'zel is leading her people to freedom.
Wyll is the Blade of Avernus fighting hellspawn with Karlach, whose heart can (and will, dammit) be fixed.
Gale is the wizard professor of our dreams with Tara at his side, free of the Karsite Weave.
Shadowheart is roaming Faerun, finding her true self outside of Shar, her parents released to the Moonmaiden's embrace.
Halsin is the father of all orphans in Reithwin, rebuilding from the Shadow Curse.
Jahiera is helping Baldur's Gate rebuild, along with many others (Duke Ravenguard included).
Oh, Minsc is doing Minsc things, fighting for justice with Boo (and ending up in jail).
And Calliope (my Tav), a hero of legend, has seen many corners of Faerun with her vampire spawn love of her life, Astarion.
There will never be another game like this, and I can't wait to do it again.
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tragedybunny · 3 months
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I Should Tell You - Chapter 3
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༺Summary༻
In a fit of guilt, Astarion tries to confess his deception to you. At the last moment, he loses his nerve and ends your relationship with another lie. He's resigned himself to having lost his chance with you forever when once again everything changes. With the two of you out on your own, will he be able to take a chance and tell you everything, and will you forgive him when he does?
༺Pairing༻ Astarion x Female Reader
༺Warnings༻ Sexual references
༺Word Count༻ 2484
thanks to @brabblesblog for the beta!
You awoke with a sense of disorientation; where you were sleeping was wrong. Below you was something firm, and cool, and somehow comforting. 
Oh no. Last night came flooding back to you. 
Slowly, your eyes opened and with dawning horror you found that you had been sleeping on Astarion’s shoulder while he meditated peacefully. It was the last place you wanted to be. 
He must have been miserable. Delicately, you lifted your weight off him and backed away across the bed. You should've known better than to accept his offer; Astarion had made it clear that he was uncomfortable with any level of physical intimacy and you slept on him. You were just trying to be nice. The last thing you wanted was to hurt him,but your offer to feed him had backfired and undoubtedly caused your friend to suffer. 
For a moment you paused at the edge of the bed, appreciating how peaceful he looked, how beautiful he was unguarded. If only you could stay in his arms. But the two of you weren't meant to be. 
It was very telling, you thought, that you were sitting here grieving your relationship with Astarion and not with Halsin. You'd been so desperate to get the taste of him off your tongue you'd practically ran into Halsin’s arms. It hadn't been right for either you or Halsin. 
Sighing softly so as not to disturb Astarion, you got up quietly  to look for the pack with your clothes in it. What had happened still stung, but you've had the whole night to think on it and maybe it was for the best; you clearly weren't over Astarion yet. Taking your clothes behind the dressing screen, you made sure Astarion couldn’t see you if he roused himself, determined to not make him any more uncomfortable than you potentially already had. It was probably time to talk to Halsin and to clear the air, then figure out exactly what it was you were going to do with your life now. 
You had known Halsin’s plan didn’t feel right for you,however what you should be doing now that the Netherbrain was dead and there wasn't a tadpole in your head, you hadn't been able to decide. There was no family waiting for you - you've been on your own since you could remember, barely surviving, depending on your magical talents to eke out a living. Hells, your home was a rented room with not much more than some spare clothes, if it even still existed out there in the wake of the battle’s destruction. 
Astarion had brought you a simple shirt and a loose, flowing skirt to dress in this morning;a small smile tugged at the corner of your lips. You'd told him once you missed skirts but pants were so much more practical for traveling and layering your enchanted robes over when it came time for possible conflict. 
Fully dressed, you quietly slipped out of the room, careful not to disturb Astarion. Reaching the common room, you took a deep breath before opening the door; Halsin was never one to give himself over to anger, so you hoped there would be a calm discussion to be had. 
Your companions were all unfortunately gathered close to the door, apparently sorting through their various packs and belongings they’ve gathered on the journey. All eyes turned to you, causing you to flush: Gale and Shadowheart with curiosity, Minsc with confusion, and Jaheira looked as though she knew some secret you hadn't figured out yourself. But it was Halsin that made your heart ache as he stared at you with both sadness and longing. 
“G-good morning,” you stammered, your gaze immediately going to your former paramour. “Could we talk?”
“If that is what you wish.” Halsin was as gentle as ever; you were going to miss that. Why couldn’t you want to go with him? Other than last night’s events, he was an ideal partner. 
The two of you left the group behind, going to the corner where your beds sat side by side. Seeing his bed cleared of his belongings, while yours were still scattered where you left them, had a mournful finality to it. “I’m sorry-” you started but were cut off. 
“I feel as though I should be the one apologizing.” Halsin gently took your hand in his. “I did not think about how you would take such a decision being thrust upon you. I am used to deciding for my heart alone.” 
“I need to apologize as well. I shouldn’t have lost my temper. We should’ve talked things out.” 
“Truly, my heart?’ The hope is his voice threatened to break you. 
Softly, but insistently, you pulled your hand from his, and watched as his heart broke all over again. “Losing my temper was wrong, but my decision is right for me. Committing to caring for these refugees, many of them children, is just not something I have in me right now. But if this is your path, then you should take it.” Voice catching on the last syllable, you felt the sting of tears in your eyes. Even if you knew now things would never work out with him, a part of you was going to miss him. 
“I understand,” he said, and you looked at the floor at his words. Halsin was putting on a good show, but for you, the pain was clear. “If this is what you wish, but know you’re always welcome to join me, even as a friend and guest.” 
“That’s very kind of you.” You were suddenly pulled into a tight hug that you returned just as fiercely. This was goodbye, for now at least, and you both knew it. 
When he let go, Halsin looked down at you fondly one last time. “I suppose I should be off. There is much to prepare.” 
With that he withdrew, heading for the door, and you began to pack your things, attempting to organize and sort out what you actually would be using in the future. It would help if you had any idea what you were going to do with yourself. “Where will you go now?” Shadowheart spoke up from behind you, as though she’d read your thoughts and decided to join the conversation.
You dropped your stack of books back onto the table and collapsed onto the mattress beside it. “I don’t know,” you breathed out, finally letting out how lost you were. 
“You could come with us if you want, I was going to escort Gale back to Waterdeep.” Shadowheart had settled next to you, hand resting on your shoulder. “We’re still friends, you know. That didn’t end with the Absolute. If you need us right now, just say.” 
You pulled your fingers through your hair, stalling, and snagging them on a tangle. You’d been in such a hurry that you’d forgotten Astarion had brought your brush in with your other things. Her offer seemed reasonable;at least you wouldn’t be rotting away in Baldur’s Gate. Even Astarion was leaving, heading to the Underdark to check in with the other Spawn. You hadn’t thought much about what you would do when this was all done, too worried you’d actually manage to save yourself and stop the Absolute. Maybe a part of you had resigned yourself to returning to your meager existence, maybe a part of you never believed you would get this far. “I’ll think about it, when are you all leaving?” 
“We’re hoping to handle that mess,” she gestured to the pile Gale was still poking at, “and then get started, probably won’t make it too far today. Hopefully Astarion will take five minutes out of his brooding so we can see him before we leave.” 
“I can go see if he’s awake, to remind him,” you offered. “I need to brush this mess out anyway.” 
Shadowheart gave you a smile, and for the second time you felt like someone was looking into parts of you that you couldn’t see. “I think you probably should do that. Don’t need him to miss us and then complain we’re mean to him.” 
With defeat, you looked at the mess you still hadn’t managed to conquer. “I’ll be back for that, though,” you said, rising from the mattress. 
“You had better be,” she teased, “just because you’re our fearless leader doesn’t mean you get to leave your mess everywhere.” 
The two of you shared a laugh and you waved to the rest of the group on your way out, back down the hall to Astarion’s room. With each step you felt strangely apprehensive. You’d rushed there last night after your argument with Halsin, and hadn’t taken any time to think. Now though, it was strange to be getting so close to Astarion’s private sanctuary. Even if you had promised to remain friends, distance had grown between the two of you; it had grown between Astarion and everyone, but it particularly stung that he pulled away even from you. Even with your relationship with Halsin, a part of you had been dreading the day you would say good-bye to Astarion, and now it was here. If nothing else though, at least you knew he still cared for you as a friend. 
Lightly, you tapped on the door, seeing if he had roused himself from his trance yet. There was a muffled, irritated sounding reply before the door cracked open, Astarion glaring through it for a moment before his expression softened. “Oh, darling, do come in.” 
Stepping back, he opened the door wide and you were able to take the sight of him in, tousled curls, sleepy eyes, rumpled clothing. He still looked devastatingly handsome. Worried about making him uncomfortable with your stare you hurried in, allowing the door to shut behind you. “Now, what can I do for you this morning my-”
“I’m sorry,” you blurted, cutting him off. “I know you’re uncomfortable with…certain things and then I went and fell asleep on you.” You’d brought your hands up to gesture wildly, emphasizing your point, and a single spark drifted off your fingertip. Subconsciously, you’d gathered the Weave, and the Wild Magic in your blood threatened to loose itself. 
Cool hands caught yours, grounding you. “There’s nothing to apologize for. I woke you up when I came in, and you very kindly offered me your blood. No hard feelings.”
You could feel the flush building in your cheeks. “If you say so.” You pulled your hands back from his, worried you might lose your ability to speak if he kept holding onto them. “The others wanted me to let you know that they’re leaving soon, and they wanted to come say goodbye.” 
For a moment his face scrunched up and you worried he’d refuse,but he let out an exaggerated breath he didn’t need to and relented. “Fine, I suppose I’ll miss them as well. Probably best for a proper farewell. And what about you, my dear? When do you head off for your next grand adventure?” 
You shrugged, trying to downplay the sensation of being utterly lost. “I would have to figure out what that was first.” 
“Oh,” Astarion looked at you with widened eyes. “I’m sorry, everything has to be a mess for you after what happened.” He sat back on the mattress, gesturing insistently until you joined him. 
“It’s fine, I just can’t figure out what I want to do. Even before this thing with Halsin, we’d talked, but I couldn’t make any decisions.” Probably because you weren’t involved in any of the possibilities.
“Hrm,” Astarion chewed on the noise, thinking, seemingly upset. “So you have no idea what you’re doing and no home in Baldur’s Gate that you’re going to return to.” You nodded, waiting for him to continue. “I don’t suppose you’d care to… and I mean only if you really want to… come to the Underdark with me for a little while?”
Your mind went completely blank. “Y-you want me to come to the Underdark?”
“Of course, I understand it's not really an ideal place for someone who can actually walk in the sun. Forget I asked.” For the first time in so long, Astarion’s armor cracked. You were able to see beyond the sparky aggression he showed the group and the suave charm he saved for you. He seemed so lonely, and a little sad. 
There wasn't anyone or anywhere for him to call his own, either. Sure, he was going to see his “siblings” down there, but they barely got along. It was going to hurt, to be so close to him and still have the feelings you couldn't fight off even with another partner, but maybe this could teach the two of you to be proper friends.  And out of anyone in the group, didn't he deserve some companionship? “I think it's a great idea.” 
Beside you, he practically jumped. “You do?” 
“Absolutely. Another adventure without a worm in my head. An excuse to get out of Baldur’s Gate. The possibility of seeing weird mushroom people again. Sounds perfect.” Torturing myself by being so close to you.
Fidgeting with his fingers, you felt the weight of his gaze land on you and turned to catch his crimson eyes that never failed to captivate you. “Are you sure? There’s seven thousand spawn down there. Not that any are quite as impressive as yours truly, but it will be a bit different from our other companions. Not to mention the usual question of survival in the Underdark.”
“I already said yes, you don’t have to keep persuading me.” 
The slight smile that tugged up the corner of his lips would’ve convinced you to go to a different plane if need be. “I promise if you change your mind, I’ll escort you back.”
“Deal.” For a brief moment, there was silence between the two of you; all of your unsaid words swirled in your mind. 
That night when he’d told you he wasn’t ready for a relationship, you’d been sure your heart was breaking. I don’t want to let you go. The words clawed their way into your throat to die there. If he needed to be alone, that’s what he needed. I think I could have loved you. Trying to keep him would have been to be no better than the master he escaped. 
And it wouldn’t do you any good to lose sight of what he asked for now, no matter how you felt. “I suppose I should go finish packing,” you tore your eyes from his, “after I find my brush.” You cringed at the awkward laugh that followed your words. 
Astarion didn’t move from the bed, and even turned away, though you thought you could still feel him looking at you. Was he regretting his invitation? Was it a kindness he didn’t believe you’d take him up on? “Be ready by dusk.
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pendragon1400 · 4 months
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Modern BG3 head cannon, how each companion orders coffee.
Wyll: Regular coffee, with cream. If he's feeling in a good mood he'll ask for whipped cream. He is chatty with the barista, but in a kind and clausal way, always thanks them and makes sure to tip.
Karlach: Chocolate, anything that has the most chocolate. She askes the barista how their shift is going, and ends up ranting with them about how messed up their manager is.
Lae'zel: Black coffee, three espresso shots. Makes no small talk, and just aggressively stares at the barista making their coffee. But, she does tip well.
Astarion: The most random stuff on the menu, never orders the same thing twice in a row. Is it seasonal? He's getting it. Is it extra for an add on, charge it. He makes a show of learning the barista's names, and loves it if you give him co-worker drama. He tips well if you provide said drama.
Gale: Get ready for the most tailored drink order or just the most plain thing in the world. It's either gonna be a coffee, with three cream, two sugar, a small 1/2 tsp of chocolate, whipped cream with a light dusting of cinnamon. Or a black coffee to-go.
Shadowheart: Black coffee. She orders than waits for her drink scrolling her phone, leaves a decent tip.
Jaheria: Usually orders green tea and gives life advise, most of the time unprompted. She overhears someone fighting with their boyfriend, and she can and will go over and tell them to break up with said boyfriend until he can learn what he has in front of him.
Halsin: Always orders sweet drinks. Askes the barista how their day was, and if prompted with show of the several photos of his plants.
Minsc: Hot chocolate. Can and will bombard anyone around with photos of Boo until Jaheria reminds him that he has his drink and its time to leave.
Durge: I think Durge would have the most insane orders possible. Like they start off normal, like a large Coffee, but than they ask you to add, caramel, chocolate, stick a green tea bag in there, and add some of the fruit that is used for smoothies. They don't tip, they give tips in the worst advice anyone ever heard, like "Oh, here's your tip. Don't look both ways when crossing the street! Have a nice day!"
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thranduil-aran-edhil · 7 months
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OK, so. Finished my first run. Gotta admit I'm not 100% satisfied with some endings. BUT NO BIGGIE, THAT'S WHAT HEADCANONS ARE FOR, DON'T WORRY I GOT A PERMIT (i'm a Dungeon Master) SO LET'S GO, HC TIME D&D STYLE BC WE STILL GOT 8 LEVELS TO GO: (spoilers for BG3 and Descent Into Avernus going forward)
They'd all stay together and continue to go on adventures, the 8 of them, Tav, Lae'zel, Shadowheart, Gale, Astarion, Wyll, Karlach and Halsin. Found Families stay together. (I do enjoy the polyship aspect too, so just throwing it out there) There's an exchange you can have ingame with an NPC in the Guild and Tav will say the party's name is Wormskulls and I love it. I do also love Tadfools. Maybe they are Wormskulls to the general public and Tadfools to their close friends and allies lol. After the tadpoles are gone I think it would be very useful for them to commission earrings enchanted with Rary's Telepathic Bond. Less invasive than a mindflayer tadpole and just as useful. Also symbolic for Gale. I think the earring would have a pendant of a skull with a serpent coming out of its eye and being bitten by the teeth.
OK SO, my girl Karlach. I haven't romanced her yet, gonna do a run for that. But she's not dying on my watch. She's going back to Avernus, BUT YOU CAN BE SO SURE THAT THE MOMENT THE WHOLE PARTY IS READY WE'RE KICKING DOWN ZARIEL'S DOOR AND KICKING HER ASS. Or giving her her sword back and possibly turning her back into an Angel, something that whatever party of adventurers that managed to save BG and Elturel in Descent Into Avernus CLEARLY didn't do, it would probably not only nullify Mizora's contract with Wyll bc Zariel is now a completely different entity, if you decided to redo Wyll's contract with her, but also would give us a better chance of Zariel taking the infernal engine out of Karlach herself. Maybe turning Wyll into a Devotion Paladin? (more details about Zariel here) I'd ask Jaheira and Minsc to take care of Scratch and Albie (owlbear cub) because the Hells is no place for pets. Even very brave ones. Maybe Halsin's "ending" fits here, taking care of the pets and the kids while everyone goes to Avernus, they leave him with a Sending Stone. And when they are back he's there waiting for them. 🥺
If we saved Duke Ravengard and broke Wyll's contract. (or didn't but are hcing that we broke his contract by defeating/unmaking Zariel) what does that mean to Wyll? I think it be super cool to go more in depth about it. How does he reconsile with his father? Does he accept to be reinstated as heir and becomes the Duke right away or does he think it's best for his father to continue his role a bit longer? Does he even want to be Duke or does he think he can serve the people of the Sword Coast better as an adventurer? If he turns into a Duke, what sort of benefit does that give an adventuring party?
Finding something to make Astarion able to walk in the sun again I've seen people talk about the Ring of the Sun-Walker as if it's from the 5e books, it's not, it's homebrew. HOWEVER, any freaking DM with a heart would create something similar for their player to continue playing without being afraid of dying instantly bc of the sun. The Cloak of Dragomir is canon to the Baldur's Gate videogame universe, so it be a good tie in, but it would be a temporary solution at best since it penalizes the player quite harshly, Strength: -6, Dexterity: -4, Intelligence: -2, Wisdom: -2, Charisma: -4 and Vampire Regeneration divided by 3, to 1 HP per 3 rounds. That being said, I wouldn't make it TOO easy to obtain as there are other ways for Astarion to be safe, like the Darkness spell. It would be interesting to see him (and Tav) struggle a little bit more, really feel the sacrifice Astarion made by rejecting the Ascendance even after they find something to combat the Sunlight Hypersensitivity. Astarion's biological family would be something very interesting to explore in the future. They would be Elves themselves and are most likely still alive, we even have a surname thanks to people analyzing the shit out of that tombstone: Ancunín. As a DM I wouldn't wait for a player to decide to search for these people, I'd throw them at the players! Strolling through the Upper City in a quick shopping trip? You hear a loud gasp, things clattering and bumping into the ground, hurried desperate steps and then someone sobbing "Astarion?? Astarion is that you?!" What do you do?
Visiting Waterdeep and Morena Dekarios. This woman deserves to see her son again, and Gale deserves to finally go back home and see his mom without the burden of an ancient artifact lodged in his chest and a goddess wanting him to kill himself. Would he stay? I'm not sure, he went through an entire Hero's Journey and maybe now home, although pleasant, is not as comforting anymore. Waterdeep is the element of Gale of Waterdeep and he's not him anymore. I think this would be a great premise for a roleplay focused arc. Gale is invited to the Blackstaff Ball for the first time since Mystra shunned him, the Wormskulls are famous now, The New Heros of Baldur's Gate (Gala Episode anyone? All of them SLAYIN with their fits? Poor Halsin totally out of his element). He's once again welcomed into the society of the Lord Mage of Waterdeep and his peers seem to have all but forgotten he was ever a pariah. Is that what he wants? And Waterdeep has many opportunities for more adventure. A paranoid Beholder underground anyone?
Kill the Lich Queen (CLASSIC D&D). Vlaakith IS FINISHED. TIME TO SPELLJAM AND BE SPACE PIRATES YALL. Lae'zel deserves to see this through to the END.
Shadowheart goes through another journey to find out if she wants to truly embrace Selûne or maybe become another thing entirely. Selûne should reach out or Isobel and Dame Aylin would help her out. Or maybe Shadowheart is tired of being a Cleric and following a god. But change and inconsistency is something that is under Selûne's portfolio, she's often followed by those who are lost, so I think she'd find more than fitting for Shadowheart to be a cautious and weary follower of her.
Your Tav's personal stuff. The Dark Urge sounds amazing and I can't wait to do a run with them, but I think most of us got very attached to our Original Characters Do No Steal. So I'm excited to see what people come up with for their Tavs. Otessa, my Tav, doesn't know her dad was a pirate, he never told her, so I expect that his past will come bite him in the ass and she'll have to help him out of that pickle.
When the party has reached level 17, Gale has access to the Wish spell. And I really do think they'd use it to get rid of Astarion's undeath. As a DM I wouldn't let Gale simply get the spell outright, he'd have to research it. Not only that, I don't think Astarion would be totally free of undeath, some remnant of it would linger, he'd probably turn into an Elf that needs blood to survive and is forever locked out of the Call of Arvandor or something. But he'd be mortal and would be able to walk in the sun without that ring, cross bodies of water, wouldn't instadie from pointy wood objects in the chest etc. (i'm writing a little one-shot about this, should post it soon)
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