#vanquish/orpheus
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"You take me to the place you murdered my people," Orpheus had said, stalking along the cliff's edge. Beautiful in the sunlight. Beautiful, free.
What was it with this istik and cliffs.
"They hit first," Vanquish had said, pulling him with her under a tree, skin dappled in the shadow of its leaves, close enough to kiss, "I just hit harder."
"And what does my people's blood feel like on your hands, istik?"
She'd lifted his hand with her own, light, almost playful between their lips, to kiss. "Good enough."
#bg3#githyanki#tag: vanquish#orpheus/vanquish#ot3: the prince the blade the breaker of chains#i need a tag for van/orph now lol#vanquish/orpheus#tav/orpheus#bg3 orpheus#orpheus bg3#baldur's gate 3#bg3 screenshots#des writes
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For @des-no9
Her beautiful woman surrounded by her men
Don't be sad. You are beautiful
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I'm Okay (Trust Me) (Part 1/3)
Summary: Defeating Rapheal, and subsequently obtaining the Orphic Hammer, had gone exceptionally well. At least in comparison to how things usually go. However, as the companions move forward with their plans of parasitic liberation, Astarion can’t help but notice that their leader, and his lover, isn’t quite herself. Despite Tav’s assurances, the vampire spawn can tell that the events befalling The House of Hope still haunt her in more ways than one.
Parings: Tav x Astarion, Minor Shadowheart x Lae'zel
Warnings: Explicit content, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Dubious Consent, Sexual Coercion, Slight Victim Balming, Sexual Trauma, Eventual Smut
A/N: I decided to write this after I got through the House of Hope on my first playthrough. At first I was really excited at the prospect of getting to bed an incubus in the game but after everything was done I kind of felt off about the whole thing. Especially given that the player, after deciding not to fight, is given the choice to either let Haarlep use their image to have sex with a bunch of strangers or straight up die. It hit a little too close to home in regard to my own sexual trauma and how that has affected my self-esteem, relationships, and mental health.
I want to stress that there are some aspects of the story that don't match with the gameplay. An example of this would be going beyond the party size. You can pretend that this story is based on that no-limit companion mod lol.
Link to AO3: Here
No last-minute begging had left Rapheal’s lips when Karlach raised her axe above him. The fact that it had been the final stroke came as a surprise to Astarion and, based upon the silence that drenched the room, the others. Not too far behind her could hear Tav panting, her magic practically drained to its limits. In the peripheral of his eyes, he could see Shadowheart’s armor move up and down as she too sought to catch her breath.
Hope, who appeared the most worn out of the bunch, stood frozen to her spot by the door. Karlach noticed her immediately and moved to check on her, weapon still sunk deep within Rapheal’s chest. Astarion took the opportunity to walk over to him, caution obvious in the way he gripped his dagger.
There was no final spook to be had, though. Rapheal was dead, eyes wide and mouth slightly a gape with no more theatrics left on his tongue. Good Riddance, he thought. A smirk danced onto his lips as he decided it was okay to turn back towards his companions. Hope was no longer a statue, the erratic motions from before returned vigorously as she took in their victory.
The memory of Cazador lying vanquished on the ground materialized in his mind. He brushed it away quickly as Tav’s eyes landed on himself. A half-smile was the most she could muster before Lae’zel garnered her attention, talks of the next step towards freeing Orpheus’ flew from the githyanki’s mouth in rapid, yet precise, order. The lines in Tav’s forehead creased as she let her friend speak. Deciding to take pity on his lover, Astarion moved to stand beside her.
“—The Emperor will know of what we have done, we must act fast upon our return.”
“I—”
“Surely you can’t expect us to go straight into the undercity of Baldur’s Gate after quite literally killing a devil.” Lae’zel sharp glare snapped up to meet his eyes. “I for one am not doing anything till I’ve had time to clean up, all of this.” His hand, the one not resting centimeters away Tav’s lower back, motioned to the state of his armor. Rapheal and his friends had left the floors of the foyer dripping in all sorts of blood and guts and, while Astarion’s body was happily intact, his outfit begged to differ.
“He’s right, we should get some rest before meeting with Voss.” Lae’zel’s head snapped to see Shadowheart approaching. “It would be foolish to confront a mind flayer and a devil on the same day.” Lae’zel didn’t reply immediately, though the answer for what they should do was clear, she was not any happier to admit it.
“All right,” she spat. “Prepare for an early departure by dawn, I will not wait for anyone.”
“Of course,” he hummed with a dismissive wave.
. . .
“I’m just saying we should take some more time to discuss our next course of action.” Gale instinctively backed up as Lae’zel stalked his receding form. “It would be unwise to go in all wands blazing without considering the effect this might have.”
“I am not leaving my Prince at the hands of a ghaik any longer.” Astarion had no interest in interfering on the wizard’s behalf. Watching the man sweat was more than amusing. “The only thing unwise would be for you to continue talking.”
“What if freeing Orpheus leads to us losing our only protection from the absolute.” It was Wyll who stepped in between the two. No surprises there, the vampire thought. Lae’zel had burst through the doors of their room at the inn with an attitude ready to fight the next person who dared to go against her plans.
“It will, I’ve already told you that freeing Orpheus will only result in him—”
“Will someone please get the squid to shut up.” Astarion winced, feeling the pain of The Emperors telepathy within his mind. How lucky Halsin and Jaheira were to not feel such an annoying headache.
“Gladly,” Lae’zel sneered.
“There are still other issues that we need to address.” Halsin’s voice passed by Astarion from behind, he could feel the bear of a man coming closer to the group before passing the vampire all together to aid Wyll and Gale from the Lae’zel’s wrath. “Orin and Gortash are still alive, it would be best to get rid of them before going to the astral plane.
“Agreed, we cannot allow the absolute to draw more power from the city. It’s time we faced them.” Halsin nodded an acknowledgement at Jaheira, her argument adding to the growing resistance.
Quickly the room devolved into a mass of bickering, Lae’zel mostly fighting alone on her side. It took Astarion a few moments to realize that there was something off about the whole scene. It stumped him briefly but the soft steps of someone else moving about in the background was the answer.
“Not going to step in, dearest?” Tav jumped a bit as Astarion walked towards her, his back now to the group. “It’s very unlike you.”
“It’s been a long day,” the bed bounced slightly as she dropped her pack onto it. “And I don’t feel like picking a fight with Lae’zel.” If only the rest were that smart, he thought. “She’ll see reason soon enough, anyways. We really do need to usurp Orin and Gortash while we can.”
“I’m sure she will,” his lips curled. “Right after she breaks a couple of Gale and Wyll’s ribs, of course.”
“Shadowheart will fix them up,” her body joined the bag as she sat down onto the covers. “Or Halsin, either way they’ll be fine.”
“I love this newfound ‘compassion’ of yours,” he briefly glanced away, catching sight of a smaller person far from the argument occurring. Either Yenna was blissfully unaware or was doing a great job at pretending everything was okay. “I just wish you had acquired it earlier.” Then maybe they wouldn’t be stuck worrying about every little orphan who manipulated Tav’s kindness.
“They’re adults, they can take care of themselves.” He raised an eyebrow at this. Was she really letting things go for once. “I’m tired and I want to sleep.” She wasn’t looking at him anymore, choosing to instead dig around into her bag that she never organized, even at his insistence.
“Fair enough,” a level of trepidation lined his voice. Before he could ask if she was alright, a loud clang hit the floor behind him, silencing the bickering voices. He turned away instinctively, catching sight of Lae’zel stomping away towards the door. A dagger, no doubt previously aimed towards the other men, laid forgotten at Halsin’s feet.
“Fine,” she spat, casting one last glance towards them before nearly kicking the door off its hinges. “Cowards, all of you.” With that, she was gone. Shadowheart moved a few steps, considering the possibility of going after her, before ultimately stopping. Even from her his spot, Astarion could see the way her jaw clenched, hands balled at her sides.
The rest of them dispersed to their own spots in the room, silence hung in the air uncomfortably. Karlach’s, he noticed, took a moment to collect Lae’zel’s dagger. She rarely used such a small weapon in combat, opting for her painfully heavy sword and bow. The little thing glinted in the light briefly before the Tiefling went to place it neatly on Lae’zel’s bunk.
Such a mess they were, he thought with a shake of his head.
. . .
He tried not to stare too much at Tav. His own bed had been placed directly next to hers and it was becoming harder to ignore the way she shifted and squirmed under the covers. Sleep came easily to the girl, at least most of the time. Her experience with combat and adventuring was limited before the parasite, her body unuse to such strenuous work. She rarely complained, though. The only indicator that this was tough for her especially being how quickly she tuckered out at the end of the day.
There was a chance that some of the chatter was keeping her up. The silence hadn’t lasted too long before Karlach, Shadowheart, and Jaheira set up some type of card game. They weren’t particularly loud, save for whenever Karlach gained the upper hand in the game. Gale had tried shushing her a couple of times before ultimately giving up. The book in his hands had eventually engrossed him enough to tune it all out.
When moonlight began to seep through their windows, Tav snores still not filling the air, Astarion decided to forsake his own spot. Standing over her crumbled form brought back the memory of the first time he had attempted to drink her blood. The few nights before that had been increasingly painful as he watched her lie so sweetly under the stars. Over time she felt less like a person and more like a beautiful feast, all set out for him alone. It was a shock, looking back, how long he held out on partaking.
Her reaction to noticing him looming over her this time around was much less frantic. A little bit of surprise played on her parted lips as she slowly sat up to speak. There was still a hint of innocence in her eyes whilst meeting his gaze. Scores of monsters and cultists had perished under her spells and blades and yet it didn’t jade her the way it would for other humans.
So precious, he thought.
“Is something wrong?” It came out as a whisper, her eyes glancing left to confirm that Wyll remained unmoving in his bunk.
“I was actually just about to ask you that, darling.” He wasn’t as quiet as her, unafraid that the Blade of Frontiers would wake up easily. “You’ve been acting peculiarly since we got back, care to enlighten me?”
“I told you I was tired,” she looked away. “It’s been a very long day.”
“And yet you’ve been tossing and turning for nearly an hour.” He crossed his arms over his chest, feeling a little too much like a scolding parent than a partner.
“I . . .” She trailed off, knees moving up to support her chest as she leaned forward. “There’s just a lot on my mind right now. Between the netherstones and Orpheus, it’s just overwhelming.”
“Anything I can do to help,” the bed dipped as he took a seat. There was little space between the two of them now and a part of him buzzed pleasantly at the thought of pulling her into an embrace. They hadn’t been all that touchy as of late. His confession at Moonrise had practically halted most forms of intimacy between them. An outsider looking in wouldn’t have guessed how close the two of them were in comparison to the others. Feather light touches and the occasional hug made up most of the relationship now. Sometimes he would steal a kiss, a usually quick action that ended before Tav had much time to register the affection.
They had on occasion shared a bedroll back when they were out in the wild. She’d curl up against his side, a hand resting on the part of his chest where his heart once beat. He’d count the constellations whilst listening to the change in her breathing, the obvious indicator that she had plunged into a deep sleep. There, hidden from Cazador and the absolute, a flutter would come and go underneath his ribs. Perhaps he wasn’t all that dead.
“No, I’ll be okay.” She shook her head, hair rustling against the sides of her face. “Don’t worry about me, please.”
“Easier said than done, my dear.” The little pout that appeared on her lips decided his next move for him. “Now, scout over.” Tav’s eyes widened, gaze snapping back up to his face. She was still for a few moments, studying his features with an intensity one might have for a major test.
Little voices scrapped against the back of his mind as he exalted all his control in keeping a calm demeanor. Any doubt or uncertainty would have Tav pushing him away. She was always so concerned about his comfort. It was welcomed graciously most of the time but, as much as the sentiment warmed his icy body, it could also sting. He was not nearly as fragile as she seemed to think he was.
She only puts up with you because she pities you.
“O-Okay,” Astarion almost breathed out a sigh of relief when she complied with the request. He wasted no time in joining her under the covers, lest she change her mind at his reluctance.
She was rigid against him, even after he comfortably adjusted against the mattress. Instead of holding him, like she used to, Tav rolled over so that her back was facing him instead. Both of her hands clenched the sheets rather than his clothes. It unnerved him even more than the silence that passed between him.
“You know,” he whispered. “I was afraid that your droopy mood had something to do with vanquishing our old ‘friend’, Rapheal.” Acidity coated his pronunciation of the devil’s name. Tav’s body twitched when she heard it, somehow tensing even more than before.
“I’m glad he’s dead,” disdain leaked from her mouth as she sought to relax her body. “I wish I had cut out his tongue earlier, though. I can still hear his stupid, dramatic voice in my head.”
“Perhaps I can take your mind off of it?” The sly words fell out of Astarion’s mouth without him even having a chance to think it over. Flirtatiousness was an instinct after two centuries and getting rid of it wasn’t something easily undone. A heaviness set within his chest, an all too familiar panic that he may have gone too far. She shook in his grasp and that heaviness gave way to bitter bile. Swallowing it down with a cough, Astarion placed a hand on her shoulder. “Forgive me, I didn’t—”
“It’s fine.” Her statement, spoken quicker than before, felt like a cut. “I’m not in the mood, anyways.”
Not in the mood for you, at least.
She thinks you’d break under her touch.
Besides, why would she want you when she just had him.
He inhaled sharply at the memory conjured up by the swirling voices. He would have kicked himself for carelessness had she not been lying next to him. Amid their quest within the House of Hope, Astarion had been able to push down their interaction with Rapheal’s favorite toy. Now, with her distant yet so close, he could no longer.
. . .
“I beg your pardon,” the snap of Astarion’s voice rang within the chamber. The marble floor beneath his feet nearly crumbled under the stomp of his boots. A hand kept him from getting closer to the bed before them. “Would you like to repeat that little request?”
“I said,” the incubus’ eyes looked only at Tav. “Take off your clothes.”
“Uh, why?” Her voice bordered on cracking. It was her fingers that kept him from throwing a dagger between Haarlep’s eyes.
“Do you or do you not want my help,” playfulness dripped from the incubus as he rolled softly against the covers of the mattress. “I at least deserve something from you, seeing as you’re asking for so much.”
“And you’re asking for an arrow through the throat.” Astarion grumbled, fingers flexing and ready for Tav to give the orders to fight.
“Hypothetically, what were to happen if I did take off my clothes.” His jaw clenched as the human woman spoke slowly.
“Well,” he drawled, lips curling in a cat like smirk. “Let’s just say it’s a surprise.”
“A surprise from an incubus? I wonder what that could possibly be,” Astarion’s mocking voice did little to faze the other man.
“No need to be so jealous, little spawn.” The grip on Astarion’s shoulder tightened, Tav accurately guessing how restraint was practically peeling away from him. “I have only the best of intentions in mind.”
“Oh really—”
“Gives a moment, if that’s okay.” Tav began to pull against him, trying to bring him back towards the group. Haarlep nodded his head which was answer enough for Tav to motion for the companions to form a huddle of sorts.
“We’re killing him, right?” An unsureness plagued Tav’s face as she shied away from his intense gaze.
“Honestly, taking up his offer might be the best option.” He made a point to glare at Shadowheart. She looked only at Tav though, not bothering with the pissy vampire. “As much as I want to avoid it, a fight with Rapheal is practically inevitable at this point. Especially if we go through with freeing Hope. I’d rather we save up our resources for that fight instead of wasting it on him.” She motioned towards the incubus with a jerk of her chin.
“If it were me, I’d rather gut him.” Lae’zel chimed in before Astarion could retort. “But I am not the one he is asking for.” Her gaze fell to Tav.
“I’m completely fine with ripping his annoying face off,” Karlach glanced back at the Rapheal look-a-like. “But yeah, it’s up to you soldier.”
“I mean,” the human’s face contorted as pros and cons weighed back and forth within her mind. “If we go against him, who knows what other cronies he’d bring into the fight. Plus, it can make it that much harder to get back to the hammer in time.”
She wants to say yes to him, the offer is rather tempting.
“Exactly, I say we get the hammer first with as little complications as possible.” Very few times had Shadowheart’s neck looked so perfectly ready to be ripped out in Astarion’s eyes.
“Why don’t you take her place, if the choice is so easy.” She rolled her eyes at him.
“I don’t see why not,” her lips curled up in a bitter smirk. “I’m sure he’s all sorts of fun.”
“Such a tempting offer,” Haarlep’s voice broke into the group. Apparently, the huddle was pointless if he could hear everything from his side of the room. “But I have my sights set on your little leader. She’s stirred up Rapheal quite a bit with how passionately she denied his deal.”
“Pity,” the former Sharran mumbled.
“Now if you lot are somehow able to survive this little trip, I’d be more than happy to pencil you in for a play date, half-elf.” A silent chuckle left Shadowheart’s lips as she shook her head. Astarion couldn’t tell if she’d be against such an offer in the future.
“Fight or Fornicate, make up your mind before we’re out of choices.” Lae’zel turned back to Tav as the human seemed even more indecisive than before.
“I . . .” Her eyes met his then, as the rest of the group waited in bated breath for an answer. They stared at each other as each passing second felt even slower than the last.
She wants your permission.
You’ve left her longing for too long.
The answer to her needs is practically begging to relieve her.
He could do so, so much more for her.
She’s tired of waiting for you to get a grip. So tired of holding your pathetic hand.
I’d be cruel to deny her such an experience.
“. . . It’s up to you, my love.” Throwing the façade of acceptance on his face wasn’t too hard to do. He had done it so many times before, he had practically become a master of it at this point. “I won’t hold it against you, whatever you decide.”
She was quiet, facing smoothing at as her decision was made within her mind. She turned back to Haarlep first, prompting the others to do the same. Astarion, though, kept most of his attention on her and not the creature he wanted to eviscerate.
Something inside him shattered as her lithe fingers went to the hem of her shirt. The realization that she was about to disrobe in front of Haarlep and their friends hit him like a pommel strike. The voices in his head were twisting wildly within his mind and somehow, throughout the horror of it all, he found himself bitterly thankful for Tav’s choice in today’s team.
It was no secret that all their companions had, at one point, made a pass at Tav. Her rejection of them always had a sliver of satisfaction rolling up his spine. In Karlach, Shadowheart, and Lae’zel’s case, they had taken her no rather well. It was easy enough for the later two who had begun ‘sparring’ away from the eyes of the camp sometime after their interaction with the creche. Their excuse was that they needed more space to fight and that they didn’t want to ‘accidentally’ hurt someone during the intense training.
Hate sex is the best sex, Tav had muttered one night as she and Astarion caught the two women glaring at each other whilst walking off into the woods. He had curled his lips at the scandalous statement, deciding silently to remember the tidbit for a possible future tryst.
Karlach, Astarion realized, was just happy to have the embrace of a friend. Romance had been easily forgotten by the Tiefling. The same couldn’t be said for Gale and Wyll. They had assured her that it was alright before and Tav had taken it at face value. Astarion knew better though, could see it in the way their eyes followed her. When she spoke, they would glance at her lips and look away as if caught with their hand in the proverbial cookie jar. The vampire spawn sometimes basked in the longing he could see within them every time he displayed even the smallest of Tav’s reciprocated affections.
“Could you all go guard the door,” snapping out his trance, Astarion watched as Tav put a pause on removing her clothes. “The last thing we need is Rapheal waltzing in.”
“Of course,” Shadowheart was the first to comply. Lae’zel quirked an eyebrow for a moment before leaving as well. He could feel Karlach looking back and forth between him and Tav. Reluctantly she placed a hand on his shoulder and encouraged him to walk away with her. Though her engine had been fixed, her palm was practically scalding against the thin fabric of his disguise.
“We’re just across the room,” he murmured. “In case you need us.”
With a nod of Tav’s head, Astarion finally complied with Karlach’s touch. The two turned around to trail after the other members of their party. He focused on the echo of the grand faucets flowing hot water into the pool between them. Anything to keep from catching the sound of whatever surprise the incubus had in mind.
“You okay?” Astarion growled lowly at the question. He knew that Karlach’s concern was genuine, deep down, yet he couldn’t help but feel only irritation.
“Of course I am.” He sneered; he wasn’t the one stuck staring at Rapheal’s stupid face. He considered telling them to not talk to him, as he was in no mood. Yet the little chatter that passed between the other three was something to hold onto. Very little went by the doorway of the boudoir, just a couple of miserable waifs limping about. A wonderful reminder of what might happen to them sooner rather than later.
“—Must we waste time freeing her.”
“Are you suggesting we leave Hope chained to this asshole.” He didn’t want to look behind him to watch their argument.
“The longer we stay here, the more likely we are to join her.” Shadowheart’s voice was farthest away. A little too far for his liking, more likely to see what was happening past the pool.
It must be quite a show, maybe she’ll tell you all the gory details later.
Or maybe Tav will, how long will it be before his name passes those luscious lips.
She won’t want you after this.
What’s the point of a pretty face when that’s all it is. She’ll get sick of looking at it when she realizes she could have more.
He didn’t know how much time had passed when Shadowheart’s voice cut through the mess in his head.
“It looks like they’ve stopped,” gods he was going to throw up. “Come on.”
Luckily the half-elf was correct. By the time the four of them had come to the other end of the room, Haarlep was already off the bed and looking starkly different from before. Instead of the near perfect imitation of Rapheal, he had shifted into a woman. An improvement, yes, but still too like the devil in looks. Tav was shimmying her shirt back on, something black and tight coverd the rest of her body. She hadn’t worn it before.
Haarlep, noticing their return, locked eyes with him particularly. The ends of his lips twisted higher than they had before. In the blink of an eye the new feminine form shifted into something all too familiar. Instead of the Rapheal look alike, a copy of Tav now smirked at him.
To his utter displeasure, the incubus was gone before the shock could lift. Tav didn’t waste time in collecting the contents of the safe. The portrait of Rapheal broke in half under her hands as she pried it off the wall. It was tossed unceremoniously across the floor. If only they had time to destroy more of the devil’s tacky décor.
“Let’s go,” Tav was striding past them. Determination set within the crease of her forehead. There were questions on the tongue of each one of them. Ultimately their curiosity was left unspoken.
#Hurt/Comfort#angst with a happy ending#dubious consent#miscommunication#baldurs gate 3#bg3#bg3 spoilers#bg3 tav#astarion#astarion x reader#astarion x tav#eventual smut#insecurity#trauma#I see your baldurs gate titles inspired by Hozier songs#and raise you titles inspired by MCR lyrics#no betas we die like alfira#baldurs gate once again hitting too close to home#victim blaming#fanfiction#baldurs gate fanfiction
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[ID: A web-weaving between Hadestown lyrics and Disco Elysium screenshots. It reads,
On the road to Hell there was a railroad line
And a poor boy workin' on a song
Orpheus: La la la la la la…
Hermes: His mama was a friend of mine
Rhetoric: Yes, you. Word on the street is you're ready to start building communism again!
You: "Again"?
Rhetoric: Yes — you're ready to start building communism again. You've built it before, they've built it before. Hasn't really worked out yet, but neither has love — should we just stop building love, too?
Orpheus (spoken): That's what I'm workin' on.
Orpheus & Chorus (sung): A song to fix what's wrong
Take what's broken, make it whole
A song so beautiful
It brings the world back into tune
Back into time
And all the flowers will bloom
You: Wait, first — what's this communism even about?
Rhetoric: Failure. It's about failure.
Orpheus: If it's true what they say
If there's nothing to be done
If it's true that it's too late
And the girl I love is gone
If it's true what they say
Orpheus (spoken): Is this how the world is?
0.000% of Communism has been built. Evil child-murdering billionaires still rule the world with an evil grin. All he has managed to do is make himself sad.
Hades: How long? Just as long as Hades is king
Nothing comes of wishing on stars
And nothing comes of the songs people sing
However sorry they are
Rhetoric: Yes! Abject failure. Total, irreversible defeat on all fronts! Absolutely vanquished, beaten, curb-stomped and pissed on — until you came along! You will reverse the fortune of the workers of the world.
Hades: Give them a piece they'll take it all
Show them a crack they'll tear down the wall
Lend them an ear and the kingdom will fall
The kingdom will fall for a song
Rhetoric: Anyone? Anyone else? There's no one?
Volition: There's one.
You: What should I do?
Volition: You should build Communism — precisely because it's impossible.
'Cause here’s the thing
To know how it ends
And still begin to sing it again
As if it might turn out this time
I learned that from a friend of mine
End ID]
Eurydice: Anybody got a match?
#hadestown#disco elysium#web weaving#long post#jules.txt#m: hadestown#g: disco elysium#(thoughts after seeing hadestown yesterday)
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Raphael’s character and a lot of references to Ancient Greek mythology/history
Ok, so there’s some really obvious ones like, I think there’s some story in the game about a bard winning over a devil that he likes, which is a clear reference to Orpheus and Eurydice (also Raphael holds the power to free Orpheus in the game, like hades being able to free Eurydice) also hope being a parallel to Persephone 👁️👁️.
Besides the little things like that, I’ve noticed his character kinda resembles Alexander the Great, LEMME EXPLAIN FIRST
Raphael as we all know really wants the crown of Karsus, and knows alot abt the guy (he was even there when he failed, or when the city fell) , and maybe admires what he managed to accomplish to some extent and he kinda even models his house on his work, as they both float in the sky (also gonna make the obvious connections to Icarus here) and Raphael “believes” he should rule the hells and that he could end the blood war ect etc… and he’s so great, anyway.
Now Alexander was similar in that he too believed he should rule the world/Persia or Asia (debatable which) and he also admired someone with a great “folly” which was Achilles, whose weakness was yknow his Achilles, and Alexander basically modelled his life after this guy too, so he’s a bit more extreme than Raphael, like man carried the illiad wherever he went, but it shows he’s a fan of literature and epics, like Raphael.
Also, Alexander is supposedly of “half divinity” or whatever, he believed he was the son of Zeus or at least more than just a human, which Raphael is, but I suppose less Divine in his case.
Another thing is, Alexander also was kinda a dick, in that in his pursuit to conquer he also sieged the city of Thebes which was also a Greek city state, like he says he later regretted it but still. Also during his siege he did let some people live, like some ppl in a temple of Heracles (another idol of his) and a woman who attacked some soldiers after being assaulted and he was impressed by her or something. Ithaca wasn’t the only place he sieged, later in Babylon during a party some girl convinced him to siege a city and burn it, he did lol. Alexander wasn’t a great person, also a conqueror so there’s that.
Raphael, is obviously not a good person but it’s hard to say he isn’t somewhat likeable or has his moments, korilla even says so herself, that’s he a much kinder boss than she’s had before, especially for a devil. Though in the end, Raphael still wants to conquer, and not just the hells, he says that he’ll go further and conquer other “worlds”
(Also the attack on Thebes was one of Alexander’s first key victories, but it was on his own country, unlike everything that he attacks after, which yknow is like Raphael starting his attack in the hells then moving outward)
Also just gonna mention it here, but it’s been said loads, when Raphael dies, it’s a total reference to Kronos eating his children, as Raphael gets nommed on by his father.
There are totally more references and especially to other cultures, like his cat/mouse rhymes kinda remind me of Hickory Dickory Dock and his miss tuffet being miss miss muffet, but my guy is totally Italian/Greek? Coded, like it’s hard to believe otherwise.
Maybe the similarities to Alexander are a bit out there, a lot of “leaders” or “greats” were like that. Anyway, I’m probably missing more references but that’s all I couldn’t remember off the bat.
EDIT: To be fair though, maybe he’s more of a Julius Caesar, since Alexander was quite young when he died and Julius was said to have cried in front of a statue of Alexander since he accomplished so much more than him in his youth, since most of caesars big stuff was later in his life, but like I said you can find similarities with a bunch of other similar dictatory guys,
EDIT 2:
He is so Julius Caesar coded;
"All the Gauls did Caesar vanquish, Nicomedes vanquished him;
Lo! now Caesar rides in triumph, victor over all the Gauls,
Nicomedes does not triumph, who subdued the conqueror."
This is supposedly a song that Caesar's soldiers sang making fun of how he was a bottom, Caesar conquered Bithynia but Nicomedes conquered Caesar. LIKE, the parallels are there, friends.
#bg3 raphael#raphael bg3#bg3#baldurs gate raphael#baldur's gate 3#baldurs gate#baldurs gate 3#baldurs gate 3 raphael#bg3 hope#hope bg3#bg3 korilla#korilla
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I think (and I desperately hope that I am wrong) that Kiriona might be fucked (and not in the fun sexytimes kind of way).
I read an interview with TM again where she said that TLT is a lesbian epic, and also that she doesn't think that queer authors are obligated to write happy endings for their queer characters. Here is the interview.
So while this was all percolating, I decided to look up the Epic of Gilgamesh (like you do), bc it's the epic I'm least familiar with. I found this brilliant explanation on quora.
Now who tf does that sound like? *cough*jod*cough*
I would be absolutely shocked if there aren't influences there.
So you can't cheat death. You can't go back. Our experiences and loves and griefs irrevocably change us. Even if you're part god, you're mortal.
And Gideona is lesbian space Jesus but Jesus didn't exactly get to go and live his life after he came back, did he? He comes back, sees his followers, vanquishes some evil, then ascends to heaven to hang out with God for eternity. (The harrowing of hell is obviously Harrow's job).
And to throw the Greeks in there too, Orpheus tries to get Eurydice back, literally goes through hell, and doesn't succeed. They get so close to the finish line and fail. Eurydice remains in the underworld.
I don't know. On one hand, I don't think it would really be a satisfying end for the griddlehark story arc. The threads are there for them to break free and live for each other instead of dying for each other. On the other, forcing Harrow to actually confront her grief over Gideon, and forcing Kiriona to confront her grief over her own death would be thematically appropriate and a nice foil to every other pair in the series.
I hope these are not mutually exclusive. I hope that Jod is the epic tragic figure who gets smacked for his hubris and not our girls. I cling to the other interview where she said that it ends with potential for happiness. (this one)
I can't imagine either of them truly being happy without the other.
Tldr: I simultaneously need Alecto right now and also never.
#tlt#gideon nav#griddlehark#harrowhark nonagesimus#kiriona gaia#gideon the ninth#nona the ninth#harrow the ninth#there better be griddlehark kissing#angry ghost thoughts
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Voss' favourite part about the material plane(s) are beaches, the seaside, oceans. And from every one he visits he takes a shell, a pebble, a small souvnieer from that worlds beach or ocean. They make him happy, relaxed, and he saw his first one and swam in his first one with Orpheus when they were young and happy.
And he wants to swim in one with Orpheus again when he is free. (Vanquish can join too if she wants I guess LOL).
Ohhhh I ADORE this! I hadn’t even thought about how rare and unusual bodies of water would feel to a Gith. And the sea and beaches are so tactile and full of sensory stuff like you say. This is gorgeous!
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𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄, lies the alter of creation. a ripple in time : her existence a fracture within the the universe. her soul incomplete, broken —— lost within the gateway of the underworld, she was not meant to exist. for eurydice had vanquished, unseen since the fire of asphodel, when orpheus doubted and sought after her spirit. the master of strings had not been successful then, but you... you were different. through your miracles alone, gave rise to someone the fates had long since forgotten. she exist now because of you, as a placeholder / as your inheritor. so rest now, she pleads, dismantle your burden onto her. allow her to spread out her arms, so that she may be shackled in your place. ❝ i never once blamed you, you know. for giving me this purpose.... so please, don't look so guilty. ❞ @orphelic
#orphelic#heh heh heh i lured you in a false sense of security and showed you clown minako#in order to hide this starter hahaha#i will make one for xeha later on but this was a priority for reasons uwu
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-. Hades brainrot, have a few disconnected thoughts:
fighting Lernie is so MUCH FUCKING FUN oh god i can’t get enough of that fight IT’S MY FAVOURITE
he only recently dubbed her Lernie for me but what the fKIG ‘Lernie Vanquished’ THIS GAME
i underestimated the lambert plume at first but by god the way it makes me lOSE MY MINd you get to a certain point Zagreus becomes so fast (if you get a few Hermes boons while you’re at it, EVEN FASTER) that i sorta start cackling maniacally at my screen
next god i’m forging a bond with is Ares because that guy’s doom curse saved my ass so often and also i love how this rendition of him makes him so ELEGANT~
Asterius gib me that AUTOGRAPH, Zagreus WHY WON’T YOU ASK HIM
one of these days i’m gonna figure out how to fuck up Theseus before Asterius bc i wanna hear the dialogue that would produce
when Hermes asked me if i wanted him to shut up for a moment i was APPALLED he better never
least favourite gods are Zeus for obvious reasons and Poseidon bc he was the first trial of the gods disadvantage i had to get through and that wave PISSED ME OFF
least favourite boons are Dionysus’ but that’s only because i don’t know how to use ‘em lmao I MEAN THAT? GAIN SOME HEALTH WITH EACH HIT ONE? oh god that actually got me through that first hades win EDIT: that’s not a boon, that’s a daedalus hammer for Stygius lmao
that thing people say that when they hear Eurydice for the first time? or Orpheus singing his lament? yeah, it’s true, i lost all brain capacity because i truly tried to get into this game BLIND as hell, they fucked me up
there was this one point where i was doing pretty well with the pierced butterfly and Zagreus drops a line after clearing a chamber that sounded SO EERILY like Thanatos (like? the delivery?) and there’s no way Darren Korb didn’t do that on purpose HE’S INSANE he obviously did
Than’s butterfly pisses me off the moment i hit asphodel and start stepping in magma I MEAN i got the layout down SURE but YOU KNOW
i will literally sometimes choose a chamber JUST because i want to talk to that particular god and by that particular god i mean Hermes no strategical thinking there, just straight up brainrot
a few runs ago i somehow managed to guess that not only was Thanatos gonna spawn in this run but also the exact chamber he’d spawn in, i just chose a door and was overcome by this certainty that Than would be on the next field and BOOM, thanks for the centaur heart bby
my least favourite fury to fight against is Alecto because i’m far worse at defeating her than i am at the other two lmao (altho surprisingly Tisiphone almost beat my ass the other day, i haven’t lost against a fury in AGES that would have been embarrassing~)
i can’t bring myself to give Sisyphus a nectar because the version of his myth i’m familiar with makes me hate him and i can’t get past that lmao but i also WANT to get him a nectar FOR THAT COMPLETITION RATE
when i got into the temple of styx for the first time i almost threw an aggressive tantrum and start crying at the notion of having to fight Cerberus and I KNOW he’d never would have but the small part of me that doubts everything DOUBTED and then Zagreus stopped his bullshit and gave the CUTEST LIL LAUGH I’VE EVER HEARD and that laughter right there defined so much about how i see him lmao he’s a cute lil shit he’s the worst he’s my baby he’s an immortal god he’s sassy as fuck he’s absolutely useless at administrative work he’s strong and dangerous he’s just some guy he’s my son and my enemy he’s in love with everyone he isn’t related to he’s fucking terrifying
demeter is so COLD and MEAN she doesn’t know she’s my grandmama AND IT SHOWS
#;ooc#lena's hades brainrot#blacklist that i might pop in a post like this every now and then#my family's getting tired of me talking about this game so now i have to subject YOU to it#here's a random lil fun fact about Alex Theimpalpable Jeoseungsaja#every time i vaguely mention liking something she cares so much that she actually looks up what it is and REMEMBERS it#and i KNOW other people do this too ofc but i need you to understand how wonderful Alex is as a person
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i have not played hades in a few months but i’m back to give my unasked for opinion on the newest update!
let’s get excited!!!!
charon looks cool as fuck.
new entries in the codex too!
he is cutting onions.
thanatos, you are bullying my boy? die by my blade.
ORPHEUS’S HAIR LOOKS FUCKING DISGUSTING I THOUGHT HE JUST HAD LIKE A POOFY AFRO KINDA THING BUT HE’S GOT LIKE AN AFRO MULLET???
orpheus capitalistic moments
Chaos now talks when there’s an available portal!
AND HIS ENTIRE FACE IS VISIBLE NOW!!!!! HE USED TO HAVE THAT REALLY DARK SHADOW OVER HIS ENTIRE FACE WHEN HE MAKES THIS EXPRESSION!!! this is the first time i’ve seen his whole face the whole time i have owed this game. he’s kind of a cutie tbh
it comes back when he’s talking to alecto though. guess he’s just mad.
new enemy. the hands
new miniboss in tartarus & new room too. he teleports around & throws things
thottie
ok this made me laugh
BRO HERMES YOU ARE REALLY GONNA ROAST YOUR BOSS WHILE HE’S STANDING RIGHT THERE
bich
i appreciate that they changed this from being sisyphus icon to upstairs
THE MAP IS COLORED NOW
i don’t remember if this was here before, but i like it.
new enemies? blue sksletons. new miniboss fight too, 5 blue witches that shoot around them in a spiral.
did eurydice always have a sprite? i don’t remember that either. time no longer passes in her room though so i cna sit & listen to her sing :)
i like how they upgraded this item to work with the other version of death defiance!
new items overall!
they changed the bone hydra fight so different heads have different horn styles i think! + the ain head now gets a random head attribute? this one kept shooting the waves at me. + new small heads just shoot regular hydra projetiles. i ilke thischange
LERNIE VANQUISHED
oh also this whole time, more hearts have been available for the gods now. chaos has this too.
i wonder what cutscene...
these traps all trigger simultaneously now. every single one of them on the map. interesting change not sure why
patroclus has a model now!!!!
owo what is this? random +1 to any boon
inch resting.
zagreus voice: ueghughudhgskjdg dsgh goes down smooth i guess
shut up dad
DAMN DAD YOU’RE A GAMER GIRL? AND YOU GOT FEET?
ayway for the sin of making that comment i died to hades. anyway cool shit
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A gun shaped object layed on the ground when suddenly the trigger pulled itself. A bullet wasn't fired, only glowing butterflies flew from the weapon and began to take the form of a humanoid creature. "I am thou, but thou aren't I. I am Orpheus, master of strings, and you creature shall be vanquished. "Now raise your weapon" " For Maisie
Maisie looks down at the gun with a face that's twisted in annoyance and curiousity and wondering who the hell leaves a GUN on the streets of San Fran. That's just asking for someone to- Her entire body is yanked back when the gun fires and an honest to god demon or something comes out. She's only going paler when it notes Chaos. And Chaos isn't happy. Maisie pivots and runs, and her thoughts are filled with both her and Chaos screaming to get away. Passerby are screaming. She bolts down an alley and hopes that the thing follows if it wants a fight.
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Orpheus calls Vanquish mla'ghir through gritted teeth for so long, with a sharp edge, even if underneath, the meaning is there, genuine. But I think even after that six months apart and the dust has settled, his emotions too after being pulled back into a world that's forgotten him, and he barely knowing it, (with some small communication between the sending stones Voss shares with Van) that he softens to the word. He starts to understand what she means to Voss, and therefore by extension, what she will mean to him.
And istik barely leaves his mouth anymore when talking about her, thinking about her.
Vanquish first notices it in Orpheus' voice the next time they're able to talk. Lighter. Open. Like if she asked a question, he'd kindly answer; like he'd even want to know more of her.
I think it'd take far, far longer for Voss to drop istik beyond their initial encounters of him half working Vanquish, half falling for her. Voss had been playing Vlaakith's part for so long he'd pretty much become it, and being sunk into githyanki culture and life for aeons, for being so old, it's something hard to peel away from him, even if he peppers words of endearment like rrav'kil in-between it, istik just rolls off without thought, even if sometimes it makes Vanquish flinch; pause.
Adilshar is Voss' meaning for Vanquish, and he sometimes calls her it after that first night. Often in moments where he hadn't really meant to. Exhaustion, anger, slipping between their lips as they kiss, near soundless.
But he doesn't explain its meaning for a long time. And is careful calling her it infront of Orpheus for a while until they're more...connected.
#sorry i just finished game night with friends and i had to vomit this out of my head immediately after no filter#ot3: the prince the blade and the breaker of chains#otp: adilshar#vanquish/voss#vanquish/orpheus#kith'rak voss#orpheus bg3#des' HCs#urgh urghhhhhhhh#bg3
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“What the character wants most in the world will tell you what the character wants most in life. For me, what Hades wants most in the world is to have Persephone back, to have her full love, and everything I do is based on my love for her. With what I build in Hadestown and trying to create down there, I’m trying to impress her. When I seduce Eurydice, I’m trying to make her jealous; when I’m trying to destroy Orpheus, I’m vanquishing a much younger, more attractive potential rival for her, the fact that she even cares about him, as opposed to siding with me is something that is very hard as Hades to deal with, so I have to destroy him. The demonstration of my power over a younger rival will make me more attractive, and of course it's exactly the opposite of what Persephone wants. But that's where I come from, until the moment when he reminds me that there was a time I wasn't armored.
“I really have tried to imagine very deeply what it is to be in love with a woman who—and not just in love, I'm talking about Cryano-Roxane in love, I'm talking about Romeo and Juliet in love, I'm talking about a kind of classical love—so in love with someone who leaves for six months of the year, who has something that's that important to her that she would just leave. I want to be with her every moment, the fact that she wants to be somewhere else for six months of the year, I can't [handle it].
“Orpheus and Hades are mirror images of each other in a lot of ways, and Orpheus has a line in the show where he says, ‘Who am I that I should get to hold you?’ and I feel that's how Hades feels about Persephone: I don't deserve you. I live with this deep-seated insecurity at all times, which is what drives all my behavior.”
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For in my condiscern a wood, and adore
That else they hurt ye, or of
smooth of a lawn, vegetables,
that lily hands I blesses
with never grew; until
were light? To see such-wise she
drew her robes seem scantly lies
begin joy was here be
in air: so wasted
oer the world of gentle
swain, enow of our
laughing furious blame? This, and
pluck the C he gave
bright Weak, paranoid. — To my tomb. the
mountains,—thine doth that
Orpheus bore, thou may have been
rise— so from thence came in
its garlands, in finishing in
dead-heavy heart fit that like
a spare her moved to move
among a world that not
to that in their gazing on
the wear when
Ill love striking upside down and
this soul beggared? His
name one on wine was vanquished
and epistemology,
let not all evening in the
current passion
pulsd its Music heard her day! That
withstand at a broken: that
starving seen. Wouldst to versify,
I rattles are left, alack!
And my bosoms coronet. And
most doth reign courteous light
shall more than it purpose louers scorns
and find no love another,
a Russ or he would bid adieu,
mine, these myriads—with such
a dead weights abide with
fair long branches, poor breath,
speech, faine would sting us to
select, and earth, for window
with pied flowrs newblown desire
to think to
drop on a kind of
my ioy, faire Beauty born. Together;
and nods; and ’“tis thus her hands,
you shalt, beloved”
together is mute for more
bears but you be a reprobate
with the blue devil
hath no tempted my
father, Sister, seeing me to
their gazing our flowers
shall reason when she sat a
weeping seas in an
empty out, no more apt for
their head, Each inseparate main:
of female hand, and a ho,
and vainer ties dissent. alley
cats expenses all, all,
am Master of these men
came, and pebbles of perspective,
no subtile Serpent that
fish, which I sighd her he would sting.
Through my love is so constraint a
kind delicate as brightes when
to spend that
which is six days have had scatterd
so; floats them happy me!
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Vanquish and Orpheus bonding
(not pictured, Voss casually drinking wine and reading his slates at the side)
#took these ages ago and they're so urgh SO good#need to decide on the next scene dynamic to try for these two hmmmm#bg3#orpheus bg3#bg3 orpheus#vanquish/orpheus#orpheus/vanquish#tav: vanquish#tag: vanquish#ot3: the prince the blade and the breaker of chains#one day I'll be able to get his head tattoos and chest tattoos working at the same time alas i can only have one or the other rn#and his head tatts always win
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A silly wee comic about the translation of the tir'su between Orpheus' tits <3
I changed the rest of the tir'su on Orpheus' chest to fit my HCs and feelies, though. And the comic is funnier to me if I go with my HC that it was Voss who tattooed all of Orpheus' tatts. He's a silly old man.
Note: the tir'su Voss is reading also spells something out but from his POV :3
#orpheus bg3#kith'rak voss#bg3 orpheus#ot3: the prince the blade and the breaker of chains#tav: vanquish#i love their dynamic so much#vanquish and orpheus like two cats that need to be acclimatised to each other very slowly over months#voss wrangling them by the necks everytime he hears hissing#sometimes he finds them asleep together cuddled in a ball#then later hears them yelling at eachother when they wake up#des draws#bg3#bg3 fanart#githyanki#me githies
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