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parvulous-writings · 1 month

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can i request karlach, jaheira and shadowheart x dhampir bard gn reader headcanons? maybe also platonic headcanons for astarion.

Warnings: Mentions of blood/gore/flesh, descriptions of eating blood/gore/flesh

Notes: So I didn't want to go entirely with like, typical dhampir straight off the bat, so I rolled a d8 to see what reader would hunger for! The reader thirsts more for flesh/raw meat than blood, but can be sated with either! I was SO stoked to write this! Sorry if I focus more on the Dhampir side of things, I just... LOVE the idea <3 They might be a bit uneven! My requests are currently open! My pinned post (found here) contains both a list of characters I write for, and a masterlist! Original character list - please request for these too!

Karlach

Initially, Karlach didn't really notice anything out of the ordinary with you. Sure, you had a... slightly offputting aura to you, but who in your little rag-tag team didn't? You seemed so funny to Karlach - your dark humour complimented her own very well, and she loved that about you. The fact that you were a bard made it all the better; when you weren't regaling the group with various tales, Karlach was making suggestions for insults you could use against opponents. You also taught her an insult or two, mostly because her delivery is always amusing to you.

She knew that you had a few... better than average abilities, but you often dismissed them if anyone tried to bring them up; your speed, your strength - and especially your rather uncanny ability to charm almost anyone to your cause. It's a very helpful skill for you to have, and since you don't want to talk about it, Karlach leaves the topic be.

As you spent more time on the road together, and grew closer, Karlach began to notice a few things about you. Your songs would often dwell on the gore of a tale, and even add it in - like it was something that you couldn't take your mind off of. She brushed it off though - bards always seemed to have something that they would focus on in their songs, perhaps the violence was just your thing, rather than the victory or the romance that other bards tried to emphasise. Even if you weren't the typical lovey-dovey bard that she was used to, she was definitely not complaining when you serenaded her in the evening.

That was her perfect evening - quality time with her lover, snuggled together in her tent, with you quietly playing and singing to her. Even if your songs can be a bit morbid, she loves hearing the sound of your voice.

She also noticed that you didn't often eat with her and the rest of the group - in fact, it was more like you never did. She didn't understand why, though - you always seemed so eager to eat. It was like your appetite was never really satisfied. It took her having to stalk you out into the woods one evening to discover your rather... Unsavoury appetite. The shock she felt at first made her freeze; how would someone rationally react to the sight of someone they loved eating flesh? How would someone react at all, let alone rationally?

Karlach ended up just standing there, unable to take her eyes off of you as your teeth tore into the meat in your hands. Things were starting to make sense to her - your songs focusing on gore was like the mind of a hungry person focusing on food. You were halfway through your meal when you saw the barbarian standing there, and you couldn't help but freeze too - your hunger, or rather the sating of it, was one of the only things that you had actively tried to hide.

"You'd seen us with Astarion - why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you tell me?" You thought Astarion's affliction was... Rather simple, in comparison to your own. A vampire, people knew about - a mortal, turned undead by another vampire, fed by blood. When you thought about that, you felt... Worse - your hunger couldn't be sated by blood alone. You had to have flesh as well, you craved it.

And, furthermore, your origins weren't exactly conventional; perhaps for Dhampirs, yes, but in general, not really. Having one vampire parent wasn't brilliant when talking to, well, anyone.

Thankfully, Karlach just about takes it in stride - though she doesn't appreciate secrecy between the two of you, she can kind of understand why you'd wanted to keep it that was for a while; no more secrets though. Lovers don't keep secrets, in her book.

Jaheira

Jaheira's wisdom had immediately set off quiet alarms about you after knowing you for a little while; seeing how you act around people, your constant noticeable hunger, the lot. She never brought it up, however. When your back is against the wall, you need as many allies as you can get, and you were certainly a favourable one, despite your oddities.

She had further inklings when you decided to entertain those taking shelter at Last Light. Your playing was divine - but that wasn't what irked her. What is was, was the more prominent canines that she could quite clearly see when you sang. She tried to blame it on the wine, but deep down she knew it wasn't so. She just didn't want to think that one of her currently most trusted allies was undead. Another reason she pushed it aside for the time being was because she knew it would be foolish to push away what seemed to be her best hope of getting out of the Shadow Curse alive. It was more than foolish, it was downright stupid - in times such as this, you must take every little blessing that you can.

It was during the battle at Moonrise that her suspicions started to be proven correctly. Your speed was unmatched by all but your pale elf companion, your blows hit just as hard as your barbarian friend. Not just that, but she had seen you bite one of your foes whilst in a frenzy of hits.

During the night-long celebration that followed the battle and all it entailed, Jaheira decided to confront you. You had stalked off to some mildly secluded area, just out of sight of the campfire, and Jaheira pursued. There she found a sight, that despite her suspicions, she had not expected. What she had expected was the amount of blood that had managed to smear itself round your face; what hadn't crossed her mind was the sheer amount of flesh that accompanied it. The way you tore into it, fangs first, was near feral - it was certainly a gruesome sight, and the druid was at least glad it was her who had found you, and not anyone else.

"I understand the necessity to hide such a secret from the masses, however, you're not exactly subtle with, well, any of it." Her words were not meant to chastise, but more to guide - she actually wanted to help you a little bit. You were valuable to her - both as an ally and a companion, and she would do near anything to help you. The world was unkind to many beings, dhampirs of course being one of them. She knew she couldn't shield you from all of the adversity you may face, but she could try and help you.

And so she does - or she tries her best, as you all head to Baldur's Gate. She doesn't exactly approve of your tastes now that you've entered the city, but understands that sometimes, needs must. She encourages you to resist if you can, and only take those who truly deserve death if you need to feed.

Shadowheart

Shadowheart didn't think there was too much out of the ordinary with you at first. To her, you were... Just a bard. A bard who mainly sang about violence, battles, and gore. Though, every bard has their gimmick, so she didn't think much more about it. She supposed it was a nice break from the norm of love and ancient legends.

Despite being fairly learned in things that lurk in the night, it took Shadowheart a while to figure out that you were a dhampir - though, she blamed part of that on her memory suppression. But, when she did finally figure it out, she wasn't entirely surprised. The fact that there was also a Vampire and a Warlock in the party... There was little left that would surprise the Sharran.

"I suppose I should have seen it coming... Your ballads about the innards of your foes, your sneaking off during supper... Not to mention your preternatural speed and strength, and those sharp canines of yours... All the signs were there, even if somewhat contradicted by the fact that you're alive. A pity I couldn't see it sooner. Then again... I suppose having two supernatural allies is better than having one, hm? That being said... No more secrets. I can't trust you if you hide things from me."

Despite your... Condition, she's actually very comfortable around you. She was quite perturbed when she caught you mid-feed- "I thought Dhampirs only fed on blood?!" You had to try and explain that in fact, there were many kinds of dhampirs - some had sanguine hunger, similar to their undead counterparts, others like yourself fed on the flesh of a victim, but there were even those who fed on more abstract energy, such as dreams. It was quite a shock to Shadowheart, but she kept her questions to a minimum.

As your journey continues, she asks you to sing to her more and more - often requesting to hear about your favourite things; your home, where your favourite haunt was before the mindflayers, but often, she likes to hear of your finest kills, and the feast that ensues after. She'll often jokingly muse, "Do you ever wonder what my flesh would taste like?" "Sometimes... Though I try not to dwell on the thought for too long... I think you'd taste sweet - aromatic, even... A true, refined delicacy."

She'd laugh quietly, and then ask you to sing to her again as she leans against you. The longer you spend journeying together, the more she comes to trust you. She finds it easier and easier to open up to you, knowing that despite your neverending hunger, you would never turn your fangs towards her... Unless she asked, of course. She likens your struggle to resist to her struggle with her faith to Shar; it's a long, inner struggle that often, you cannot speak to anyone about.

When you get to the city, she does make jokes akin to "I'm sure no one would miss him... Do you think he'd taste good enough?" And wouldn't say no to the idea of you potentially eating members of her cloister, now that they are somewhat after her.

Astarion (platonic)

This man nearly outs you on more than one occasion. He says each time that is it "Merely an accident, a slip of the tongue, if you will... It won't happen again..." But, I can guarantee, it will. It's a near daily occurrence.

This is because that, being a vampire himself, Astarion knows what to look for, when it comes to being around someone like himself. Sure, you don't have the trademark paleness that a vampire often possesses, but you have nearly every other feature. After one full day of travelling with you, observing your behavior, seeing your prowess in battle, and hearing your ballads of blood, guts and gore... He knows. He saunters right up to you, and says it nearly loud enough for the whole camp to hear. You clasp your hand over his mouth, begging him to stay quiet. The last thing you need is to be ousted to your party, when you have no idea how to react.

To begin, Astarion tries to give you tips on how to hide your true nature. After a while of staring at your frankly disinterested face, he realises that there's no point. So, instead you start to discuss the... Finer points of your diets - what tastes good, what doesn't; it's a brilliant bonding point for the pair of you. It's what a lot of your friendship is built upon, and you can't complain about it - it's nice to finally have someone who can understand the insatiable hunger, the need to hide, all of it... Even if he does constantly criticise your ballads for being "inaccurate" when it comes to the descriptions of the blood and the gore. He truly can be a stickler for being right, sometimes. You eventually learn to ignore him, though.

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rainontherooftops · 6 months

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Sweet Souls create Sweet Blood

Summary: Taravella "Tav" Greenleaf sneeks away from camp one night to have a good cry. Her friend Astarion, ever vigilant, comes to talk to her - finding out what makes her so sad. Add a concerned wizard to the mix...

Fandom: Baldurs Gate 3 Pairing: Gale x Tav - Platonic! Astarion x Tav (Virgin!Tav) Rating: T Trigger Warnings: Low self esteem, talk of sexual intercourse, self doubt, tears, jealousy, rejection Info: This is set between Act 1 and Act 2 of the game somewhere.

Sweet Souls Create Sweet Blood

„Tears are really not attractive, darling. You should stop crying.”

Taravella “Tav” Greenleaf chuckled through her sobs and tried to wipe her cheeks. She’d thought she was alone this night, sitting at the edge of the small plank that reached into the river that flowed past her, her feet dangling lazily in the current.

Tav didn’t need to look to see that a vampire was near. Her new friend and companion Astarion sat down beside her on the wooden walkway, looking out onto the water and watching the moon reflect on the surface.

“Why the tears, my dear?”

She wasn’t really surprised that he wanted to know. Ever since the party at their camp to celebrate the Tieflings rescue, the two of them had become more friendly. Not in a sexual or romantic sense – but somehow, unspoken, they had woven a small but strong strand of friendship and trust between them.

“Because I think Gale tried to kiss me and I blew it.”, she finally admitted, being more open than she’d wanted. But there was no use in lying. And if Astarion wanted to be her confidant, why not?

“Really now? I understand why you’d want to cry then. Did I tell you that he allowed me to take a nibble the other day? The man tastes like bile.”

Another chuckle.

“But I’m very perceptive. By now I think the whole camp knows that you want him to kiss you. So, I ask again. Why the tears?”

Sighing, Tav leaned her throbbing head on Astarions shoulder and let his arm sneak around her in a comforting gesture.

“I’m not surprised that it’s that obvious”, she finally said.

He squeezed her shoulder to nudge her along.

“Can you taste if someone is a virgin or not, Astarion? In their blood, I mean?”

From the corner of her eyes, she could see that he looked a bit taken aback. Apparently, one could not taste that someone has never had sex by sucking their blood.

“You act quite innocent, and you didn’t indulge at the party like some of the others – but I didn’t really think you were still an innocent”, he finally answered.

Tav shrugged. “It just hasn’t happened yet. Haven’t met a man or woman in my past that was interested in me. And look at me, I’m not exactly a price…”

“Nonsense, darling. You might not be as beautiful as me, but you have your charms.”

Another chuckle. Tav could feel that the conversation between them slowly lifted the weight on her heart.

“The thing is”, she continued, nudging a bit closer for warmth, “I like Gale. I really… really do. And the other night I think he tried to kiss me. But… but I backed away.”

Astarions grip tightened just a bit, a growl in his voice.

“Did he try to force himself on you? Because if he did…”

Tav shook her head vehemently. Gale would never….

“No… But when he tried to approach I suddenly… well. He’s been in bed with a goddess… An actual goddess… and I’m… Well, I know the mechanics of sex of course, and the people in camp are not exactly quiet, and I’m a healer so of course I know what part goes where and what to look out for and how to be save and…”

“You’re spiraling, darling.”

Another sigh.

“I just found myself asking: Why would he want to be with boring, plain me? I can never measure up to Mystra.”

Astarion was silent for a while and Tav relaxed under his soothing half-hug, her feet still being tickled by the cold torrent of the water.

“Do you know what makes blood taste sweet, darling?”

Confused, she leaned back to face her vampire friend, shaking her head.

“I thought Gale would taste rich, like a fine aged red wine – but the magic orb inside him makes his blood taste awful. Given his character though, I thought he would taste sweet.”

Tav listened, fascinated.

“I told you drinking the blood of thinking creatures was different. So, what makes blood taste sweet, sour, spicy, awful, rich or stale is entirely up to what their soul is like. You, my darling, are sweet, caring, helpful, have a heart of gold and most of all – you are kind. Which is why your blood taste sweet, like honey being put into a rich cup of tea. And if the wizard doesn’t fall in love with your soul, then he is a fool.”

It was perhaps the most wonderful compliment anyone had ever given her. So wonderful even that Tav started crying again, hugging Astarions midriff and sniffling, staining his expensive shirt with her tears.

Before the vampire could react however, someone behind them cleared their throat quite loudly.

“Apologies for the interruption”, Gale said, not sounding sorry at all.

Astarion acted so fast that Tav only later realized what he had done. He muttered “thank me later”, into her ear before laughing and pushing Tav into the cold river.

It wasn’t very deep and the current not as strong as she had thought. When she stood up, the water reached her bellybutton.

Tav could hear Astarion laughing, sauntering away while Gale was running along the edge of the plank to lean down and give her a hand.

“Are you alright? Did he hurt you?”

Tav shook her head, suddenly shivering, while she took Gales hand and let herself be pulled from the water.

“Why the hell would he do that?”, the wizard growled as he cast what Tav could only assume was the Gust of Wind spell as she felt a warm breeze envelope her and slowly but steadily drying her clothes.

“It was a prank”, Tav fibbed. “We were having a rather… illuminating conversation and I think he wanted to lighten the mood a bit."

Gale was still holding her hands in his, looking down at her face, his features sinister.

“And the tears…. Were they because of him or because of me?”

Damn. Was she that bad at sneaking away from camp? She had hoped the impromptu dip into the river had masked the fact that she had been crying, but apparently not.

When she didn’t say anything, he must have assumed that her silence was an answer, because he backed away slightly.

“Ah, I see…”

“Gale- “

“No need to explain. I clearly misread your behavior towards me. Or perhaps I’ve been blinded by wishful thinking. That doesn’t mean that your rejection hurts any less.”

“Gale, I’m not…”

“But I really thought we shared something.”

“Will you shut up for a second you stupid wizard?”

Gale stopped his speech and looked at Tav in confusion and shock – but to his credit, gave her the time to speak.

“I… I like you, Gale. I like you a lot. But…”

Now or never, Tav. Your blood is sweet. Your soul is sweet. You can do this….

“I… I was afraid that… I am afraid that you might not want to be with me because…. Because I’ve never been with someone. Ever…”

For all his intelligence it took Gale Dekarios a long while before the copper dropped. His eyes went wide before he looked Tav up and down – and then the most delicious blush covered his face.

“Y-You… you mean like…. Never ever?”

She shook her head, sheepishly.

“And… and I thought I could never in a million tendays live up to the experience you have… I mean you’ve slept with a goddess and I…”

Tav was silenced by a tentative but determined fingertip to her lips.

“I admit that is not what I expected to hear tonight. And it does put a few more steps into my plan to romance you properly on my to-do list. But, Tav… Mystra may still be my mistress. But my thoughts and my heart are with you. Have been for a while…”

There were no words for the next few minutes as Tavs heart burst with joy and she suddenly had the urge to wrap her arms around Gale and kiss him.

Unfortunately, the wizard was not well balanced, and for the second time that night Tav landed in the river below.

But this time it was not as cold – because she was wrapped in the warm embrace of the man that she was slowly falling in love with.

AN: This is my first fic for Baldurs Gate 3 - and gods do I love these characters. I really really would like to have Astarion as a friend - so giving him a friend to console when she pines for Gale was something that I wanted to write.

I hope you enjoyed this!

anyone up for a NSFW Part 2?

#baldurs gate 3 #bg3 astarion #bg3 gale #gale x tav #gale romance #platonic astarion #Astarion x Tav #Baldurs Gate Fanfiction #bg3 fanfic #Gale dekarios #Astarion #bg3 tav

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namig42 · 6 months

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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

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oceanmusings · 29 days

Text

Immortality

Pairing | Prisma Daerel & Astarion Ancunín (platonic)

Content Warning | Drinking a lot of wine, this is set at the epilogue party, Prisma is emotional and Astarion comforts her for once. Or at least tries to. Talk of death and the cons of immortality.

Word Count | 1.5K

Summary | Prisma realized how she's going to outlive the love of her life. This fact tormenting her at night. Astarion was the only person who could understand and share some words of comfort. (Tried to make this as neutral for whatever love interest route Prisma goes on. So this could be her with Gale or Shadowheart!)

A letter from Withers was surprising for Prisma when it arrived. Mainly for the fact that Withers knew where she was, she’s not sure how he knew, but he has shown he has his own mysterious ways for her not to question. Reading the contents of the letter it seemed to be an invitation to get all together again to celebrate the 6 month anniversary of them defeating the Netherbrain. When she arrived at the location Withers had written down, she smiled when she realized it was their first camp. The exact spot where their journey would begin.

It was lit up with many torches and candles, plus the little fire that was set in the middle where they all usually slept around. Cute little banners hung around making it feel more festive. Music from a bard standing on top of a rock drifted across the whole camp area and settled a nice warmth in Prisma’s chest.

It was nice.

But despite how nice the party Withers had put together was, a cloud still seemed to follow Prisma around. The looming cloud did not leave her alone despite how much she smiled and felt happy to see everyone. She tried to ignore the cloud as best as she could. But slowly it would become too much, the wood-elf could only think of one solution.

Sitting at the long table that was covered in wine and food Withers had provided, Prisma grabbed one of the wine bottles to pour herself some in a goblet. Quietly Prisma nursed the wine by herself as she watched everyone enjoy the party for themselves. Taking this moment to be alone for a few minutes. Unfortunately, for how big their was. Prisma had forgotten how little privacy all of them had.

“I haven seen you look this upset since the Shadow-cursed Lands, darling.”

The wood-elf looked up from pouring herself some more crimson red to see a familiar pair of crimson eyes. White curly hair shining in the moonlight and pale skin reflecting back the many lights Withers had lit. Of course her vampire friend shows up as she opens a bottle of wine to drown her anxiety with.

“Hello, Astarion.” Prisma greets him as she sets down the bottle. “I’m fine.”

“You should know better by now. It’s better to not lie with me.” The high-elf slid into the seat next to her, taking the goblet she had just filled. “We both know you are a terrible liar.”

Prisma hums in agreement, not able to deny it from the history of her terrible lying abilities. Astarion had seen first-hand how bad it always goes for her. She watched the vampire take her wine and drink it, she then took it back when he set it down. She swirled the liquid in the cup. The movement was weirdly comforting at keeping her hands busy.

“C’mon, tell me what’s going on in your head.” Her friend urged her on.

Prisma was quiet for a moment as she contemplated if this subject was worth the time to talk about. If resorting to pushing it down and drowning it with wine to save from bringing everyone down was worth the risk. Everyone was so happy, she didn’t want to ruin it because some thoughts plague her at night. She took a glance at Astarion - who was patiently waiting for his friend to speak up - and realized he may be one of the few people here who would understand. Maybe it would be worth it?

“You can’t make fun of me, okay?”

Astarion feigned offense while exclaiming. “Darling, I would never!”

Prisma’s voice died again as she tried to collect her words together. She was thankful Astarion wasn’t pushing her to speak. Taking the time for her to collect herself to pour himself his own goblet of some wine sitting on the table. Grumbling to himself quietly about Withers not getting any blood for him.

Once he began to take a sip is when she finally spoke up. “There’s a vendor I’ve gotten to know. Her and her wife are an elf and human. The human died last week.”

When she didn’t continue, Astarion pushed with an “and?”

“It’s just… It’s made me realize I’m going to be in the same boat. I’m-” she paused as her throat closed. Drinking some of her wine to hopefully calm her nerves and open her throat. “I-I’m just realizing I’m going to watch everyone here die. And I’m going to end up a-alone.” Tears filled her eyes as she squeaked out the final bit, fighting with her throat to be able to push out the final words. “Watch the love of my life age and die before me.”

Astarion hums, sitting back as he took in her words. “You know there are ways to live longer, right?”

“Yes, I know. But I can’t ask my love to do that. It won’t fix anything, just prolong the inevitable instead. Besides, I’ve seen the corruption that can happen when you stretch out your life unnaturally. I would hate to be the cause of witness of that happen.” Prisma states, running her finger around the rim of her goblet. “Death is a part of keeping everything in balance. I can’t stop death for my own selfish reasons.”

“All druids worry about is the damn balance.” Astarion scoffed, waving off the idea. Prisma just rolled her eyes to her vampire friend, but a genuine smile etched across her face. “I do understand those thoughts. Realizing immortality isn’t that great once you know you’ll watch everyone around you fade away while you… stay the same.”

Prisma realized with a horror that not only was Astarin in the same boat as her, but he was in the worst case. While Prisma’s life was prolonged by her druid powers. His were prolonged from being a vampire. Prisma could die from old age, Astarion couldn’t. How shitty was it of her to talk about this here? To sit here whining about it and remind him of his own fate. What a friend she was.

“I’m so sorry- I didn’t me to-”

“Don’t.” Astarion interrupted her with an exasperated expression, looking a little annoyed at her apologizing. “It’s been 200 years and I’ve long since accepted it. You know what I’ve dealt with for the past 200 years, I’ve come to not focus on those little woes since.”

Prisma swallowed her embarrassment, trying not to cry. She tried to hide her embarrassment by drinking the rest of her wine. The quiet that fell between them felt uncomfortable, maybe only on Prisma’s end as Astarion continued to drink his own wine like nothing big had happened. She really has to stop worrying about offending the vampire next to her so much.

“How do you do it?” She finally asks as she taps her finger against her cup. She turned her gaze to Astarion, tearing her eyes away from Karlach trying to convince Wyll to dance with her. “Handle that pain?”

“Honestly, darling? I’ve just finally gotten to live. The love I have may feel short and that hurts to know that, but the love I feel outweighs the ache. Instead of worrying about some heartache in my future, I focus on remembering this love I’ve finally gotten to feel.” He turned his red eyes to look into her purple ones, a serious tone in them that made Prisma’s stomach churn uneasily. “Is this love worth the heartache?”

“Yes.” It surprised the wood-elf how easily it was to find that answer.

“Then focus on that.”

Prisma nodded, swallowing thickly again at the emotion that tried to bubble up. She really didn’t want to cry right now, this was not the place to do that. Nor did she want any more attention on her either, trying to mask all her emotions by the protection of her goblet. “I didn’t know you had it in you to become a poet, fang boy.”

“I’m still full of surprises.” the vampire grins. “But don’t you dare tell a soul. I have an image to uphold!” He exclaimed, gesturing in a way like he was presenting his image that made Prisma let out a laugh before she could stop herself. Smiling to herself at the offended look on his face.

“I promise. But… Can you promise me something?”

“Depends.”

“...Will you be there? When I am alone?”

Astarion paused and went quiet when the question left her lips. Prisma was ready to take it back when the silence went too long, her heart hammering in her chest uncomfortably before Astarion finally spoke up. “Of course, darling.”

Prisma breathed a little more easily. The air surrounding the two elves settling into one more comfortable and light compared to the dark cloud looming over Prisma earlier. A warmth spreading across her chest was a welcomed change for the wood-elf. The two watched their friends in the silence that had fallen over them. It didn’t feel uncomfortable this time, just easy to sit with each other and not need to say anything else.

#original character #original female character #dnd character : prisma #bg3 oc #astarion ancunin #bg3 one-shot #platonic astarion #hurt/comfort #bg3 fluff #bg3 angst #wood-elf oc #astarion & tav #oc #bg3 spoilers #bg3 fanfiction

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