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tatterings · 7 months

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Lamentable is the Autumn Picker Content with Plums - Chapter 6, "Bracing the Branches"

Pairing: Astarion/Halsin

Rating: Mature

Tags/warnings: NSFW. Spoilers to the beginning of act 2. Trauma/light SA discussion. A little angst.

Word count: 4.9k

~*REBLOGS VERY APPRECIATED*~ <3

Note: This is the sixth chapter of my first ever fanfiction!

I’ve also posted this on AO3.

Fic under the cut.

The party had chosen to transverse the Mountain Pass, at the insistence of Lae’zel of the promise of a creche hidden there. They had set off for the steep hills in the distance. After a day of travelling just to get to the creche, positioned in a former monastery, they had burst through its rotting doors the following morning before the sun had a chance to rise. To nearly everyone’s chagrin, the Gith inside were also early risers. More disappointment followed when the adventurers discovered the creche was not the Vlaakith-sent gift that Lae’zel had imagined, and the Gith “cure” was a painful death. To survive within the creche, the party had to paint its halls with blood, as hostile Gith met the group around each corner.

During each fight, Halsin had found himself fighting by Astarion’s side. As a sleek black panther, the druid had slunk to ambush foes, paired with the stealthy rogue. Together they’d downed scores of Vlaakith’s faithful with claw and dagger, amidst a symphony of slicing blades and startled shouts. A Gith quartermaster met her end when, just before she had reached Astarion, she was struck down with a mighty swipe from Halsin’s gigantic bear claws. Astarion had gently wiped blood from the cave bear’s muzzle and offered him a scratch behind the ears, after he had padded over to ensure his battle partner was unwounded.

Although the adventurers fought well together, confusion was inevitable when fighting as a group. A mix of shouts, spells, and slashing weapons sent the ruined monastery into chaos. Echoes of “Ignis!” and the clatter of weapons created a deafening ruckus that echoed off the stone walls and shattered stained-glass windows.

But within the dilapidated hallways, Astarion and Halsin created their own microcosm, a symbiotic team of shadow and strength, of slashing daggers and sheer brute force, of poisoned arrows and healing spells. It made the battles a little less daunting. And most importantly for Astarion, a lot more fun.

He delighted in the bloodshed of turning his opponents inside-out. The adrenaline rush during and after combat sent electricity through every nerve ending, and Astarion felt as close to a god as an immortal creature could become. It was even more of a delight when he attacked with his fangs to satisfy his bloodlust temporarily.

Once the adventurers had cleared the Gith forces from the monastery, the sun hung far in the west; it was late evening. After dragging a few bodies out of a large chamber, it made sense to use the ruins as their campground for the night.

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

Though the ancient monastery’s mighty walls sprawled across the cliff sides, centuries of neglect had left the building crumbling. Nature had waited patiently for an opportunity to return, and she had done so with vigor. Trees, shrubs, and thick tangles of vines created a lush, wild grove within the walls. At Halsin’s request, their chosen campsite opened to a courtyard which teemed with life.

Halsin tucked himself away in the courtyard for a pre-supper respite. His companions were a grand old oak and the birds that sang from its boughs. He reclined against its weather-worn bark, his long legs splayed in front of him. In the druid’s hands tumbled what remained of a broken branch; he’d found it lying beneath the tree. He worked it deftly with a whittling knife. At least an hour passed in pensive quiet - Halsin had amassed small piles of wood shavings at his sides.

The sharp hiss of an arrow streaming overhead broke the silence, followed by a dull thud as it met its mark. The arrow had dug into the bark mere centimeters above Halsin’s head.

His lips turned downward, but not in anger or disappointment. The archer’s aim was objectively impressive. His frown was from the surprise of a scrap of paper tickling his nose. Dangling in his face, tied to the arrow with twine, was a small piece of parchment. Halsin raised a hand to steady it against the breeze. In precise cursive script the color of spilled blood, the note read:

“Room for one more, or are you brooding enough for us both? - ★”

Halsin’s smile spread across his scarred face, and his shoulders shook with a laugh. He plucked the arrow from the bark and rolled its shaft in his fingers.

“I would be happy for you to join me, Astarion,” Halsin announced; it was no shout, as there was no need for his deep voice to carry far. He was positive the vampire was quite close, cloaked in shadow.

Astarion seemed to materialize from the darkness about ten meters away. His perch was the east side of a half-crumbled parapet. His ivory hair seemed ablaze in fire from the orange of the sunset. His pearly smirk sparkled even from a distance and deep red eyes flashed as he sauntered to the druid.

“I appreciate the invitation, my dear,” Astarion drawled, casually kicking away wood shavings at Halsin’s side. “Old habits tend to die hard, you know.”

Halsin helped the vampire brush away debris before patting the ground at his side. Astarion lowered himself to sit, making a show of dusting off his breeches when a twig stuck to them.

“So, what are you up to all by your lonesome?” the pale elf asked, his hand gesturing at the wood shavings. Astarion tilted his head back to peer at Halsin through half-lidded eyes. “I’d jest and say ‘sawing logs’, but snoring is no laughing matter when one’s tent is near Gale,” he finished with a hiss.

Halsin presented his creation: an intricately carved wooden duck, small enough to fit in a person’s palm. “I use fallen branches for whittling things like ornaments, utensils… and ducks,” he explained with a shy grin. “I like ducks.”

“Not a bear?!” Astarion asked with a faux, incredulous gasp, his mouth curved in a fanged smile, “Ducks? You never shared with me your inclination for waterfowl.”

Halsin’s eyes were drawn to the smaller elf’s elegant nose; it was endearing to see it crinkle when he smiled. “Well, personal hobbies haven’t been a discussion topic,” Halsin replied apologetically. “With the tadpole issue, you and your friends have had more pressing matters to discuss.” The druid’s heart fluttered when the vampire’s wry grin pulled further at his handsome laugh lines. “Whittling is something I do to pass time. Conveniently, wherever I roam, there tends to be an abundance of wood.” Halsin regretted his words as soon as he saw the devious flash in Astarion’s ruby-red eyes.

“Darling, I’m quite sure that you could never run out of wood, based on what I felt the other night”, Astarion purred, sliding his delicate hand onto Halsin’s thigh. The druid hissed as he nearly cut his thumb with the whittling knife. One thick auburn eyebrow arched at the smaller elf.

“That is.. an apt observation,” Halsin admitted, a flush rising to his cheeks. The large elf pulled one last knife stroke along the wood grain to form the smooth curve of a wing. “I cannot deny my desires. Once you get to my age, you realize there’s little point in denying yourself what you crave… as long as it does not hurt others,” he finished with a smile, holding the wooden duck over Astarion’s lap.

A gift.

The deviousness in Astarion’s eyes melted to delight, his silver-white lashes fluttering as he studied the carved creature. The vampire cupped the duck in his palm with care; as if he expected it would turn to dust if he moved too quickly.

“But what of revenge then, dear Halsin? Surely once or twice you’ve wanted to mete out revenge to those who harm your precious ducklings?” Astarion teased. He finally moved his hand, bobbing the duck up and down in the air, like its live counterparts did on water. The large elf’s heart felt as though it would leap from his throat at the sound of Astarion’s giggle.

“That is fair enough. Perhaps I should rephrase it. ‘You shouldn’t deny your desires, if it hurts no one. Or, if those hurt deserve justice.’ Does that work for you, little duck?” Halsin replied, gently bumping his broad shoulder into the smaller elf’s arm.

Astarion’s porcelain cheeks flushed pink. “Well well, aren’t you quite the hedonist. I thought of you as a ‘let things go’ sort of druid.” He turned his face from the duck to the druid. “But anyway.. thank you. For the gift.”

Halsin’s eyes twinkled as he met Astarion’s gaze. “Thank me by returning the favor, why don’t you?” he asked, “Come on, I’m sure you’ve got something more interesting to share about yourself than a whittling hobby.”

Astarion arched a single white brow. “If you insist. I… may have a bit of a sweet tooth?” he finished with a sing-song lilt.

A deep rumble emanated from Halsin’s throat and grew into a chuckle. “Is that so? Would you seek to drizzle honey on a neck, before indulging?” the druid asked, winking at Astarion.

“Ah, I.. I would not say no to an occasional treat,” the vampire replied. “But your blood was sweet enough on its own, no honey needed,” he said, leaning his torso into Halsin’s barrel chest.

The druid’s pulse roared, changing from a flutter to a drumbeat. He was sure that Astarion could hear it. “I will remember that for the future,” Halsin said with a chuckle. “Out of curiosity, Astarion… does the flavor of blood truly vary by person? Even in wild shape with heightened senses, it all smells of copper to me.”

Halsin felt a tenseness rise in the vampire’s form, which still leaned against his larger body. Astarion released a sigh and his muscles seemed to relax; but only a little.

“I’ve had this condition for two centuries… but truth be told?” Astarion turned his head to Halsin, his gaze half-shielded through his long snowy eyelashes. “You.. were my first.”

“You jest,” Halsin replied, his jaw slack in disbelief. The druid, whose cool-headedness allowed him to not jolt when Astarion’s arrow had struck above his head, could not hide his shock.

“About this topic, Halsin? I would never,” Astarion assured, his eyes wide and earnest. “You were the first person from which I’ve ever actually fed. Sure I’ve gotten a few bites in, but no actual sustenance. In all these years, I’ve only fed on beasts.”

Halsin shook his head in surprise, flyaway strands of his long hair tickling Astarion’s ears.

Astarion nodded, white curls bobbing against the growing dusk. As darkness settled upon them, he seemed made of white marble; true Nature-sculpted beauty. “I was expressly forbidden to feed on thinking beings,” he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. His arms lay limp in his lap. “Boars, deer… kobolds. During the worst of it… I was served only putrid rats. A cruel jape from my master,” the vampire’s voice trailed off. It seemed as though the energy had been drained; even his hands fell open around the small wooden duck.

Halsin had no words that could ease such a painful memory. He placed a hand on Astarion’s leg; his fingers, when splayed, nearly covered the smaller man’s thigh. He gave a gentle squeeze as they sat, birdsong rolling from the tree above them.

The purple darkness of night finally set after a while, only illuminated by a bright bit of flame shooting into the sky over a crumbling wall. Gale’s cantrip ignis served as a proverbial dinner bell.

“Ah, dinner is served,” Halsin noted with a nod. “And speaking of nourishment… you are welcome to feed again tonight, Astarion.” The large elf paused, waiting for the vampire’s million-realm stare to pull away from the whittled duck to meet his own eyes. “Also… I want to thank you. Your camp is a most welcome solace, one I couldn’t do without. I look forward to your company this evening.”

***********

Supper had been splendid as Gale, ever the people-pleaser and an excellent cook, had prepared specialized meals for his friends. A hearty vegetarian stew for Halsin. For the others, he had added meat from a rabbit Astarion had snared in a trap. And for the vampire himself, Gale had prepared black pudding from provisions he’d found in the Gith creche. Astarion had devoured it with delight and had thanked Gale with a pat on the wizard’s back and a genuine smile. Over the past few days, the vampire had grown more at ease in, figuratively and literally, reaching out to his fellow adventurers.

His friends, as Halsin had insisted on calling them.

Astarion had realized, as he reclined in front of his tent atop plundered creche pillows, they truly were friends. They had risked life and limb (and soul, in Wyll’s case) to protect each other. To work together on the tadpole problem. Everyone also had agreed to help Astarion exact revenge on Cazador, for which Karlach was especially excited. The pale elf felt no need to mask the smile that formed on his lips as he thought of his friends… and especially of the Arch Druid Halsin.

The rest of the party had socialized enough for the evening and had retired to their tents. Though the blood sausage had been delectable, it was time for Astarion’s main course.

The slender elf strode over to Halsin’s tent. Confidence set his mouth in a smirk. Halsin has been won over, Astarion thought, but this is my opportunity to ensure he stays that way. The vampire was certain that he had Halsin’s allegiance; the druid himself had said so, and proved time and again he was trustworthy. He had shown kindness which Astarion assumed stemmed from attraction. It was mutual attraction, if he cared to admit it; but he pushed that thought down to the pit of his stomach. Attraction meant vulnerability.

It was far easier to be an object of desire, than to entertain his own desires.

Halsin’s tent flap hung open, and again the druid was reclined while reading a book, holding it above his head. There were no logs to lean against this time; instead, the larger elf was propped up by delicately embroidered linens and plush pillows. Astarion had insisted that the druid had “roughed it” enough, and that he deserved to treat himself to the luxuries they’d found in the creche.

“Ah, good evening Astarion,” Halsin said, his smile extending to his honey-hazel eyes, “So glad you could join me for dinner.” The druid chuckled at his own jest and patted the bedroll. Astarion returned his smile and kneeled on a pillow by the druid’s chest.

“It is my pleasure,” the vampire replied, his voice a low purr, one hand settling on Halsin’s well-muscled chest. He absentmindedly tugged at the loose strings danging from the druid’s tunic. “Ready whenever you are, darling.”

Halsin nodded once and laid the book aside. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be, Astarion,” he said, with less nervousness in his voice than there had been in the last feeding. He raised his large hand to the small of Astarion’s back and placed his other on the vampire’s shoulder. His steadiness helped support the smaller elf as he assumed his feeding position.

Astarion took no further prompting; the druid seemed tantalizingly eager. It would make his task all the more simple. And more pleasant. The vampire accepted the unspoken aid from Halsin and climbed atop the druid. It was easier to feed if he straddled the large elf, as opposed to stretching across his wide body.

As Astarion lowered his mouth onto the red-ochre tattoo on Halsin’s neck, the friction of his leather trousers against Halsin’s stomach sent a rush of tingles to his groin. Hells below, he thought, flattening his tongue against the Arch Druid’s neck before a whine could escape from him. Astarion was certain that Halsin could feel his growing erection. Once, then twice his cock pulsed with eagerness; immediately after, the druid’s hand pressed more firmly on the small of the pale elf’s back.

This time, it didn’t bother him; the physical manifestation of lust meant it was easier for him to fulfill, and remain the object of, Halsin’s desires.

A rumble vibrated the druid’s throat against Astarion’s open mouth; Halsin relished in the cool wetness of the vampire’s tongue tracing along his jugular. The pale elf nibbled Halsin’s neck with his dull front teeth. Time for a tease, he thought, and pressed his hardened length into Halsin’s stomach. With the pressure, he felt a firm thickness between Halsin’s legs. The druid was already hard, and Astarion hadn’t even bitten him yet. Perfect.

But the teasing was enough, and his hunger gnawed at his stomach. The vampire opened his mouth wider and pierced his top fangs into Halsin’s neck. As he sank his fangs deeper into flesh, Halsin gripped Astarion’s buttocks with his large hands. The druid rutted his hips against the vampire with a deep moan, lifting them both off the bedroll with his lust.

Hot blood poured onto Astarion’s tongue as he lifted his fangs to suckle greedily at the druid’s neck. His soft tongue lapped at the divine offering, which coaxed a deep groan from Halsin’s lips. Astarion’s hands moved with swiftness; with intention. His slender fingers found Halsin’s nipple through the linen tunic and his mass of curly chest hair, and pinched it gently. Halsin hissed in response, his wide fingertips digging into Astarion’s hips. The vampire smiled against Halsin’s neck as he swallowed one mouthful of druidic lifeblood, then two.

Halsin’s chest rumbled fiercely against Astarion. The smaller elf took it as a sign to stop feeding; he lapped up the remaining blood that dribbled down Halsin’s neck, onto his collarbone.

Dinner was done; now for his duty.

Astarion’s mind was clear, rushing with the ecstasy of fresh blood. But for this second task, it was a habit to clear his mind completely. The vampire let himself mentally float away as he kissed along Halsin’s collarbone, then his throat. His movements were smooth, automatic; a deft hand lowered from the druid’s nipple to his stomach and teased under Halsin’s shirt, running through thick body hair. The large elf’s torso nearly raised from the pillows.

“You enjoy our feedings, don’t you, my dear?” the vampire whispered, his voice an octave lower than normal. “You naughty thing…” his voice trailed off as he lifted his torso from Halsin’s. Although his eyes looked directly into Halsin’s, he stared past the druid. The large elf’s face was a blur, out of focus, but Astarion could tell Halsin’s head tilted to the side.

“A-Astarion,” huffed Halsin, breath hitching in his throat. He kept his hands pressed firmly against the smaller elf’s waist.

“Isn’t this what you want, darling?” the vampire started, slipping his long fingers downward to settle on Halsin’s groin, hot to the touch even through the druid’s breeches. Halsin’s hips pressed into Astarion’s hand instinctively. The vampire drug his palm along the druid’s impressive girth, then rutted his own erection against Halsin’s arousal through his leather trousers. Halsin hissed through clenched teeth at the sensation, but sat stock still in his reclined pose.

It didn’t make sense. The druid’s hands should have been exploring Astarion’s body. Not to worry - they will, Astarion thought. He leaned his front against Halsin’s chest, again creating friction between them. “We could have a quiet evening for once, my dear,” he crooned. “Haven’t you waited long enough for what you want?”

The druid’s body did not respond as it should have. It was inexplicably tense.

**********

As soon as Astarion had finished feeding, his body language had shifted. His gaze had seemed to be a million realms away. His voice had even lowered to that of a stranger’s; it was deeper, with a predatory edge to its vocal fry.

The transformation shook Halsin’s confidence and his chest was heavy with concern. He couldn’t hold back his inner beast’s response to Astarion’s expert ministrations; but he had domination over his mind and his conscience. He did not return the vampire’s heavy petting. He needed an answer, first. He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly to tame the beast; his focused breathing soothed the beast, and he felt himself grow soft.

“Astarion, tell me plainly. I need your truth,” Halsin demanded, tipping the vampire’s chin upwards with the tips of his calloused fingers, “What is it that you want? From me? From this?”

Astarion blinked once, then twice. His snowy eyebrows lost their wrinkled furrow, the crease in the skin between them disappearing as they raised. The small elf’s eyes went round and softened; wetness formed in the inside corners of his eyes until his silver-white lashes blinked it away. No cutting words formed on his tongue; no well-worn blithe phrases fell from his pink lips.

Halsin raised one large hand to Astarion’s face, pulling his thumb across the pale elf’s pouted mouth and marble cheekbone. He nestled his fingers into the nest of snowy curls at the back of Astarion’s head and gently ran his fingernails on the vampire’s scalp. He felt the goosebumps rise on the smaller man’s arms and neck as he carded his fingers through Astarion’s hair.

The druid did not repeat himself; Astarion had heard him. Nature has her own timeline, her own natural cycle in which life is born, dies, decays, and is born anew.

Halsin was in no rush; he would never pick from the plum tree in when it was tart and unripe in late spring, nor be surprised when the harvest was mealy and bird-pecked in late autumn. He knew it was best to wait for the natural cycle of things, were it in-season fruits, or the words of someone who did not know what to say.

He existed for this moment, with this beautiful man who haunted his dreams and clouded his mind. Astarion lowered his head to rest his cheek on Halsin’s broad chest, his blood-stained lower lip leaving a smear of scarlet on Halsin’s tunic. The druid pulled his hand from Astarion’s hair and lowered it to his delicate neck, using the pad of his thumb and rough fingertips to massage the vampire’s neck muscles gently. He felt a strained muscle and hummed the verbal part of a healing spell; his fingertips glittered a hazy green before the glow rolled from his hand onto Astarion’s neck, where it seemed to sink into his ivory skin.

Astarion broke the silence a few moments later. “I.. I don’t know,” he admitted, his voice muffled between Halsin’s chest and his own shoulders, “I had nothing at all for so long. Not my free will. Not even my body.” Halsin felt Astarion’s face scrunch into a scowl against his chest. “That was owned by Cazador; to tempt fools into his palace. I laid on my back for breadcrumbs a thousand times or more. Half of them I barely remember,” Astarion choked back the threat of tears he spoke. “Most of them never even bothered to grant me temporary bliss.”

The druid’s chest felt like it was being crushed by an owlbear. It wasn’t Astarion trying to seduce me. It was his past.

“Astarion. I am so sorry,”, whispered the large elf, wrapping his arms tighter around Astarion, accidentally pulling a small grunt from the vampire’s lungs. He released the pressure, but held the pale elf still. “You have survived so much. And you did not deserve any of it. You are so much more than what that bastard forced upon you,” Halsin assured with a low growl in his throat as he thought of Cazador. The druid inhaled deeply and his chest rose, lifting Astarion along with it. The vampire’s body slowly descended as Halsin exhaled. The large elf tilted his chin to place his lips on Astarion’s forehead, nuzzling his nose into the soft white curls.

******

Astarion let himself melt into Halsin’s embrace, and let his jaw relax. The druid’s large arms were heavy but not overbearing; the weight was a soothing balm to his frazzled nerves. For the first time in 200 years, he felt seen. He felt safe enough with Halsin to share the raw wounds of his past that had yet to heal.

“Thank you,” the vampire finally replied, his tongue thick and dry in his mouth. His voice had cracked when he spoke. He appreciated that Halsin did not acknowledge the lapse of composure.

“You are most welcome, dear heart,” Halsin replied softly, before releasing his hold on the slender elf. He raised his torso, bracing Astarion’s body as he swapped to a cross-legged sit. Astarion’s rear slipped into the gap between Halsin’s knees, nestling comfortably in the open space; the vampire’s toes dangled a few inches above the tent floor. Halsin adjusted his arm to support Astarion’s back while his free hand grasped Astarion’s long fingers.

“But I want to make something abundantly clear to you,” Halsin said, his deep voice soft and slow. Astarion’s brows shot up, and Halsin felt the man’s muscles tense. The druid gently squeezed Astarion’s torso.

“It is okay to not know what you want, Astarion,” he stated, his honey-hazel gaze meeting the pale elf’s round eyes. “What is not acceptable… is to make assumptions as to what I desire from you. You are no thrall. All of your choices… are yours to make.”

*****

For one of the very few times in his long life, Astarion had nothing clever prepared as a reply. He seethed as he felt his skin flush with the fresh blood when Halsin held his fingers. How is such a large man so gentle?

How he loathed that he could not hide the rosiness in his cheeks. But how he adored the druid for not mentioning it; for not poking fun. For the larger elf’s kindness and patience. For his willingness to see Astarion as more than a plaything, with which he could rut and then leave to rot.

“Halsin…” Astarion started, unable to resist pressing his cheek against the druid’s face. “I.. I appreciate you. More than you know.” He pulled his head back to look into Halsin’s eyes directly. They were as warm as the evening sun; as comforting as a crackling bonfire.

“I needed protection. People don’t trust vampires, perhaps understandably,” Astarion admitted with a nod of his head and flick of his hand, “so I needed someone to get on my side. Seduction has always been easy. It’s all I’ve known for centuries. But now...” His voice trailed off as his gaze drifted realms away.

Halsin waited patiently, dragging his fingers along Astarion’s long leg. His movements seemed aimless, with no intent on seduction. Astarion felt that the druid’s touch was an anchor for him. It tethered his mind to reality and the present moment. For once, he did not drown in a tumultuous sea of past memories. Astarion finally exhaled, his cool breath tickling the hairs on Halsin’s arm.

“I…don’t think I want you to think of me in terms of sex,” he admitted, meeting Halsin’s gaze again with his snowy brows knit upward. The corners of the vampire’s eyes became wet again; as chilled red wine in a glass, covered in dewdrops of condensation. “I don’t know if I want anyone to.” He turned his gaze down, pretending to study his nails.

His body shuddered as he choked back a sob, disguising it as a cough. Astarion knew Halsin likely saw through his ruse; he didn’t care either way. He could not look the druid in the eye. Halsin’s hand stopped its crawl and raised to Astarion’s chin, tenderly pulling his face to meet the druid’s. The larger man’s other arm curled tighter around the vampire’s back.

“Come now dear heart, do you truly see me as so fickle?” Halsin asked, his voice low and thick with hurt. “A river does not suddenly breach its banks to change course. Nor would a bear decide to be sated only with grass,” Halsin said with a chuckle. “Revolutionary upheaval is not the way of nature. Nor is it my way.”

The large druid placed his scarred forehead to Astarion’s pearly brow. Astarion couldn’t hold back the small smile that tugged at the edges of his own lips.

“I have lived a long time, Astarion. I have grown to understand my own desires. I will admit that you tempt me to ruin,” Halsin continued with a wink, rubbing his nose to Astarion’s, “and I would love to partake in your body, and share mine with you. But, that will only happen when, or if, you wholeheartedly want to do so.”

Astarion’s mouth fell open, but no words formed on his tongue, which had grown too heavy and thick to speak. All the vampire could manage was a nod, before tucking his face under Halsin’s chin. The tips of his pointed ears burned with heat as the druid’s thick arms held snugly against his waist.

Astarion felt as though his dead heart had begun to beat once more.

39 notes · View notes

animentality · 8 months

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Baldurs Gate 3 made me genuinely emotional tonight.

I got to the githyanki queen part where Laz'ael is all emotional about obeying the gith queen and she's furious that you aren't siding with her, but I was like...no, Laz'ael. Please don't leave.

We've been through so much together.

I love you.

I don't want you to go.

And when you plead with her, she's all like...you knew what choice I have to make.

And I'm like...;-;

But Lae'zel...you're my girl.

You've been on my team since the beginning.

I wanted to have you until the end...

#lae'zel #baldurs gate 3

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thetavolution · 2 months

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Baldur's Gate 3 Companion!Tav Ask List

Paloma Silkflower

What if your Tav was a recruitable companion, instead of the main character? (contains major spoilers for the game, and for some dark urge runs as well)

General

Where can your Tav be recruited? Are they first encountered on the Nautiloid, or in the Nautiloid crash region? Or are they not recruitable until a later act? The PC meets her on the Nautiloid. She's immediately over Shadowheart and Lae'zel's bullshit. She's hyper focused on getting out.

Do the other companions have special comments or reactions upon recruiting your Tav? She's a drow so some people has some pretty nasty stuff to say. Wyll, Gale, and Karlach are chill because that's who they are. No one trusts her at first because they assume she worships the Spider Queen. Over time, they realize they were wrong about her.

Does your Tav have any comments or advice when you recruit other companions? Shadowheart: "She proved herself back on the Nautiloid. She'll be useful to have at our side in battle." Astarion: "I'll be blunt. I don't trust Astarion as far as I can throw him, but I can deal with him." Gale: "I've never seen a wizard stuck in a rock before. I guess there's a first time for everything. I'd be lying if I said I didn't find him endearing though." Wyll: " It's nice to know that there are real life prince charmings in the world. It'll be an honor to fight by his side. Let's just hope he doesn't end up getting sidetracked trying to save a princess." Lae'zel: "Gith may be brutal, but they're also fearless. If she's on our side, we're in good company. But we better stay on her good side." Halsin: "I think everyone has been drooling over that man since he came to camp. I can't blame them. I wouldn't be against climbing Mount Halsin myself...." Karlach: "She's a firecracker, isn't she? She's a fantastic addition to our little team of freaks. It's been so long since I met someone who just radiates goodness. She's doing wonders for my heart." Minthara: "You don't expect me to be happy she's here, do you? You can't put a Lolth and Seldarine in a room together and hope for the best. (sighs) While I wish you hadn't recruited her, I'll get over it for the good of the team." If you have high approval, she'll add, "I trust your judgment above all else." Minsc: "I already love Boo so much. I'd keep Minsc around for for his sake alone. All jokes aside, it'll be an honor to fight alongside Minsc. He's a good man." Jaheira: "I'm afraid I've only recently learned of her exploits, but I'm thoroughly impressed. I have a lot I'd like to learn from her. We also need someone around who can bust our chops a little bit."

What sort of general actions raise or lower their approval? She has a soft spot for kids, especially orphans. If the PC is kind to children, they'll get approval points. She'll also be impressed if the PC can talk their way out of confrontations.

Are there any instances where your Tav can permanently leave the party, depending on player character actions? The PC can driver her off. It's not easy, but it can be done. If her approval rating is too low, she'll leave on her own. If you pick insulting options too often, she'll ditch you, too. She will not tolerate that kind of abuse.

Do they have any secrets that can be revealed? What are the prerequisites for this secret coming to light? She's secretive about her past, but she can either be persuaded to confide in the PC or a future quest will reveal her secrets. It's mostly about her sister. (More on that in a bit.) I might expand on this idea more in the future. She's also a mom, but she keeps that a secret to protect her kids. If she trusts Tav enough, she'll tell them she has three.

Do they have their own personal quest that spans the course of the game? Can it take different branching paths depending on the choices the Player Character makes? Her sister will make an appearance later on and you can choose to help her or not. Her sister, Lamia, is a criminal who is constantly getting into trouble. She's being chased by the authorities and you can choose to help her or let her get arrested. You could also possibly break Lamia out of prison later. Lamia will help in the final battle if you help her stay out of prison. If she goes to prison, she obviously will not be able to help.

What do they say when the Player Character asks them to stay in camp? How about when the Player Character asks them to come adventuring again? Stay in camp: "Are you sure? You know, if you need me, you can call on me any time." To go adventuring again: "At the ready. I get worried about you when you go off without me." (Even if she's not romanced, she will say this platonically. She will either see the PC as a lover or a sibling.)

Does your Tav have any escalating conflicts with one of the other companions, like Lae’zel and Shadowheart’s knife-fight? Oh yeah, she and Minthara are at each other's throats. Minthara underestimates her and Paloma looks down her nose at Minthara. If the PC plays their cards right, they can get the two of them to tolerate each other. They might even eventually respect one another with the right choices. Or the PC can egg them on. It will lead to a fight and possibly a death, or just one of them leaving for good.

Are there any unique NPCs associated with your Tav that can show up during the course of the game? Paloma grew up in an orphanage called the Holy House of Nym. It's run by Ilmater clerics and the PC be able to meet the clerics who raised her. Paloma isn't particularly fond of many of the clerics. Note: Paloma is from an original story and I named the House of Nym before I knew anything about BG3. It having the same name as Nym Orlith was an accident. Lamia, a changeling rogue, grew up with Paloma at Nym and she's an optional NPC to interact with. She's like a sister to Paloma, but she's also an absolute disaster. You can choose to help Lamia escape from the authorities or leave her to her fate. Allie is a barbarian Dragonborn that Lamia pals around with. Allie is kind of a meathead who likes to spit acid on people. You can also decide to help her escape capture or let them both go to jail. If you help them, you can call on both of them for help whenever. Lamia would do anything for her sister. Paloma will be surprisingly understanding if you don't want to help them. If you do help them, you get a HUGE approval boost with Paloma. You won't get disapproval for not helping though. If you go to the babysitter's house, you can also meet her children, Orianna, Lucan, and Meriele. The babysitter has yet to be named.

Are there any moments in the game that trigger unique dialogue for your character? (Like Gale’s anecdote about the barfight after you save the goblin prisoner) If you help any orphans, she might be tell the PC a story of her past. This is one of the potential ways for the PC to discover she was orphaned as a child. She can regale them with a story of her childhood. She'll also mention keeping her "little sister" out of trouble. If Ilmater is ever mentioned or read about in a book and the PC knows she's an orphan, she'll talk about how the orphanage she grew up in was run by Ilmatari. She has a complicated relationship with Ilmater worshippers. If Tav knows about her kids, she'll also talk about the shenanigans they get into. Gale will probably chime in because he relates to being a precocious kid. It'll be cute.

Story Specific

How does your Tav advise the player character when it comes to the Dream Visitor? She 100% doesn't trust them. "I don't know what to make of them, but I don't trust them. How do we know they actually have our best interest at heart?"

How do they advise the player character on Raphael? "Don't trust a devil. Nothing good can come of it. He can smell our desperation and he will prey on it."

How do they react to Astarion biting the Player Character? "I told you! Didn't I tell you? I knew there was something up with him. ...I don't actually care he's a vampire. It makes him kind of hotter, if I'm being honest. But the important part is I was right!"

How do they react to the Player Character letting Abdirak whip them? "So... can we take turns doing this, or is it a one time deal?"

How do they react to the Player Character taking their first tadpole power? "Gods... why would you do that? Are you trying to become a mind flayer?" She'd also check up on the PC to make sure they're okay. She'd be genuinely very worried about them and acting like a mother hen until she was convinced they were okay.

Will they stay with the Player Character regardless of siding with the goblins or the tieflings, or is it possible for them to leave the party permanently? If they side with the goblins, she'll leave. She can't help but feel for the tieflings, especially the kids. She also has no interest in rubbing elbows with goblins in general.

What can they be found doing at the tiefling/goblin party? She'd retreat to her tent to drink a glass of wine alone. She's not a big partier, but she'd be personable if you approach her.

Do they have comments on who the Player Character chooses to spend the night with? She'd approve of anyone you bed, honestly. She knows she's traveling with a group of hotties. She'd have a very "Go you" reaction. She'd also ask for details later.

Do they have unique dialogue if the Player Character lets them die when they steal the Blood of Lathander? "I understand the appeal of the nice shiny sun cannon, but I stopped understanding at the part where you let it crush me! Gods, what were you thinking?" If you have high approval, she'll add, "You're lucky I like you so much. I forgive you." If you don't, you'll have more options to either apologize or antagonize her.

How do they react if the PC licks the dead spider in the Gauntlet of Shar? "Do not put stuff like that in your mouth. You're going to make yourself sick!" A second time: "No! Bad! Put it back!" Sometimes her dialogue will be redirected at another companion, "Have they done this before? You'd tell me if they did something like this before, right?"

What do they say if the PC tries to force them to go up on stage with Dribbles the Clown? 1: "I saw a clown in the Underdark once.... His corpse was used as a warning for any other clowns that dared come down." 2: "Do you really wish to see me up there? Or do you just have a thing for humiliation and didn't tell me?" 3: "Well... our friendship was nice while it lasted." / If romanced, "I hope you don't plan on trying to crawl into my bedroll tonight after this stunt."

Is it possible for your Tav to be kidnapped and replaced by Orin? How is Orin's deception revealed? How do they react to the PC rescuing them in the Temple of Bhaal? Yes, she can be. Orin would pick up on her trying to be a big sister/mom to everybody, but she'd 100% overplay it. She'd perform her like a really bad OOC fanfic of Paloma. She'd make her freak out that she couldn't protect "her babies" and the PC would be able to see through it. It'd be a lot like Halsin, but about protecting the group. When rescued, she'd be grateful. "Thank you. It's good to know I can always count on you. Now let's get out of here. It smells like someone died in here... Huh. I'm hearing myself say that and feeling very stupid."

How do they react to the PC either allowing Astarion to ascend or convincing him to spare the 7000 spawn? I think she'd be so heartbroken if he ascended. He grows on her and she wants to protect everyone. She just wants the best for her little crew. She'd tell the PC how sad she is Astarion ascended, but would still want him in her life. She would also be touched if Astarion spares the 7000 spawn, but worried out of her mind. She just doesn't want anyone to get hurt.

How does Tav react to the PC becoming a mind flayer? Can they offer to become one themselves? Does their reaction change if they’re romanced? She wouldn't but only because of her kids. She can't become one because of them. She would be so sad if the PC becomes one, but she'd never leave their side. She'd take care of them and stay with them if romanced, no matter what.

How do they react when the Dark Urge first reveals their amnesia and murderous thoughts to them? She'd be scared, but she would be there for the PC. She's supportive and loving. She would have a suspicion of what's going on, but she'd keep it to herself until later.

How do they react to the Dark Urge killing Alfira? "Did you do this? Please... please, tell me this wasn't you. Gods, why? Why would you do this to her?" She'd still be suspicious she knows that the Dark Urge is a Bhaalspawn, but she'd never say it. She'd just do everything she could to help the PC.

If romanced, how do they react to the Dark Urge trying to kill them in Act 2? When she first wakes: "Love...? Is everything alright? What's happening?" After being told what's happening: "You wouldn't be the first lover who tried to kill me, but I do wish it would stop happening... Whatever is happening to you, we'll get you through this." She would be supportive as always and protective. She would talk the PC through it and stay calm for them. She'd calmly and firmly ask for an explanation afterward.

Romance

Is your Tav a romanceable character? Are there any specific requirements to romancing them? Yes, she is definitely romanceable. She'd pretend she's hard to get, but she is not.

Does your Tav need to be flirted with to start the romance, or will they approach the PC themselves if approval is high enough? In order to get things moving faster, the PC can flirt with her and let her know they're interested. If the PC gets her approval high enough, she will bring it up first. It just takes a little longer before she feels confident in making the first move.

Are they a polyamorous or a monogamous option? She's a poly option. She'll just ask the PC to communicate with her about their needs/wants.

Do they have a special romance scene at the tiefling/goblin party? If her approval is high, she'll flirt with the PC and make the first move. But the PC will also be able to ask her to spend the night with them. She'll take you into the woods to spend the night together.

Does the romance have different branching paths, or just one route to take? She would have a pretty straightforward path, even if you take a poly angle.

How do they react to the player character breaking up with them, or choosing another character over them? She'd be really upset about it, but trying to put on a brave face. She would try to act as if she doesn't care, but the PC definitely broke her heart. She'd also probably get in a jab at whoever the PC left her for... and immediately feel bad about saying it. She'd apologize for that. She would ask to stay friends.

What questions can Zethino ask the PC about Tav in the Love Test? The heart is fraught, so let us begin with the joyous. When is Paloma happiest? A. When she's curled up in bed with some snacks and a good book. Or if Tav knows about her kids: When she's with her children. ★ B. In the Underdark. C. When she's with me. ★ (If romanced.) D. While fighting on the battlefield. Listen. Think. What is Paloma's greatest fear? A. Spiders. B. Letting everyone down. ★ C. The Underdark. D. Losing her children. ★ We often gaze through a veil of roses, but love accepts both the petal and the thorn. Paloma - what is her greatest flaw? A. She has a huge ego. B. She holds herself up to an impossible standard. ★ C. She's greedy and prioritizes money above everything. D. She spreads herself too thin. ★

If they’re poly, do they have a reaction to the PC engaging in a relationship with Halsin? She's into it. (In my play through, she's romancing Astarion and Halsin.) She'd hope he'd be down to let her join in.

How do they react if the PC has sex with Mizora? The Emperor? Haarlep? She doesn't want to tell the PC what to do, but she'd disapprove of Mizora because of what she did to Wyll. It'd be less about the sex and more about who it was with. It might get her to leave the PC. She'd disapprove of the Emperor and Haarlep, but she would be empathetic toward the PC.

Will they join in with the PC and the Drow Twins, or no? She would! She'd love it.

What are Tav’s plans for the future? Do they propose to the PC, or is marriage not something they’re interested in? She'd propose and there'd be an option for the PC to beat her to it. She's poly, but not against marriage. (She's also willing to be monogamous for someone she loves. It's not something she HAS to have.) As long as the PC accepts her children, she wants a future with them.

Free space! Share anything from your companion!Tav au! I'm actually planning on doing some VO shorts with Paloma, Lamia and Tessa. Just for fun! It'd also be some voice acting practice for me.

#bg3 tav #tav bg3 #tav oc #bg3 #baldurs gate tav #bg3 oc #my tav #baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate 3 #tav baldur's gate #drow #seldarine drow #Paloma #Paloma Silkflower

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bhaalble · 7 months

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tell me about orroros i would like to know

*points* tricked! Deceived! Now you fall into my trap (thank you)

Ok so. Important context around Orroros. I had a first playthrough for BG3, a half elf ranger based on a preexisting oc, where I basically fucked around for 6 hours, did everything wrong (did not. Figure out how to long rest until about 3 hours in and only found Shadowheart and Lae’zel which made combat exactly as fun as you are imagining) before I decided to scrap it all and go in fresh. Meaning I KNEW githyanki would likely have some shit early on. I was curious to see if the game would automatically make you a part of Lae’zel’s squadron/part of the githyanki that are attacking the Nautiloid. It does not. Lae’zel doesn’t seem to have a clue who you are. There are a thousand reasonable explanations for this.

I instead elected the way of complications.

So. Orroros Bor’gialyz. Is NOT githyanki. They are githzerai. The githzerai are offhand mentioned once or twice in Baldur’s Gate 3, but (at least as far as I can tell), we never see one or hear a lot of explicit reference to them outside of some flavor text. The githzerai are a distinct faction of the gith. Basically, post slave revolt with a lot of mind flayers having been wiped out, Mother Gith was full steam ahead on wanting to take the illithid empire for themselves. Another gith, Zerthimon, objected to this, saying Gith was essentially planning to replace one tyrant with herself and that the gith wouldn’t benefit from perpetual warfare. Civil war breaks out between their followers, with the two factions becoming the githyanki (or “children of Gith”) and the githzerai (“those who resist Gith”). Accounts split on how things ended up, some believe Gith defeated Zerthimon and others say he defeated her, but let her live. Ultimately, though, the githzerai wind up retreating deep into Limbo. They spend the following centuries mostly in monastic contemplation and developing their psionic abilities. Githzerai society tends to be pretty staunchly isolationist, preferring to withdraw from Astral Plane politics. However, they do keep warriors on hand and are known to send out strike forces when they believe either the mind flayers or the githyanki are mobilizing to do something severe.

Into all this drop Orroros. Orroros is a stormborn sorcerer: their powers were acquired when lightning struck their cluster of eggs, leaving them as the only survivor. This marked them pretty early on as Gith To Watch Out For: plenty of Gith have some magical ability, but by virtue of not having bloodlines in a way that matters for magic sorcerers are pretty rare. They were pulled into Limbo a little younger than would typically be allowed, largely to start preparing them for the path to becoming a zerth (in essence: a religious and political leader adept at magic, combat, and their own inborn psionics). This is where their soldier background comes in. They’ve been leading squadrons in routine missions since their teens, though its only recently they’ve been allowed outside of Limbo.

Obviously, everything going on in Baldur’s Gate pre-game was making a lot of noise. It was noticed that a lot of mindflayers and psionic activity taking place in Fae’run, as well as the fact that the githyanki were sending a LOT of dragon riders in that direction. Orroros’ team was sent to find what they could. The mission was ultimately unsuccessful and they were given the order to pull out. Orroros sent their team on ahead, lingering behind to clean up the last remnants of their presence...only to get grabbed by the Nautiloid in that exact moment.

When they next wake up they’re right next to a warrior in githyanki silver armor and the journey does not improve from there.

Githyanki and githzerai aren’t simply factions at odds: they hate each other almost as much as they hate mindflayers. And with more githyanki bearing down on the nautiloid Orroros believes that even if they managed to get the upper hand on Lae’zel they may likely be attacked by anyone who came here with her. At which point they make the panic-fueled decision to pretend to be githyanki. And just sort of. Keep doing that when they hit the ground, because god knows when they’re getting back home and they truly cannot afford to be either killed by Lae’zel or lose Lae’zel’s help if the truth comes out.

This was the rp hook I kept up for Act 1 pretty much up until the creche, that Orroros is doing their level best to pass as githyanki and ultimately. Doing a pretty miserable job at it. They’ve never directly interacted with any before, their knowledge comes from books and from githzerai accounts, most of whom tend to paint the githyanki as bloodthirsty power-mad despots all too brainwashed to realize the lich queen is marching them to their deaths. Which, yeah, Lae’zel doesn’t initially do much to unseat that, but it does mean the performance can feel extremely disjointed and cartoonish at times. Their companions definitely know they’re up to SOMETHING but none of them know enough to understand what. Lae’zel assumes its the sort of posturing a young githyanki does when they’re scared and insecure and is mostly just irritably waiting for them to drop it and get real.

This is mostly comedy right up until the Creche at which point. Shit gets uh. Very Real very quickly. I had them avoid it as long as they feasibly could while still dodging the worst suspicion. Mostly because it represented more chances for them to be outed by anyone who knew anything. This is, however, also where we get into what wound up being the ideological meat of what I wanted to do with Orroros: the idea that “here’s a race, one of them is bad and violent and the other is weird but peaceful” is usually dumb. I wanted to deep dive into a lot of the inherent complications of this shared point of collective trauma (ghaik slavery) and also the devastation of this kind of factionalism. There are a lot of the worst excesses of githyanki society that the githzerai avoid, they generally tend to be less supremacist and also have much less of a crush on the imperialist system that created them to begin with. But that isolationism creates a supremacist view of its own. The revelation I think Orroros has on actually forming a relationship with Lae’zel, seeing the creche, meeting Vlaakith, and finally understanding this other half, is that githzerai have been leaving the githyanki to rot for centuries under a different kind of master. And that maybe sucks of them a little. Lae’zel, the youths they meet in the creche, Voss, clearly none of them hatched out of the egg brainwashed and violent and evil. There were always systems of power that made them that way, and there was always more to them than the people they had to perform as.

At that point, Orroros’ directive shifts internally, from a desperate need to return home, to an understanding that the best way to serve their people might just be to make them whole again.

Some other minor background notes, because this definitely isn’t long enough:

-Mind over matter is a huge concept you run into with the githzerai, a product of a pretty heavily monastic culture as well as a species with a lot of experience being on the receiving end of psionic torment. This is mostly relevant to Orroros in terms of their relationship to pain. Part of their training involved being taught how to endure a great deal of suffering without revealing information or betraying their directives. In theory it was meant to encourage discipline and stoicism. What it actually did is cause Orroros to link pain with both their inherent value and with praise from authority figures. This was a fun thing to resurface during the Abdirak scene and became the foundation of their eventual affinity for Loviatar in general.

-Githzerai tend to be a little less hierarchical, though still pretty militarized. I extrapolated out from this a different philosophy of leadership. Where Lae’zel attempting to being in control of a situation tends to be a very top-down “I’m your C.O. so fall in line or fall behind”, Orroros tends to prioritize the furthering of the goals of the group as a way of sustaining morale. They tend to be very reluctant to voice their own opinion until everyone else has been heard out first, and focus on making things happen for the people they consider as part of their squad. This also means that they have a tendency to be very two-faced with their companions and apply inconsistent standards to them as individuals. Whatever keeps the unit moving.

-Astarion was the first to figure out that they were githzerai, largely because he could sense SOME secret and kept probing until eventually it was easier to tell him and keep him quiet than to keep dodging the question. He didn’t particularly care for a while, mostly because gith internal politics are a little niche for even his bottomless appetite for gossip. Was sort of fun to hold over their head though. They had a relatively antagonistic relationship for the first few weeks, largely because Astarion read them as uptight and boring (only 60% true) and Orroros was both devastatingly attracted to him and desperate to not be upfront with that. Astarion’s a culture shock for someone who comes from an ideological background as inherently collectivist as githzerai culture is. To their eternal horror they found that selfishness and blatant willingness to use horrible means for his own ends only made him more compelling. That and the fact that they have the same sense of humor deep down.

-For all their world weary commander attitude, they’re relatively young (barely 30, and that’s complicated by virtue of how Time Works in the Astral Plane) and also, extremely sheltered. Most of the things they know about they know about by books.

ANYWAYS. Thank you for indulging my madness I have. So many thoughts this isn’t even all of them but I figure nearly 2k words was a good stopping point.

#THANK YOU FOR ENABLING ME I AM SORRY THAT I NEVER SHUT UP ALSO #oc tag: orroros #baldur’s gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 tav #githyanki #long post

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talesandfluff · 10 days

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Fandom ask game: 3, 9, 24 ❤️

Thank you so much for the ask!

3. NoTP?

I don't think I have a lot of those anymore, so it's not exactly a NOTP, but I'll say I absolutely cannot find any joy in shipping Shadowheart with any man, including the companions. That's somewhere I don't go whatsoever.

9. Write a recommendation of someone else's fic you enjoyed!

These days I mostly read Critical Role fanfiction, however I'd say for BG3 you can't go wrong with A First Time for Everything by @gunpowdercarousel, where Lae'zel learns how to cuddle with Shadowheart :) It made me "aww" audibly multiple times.

24. What's your favorite thing about [character]?

I'm gonna say it for my girls.

Lae'zel: She is markedly nicer than any other gith lol. Like for a githyanki, she is a model of patience, kindness, softness. It would make her ashamed but from the get go she has something different about her. The gith socialization didn't completely destroy her good heart.

Shadowheart: best ass in all of Faerun I love how petty she is lmao, that girl can drop a mean zinger just like that I adore her

Karlach: Easy peasy, it's her optimism. She never gives up and she lives every moment like it's the last (till it eventually is…). I admire that a lot about her and it makes her breakdown in act 3 all the more impactful.

Minthara: As I've played more with her in my team I've realized she is much more open minded than I'd anticipated after act 1. I don't know if I expected a Lae'zel clone or something, but she really often has unexpectedly nuanced takes on moral situations, is able to show sincere compassion and understanding, etc. She is far more morally complex than just this drow killing machine image of her.

Fandom asks <3

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optiwashere · 5 months

Note

Baulder's Gate 3

Act 4

One Last Score: Help Aylin and Isobel real quick it'll be so quick like a ten-day tops come on guys please we can do it together as a team. Y'all know you want to. It'll be so fun! And we get to see Aylin and Isobel again!!! Huh. Huuuuhhh!! You'll love it come on I already packed :)

*rolls persuasion with advantage*

So far we've gotta

Help out with Aylin and Isobel's Selûnite shenanigans

Help Karlach fix up her engine for good

Do Operation: Nocturne where we get her out of Shar's grasp

Potentially get involved in the gith conflict (and people need to learn about githzerai!!! They're the best!)

Easy-peasy, Larian. I'm sure that wouldn't take years and years of basically making an entirely new game.

#hey you can ask me things!#and probably at some point deal with zhents in baldur's gate #because that is well and truly wild

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kingdomofthelandofthelost · 6 months

Text

Bg3 opinions now that I've beaten the game:

Spoiler warning.

It's not worth the loss of companions to be evil. Wyll, Karlach, and halsin all get lost if you side with the goblins.

Minthara doesn't make up for those three losses. Give me priestess Gut to replace wyll (warlock), Dror Ragzlin to replace Karlach (barbarian).

I get that they are goblinoids and won't be welcome in Baulder's Gate. Give me a cut scene to teach me to cast disguise self. Then make me keep it on them until the group saves people so they can take it off.

Zevlor should replace Minthara as paladin in the good run. Him giving into the tadpole call to save his people would make a great act two scene.

Give me an option to save the shadowlands without Halsin.

You never experience the Absolutes army before the final battle other than off camera behind a fight with gith. Let me sabotage them???

I'd like more agency in picking which dead three I fight. If the game ended in act two with the epic fight with Kethric I'd be stoked. But I actually love the city and the final battle can be reduced to running up a tower fast then punching a brain.

When I get to last light in .. let me get a briefing about the dead three all being involved. Then let me go to the city. From their I can choose if I want to fight any of the dead three.

At no point in time to the dead three feel like a sizable threat because they actively work against one another and conspire against one another at every turn. Force two of them to team up against me??

Once I kill Kethric let them actually give a shit about an external threat over petty squabbling. Or if they actually want to team up don't send me to do their dirty work. Gortash starts act 3 with a hard on against getting rid of Orin. Make me believe him by having him come with me or send with me one of his lackies.

Likewise show how Orin ruined the initial plan better than just in the Durge run which is why they are at odds.

Give the origin characters unique game intros. Wyll should start the game helping the teiflings like where we find him. If I'm shadowheart start me in the pod and have Lae'zel show up with a different origin character to free me. (Gale or wyll or Karlach)

Little stuff like these would work numbers on the games over all Polish.

#baulders gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 spoilers #spoilers #game stuff #rant post #lae'zel #githyanki #origin character #dead three #paladin

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roodllle · 8 months

Text

Huge spoilers for late Act 3/Wyll's story under the cut.

If you clicked this and you don't know what the Duke/Wyll's father tells you after you rescue him - this is your last warning!

I was so hoping to team up with the Wyrm, Ansur, so fucking hyped!!! And the reveal is so........disappointing

When discovering Ansur is dead I was concerned but hopeful that now we'll have a cool skeleton wyrm to ride.....nope

Even when I completely threw the Emperor/Balduran under the bus (i.e. you literally say "you have questions to answer for us Balduran") and Ansur regarded me calmly...I thought:

The game is cool with you not trusting the Emperor, there's no actual punishments from the game if you're distrustful

"Oh! So if we don't go through with the free Orpheus route with the Gith, maybe this is another way we can kill the Emperor/free Orpheous?"

NOPE

No matter what, we have to fight Ansur........why?????

The trade off would've been so worth it. I'm not sure how they could do it but maybe having Ansur take the Emperor's place in the Astral Prism so that it can still live/move. Or even if I have to go necromatic with myself or a companion to bring back Ansur??

The dialogue choices do not make sense to me, I was fully convinced that we would then fight the Emperor with Ansur as a temporary companion but???

If, no matter what, we had to fight Ansur, I would prefer it if Ansur was evil instead of being so sympathetic. I feel like the game pulled the rug out from under me!!

Ansur was trying to stop Balduran's thirst for power....and now I have to kill the wyrm....

I never finished the fight, I just reloaded a save and refuse to complete Wyll's quest. Maybe in another file but wow what a buzz kill.

#roodle speaks #baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 spoilers #baldurs gate 3 spoilers #wyll ravengard #ulder ravengard #the guardian #bg3 act 3 #roodle talks bg3

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zydrateacademy · 8 months

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Review: Baldur's Gate 3

I had an early access review and as you may expect, some information was outdated.

I played 52 hours on EA and have but 127 after, and I haven't beaten Act 2 yet on my main.

So what kind of game do we have here? Any veterans of Larian may be familiar with Divinity: Original Sin 2 and this game plays a lot like that one, except your action orbs are replaced by the Dungeons and Dragons system. So you only get one action (an attack or spell) and a bonus action (usually a utility like pushing or dashing), and there's things you can do to manipulate both. This takes some getting used to as you play combat encounters and attack once, thinking "huh? That's it? That's all I can do?" But consider you're controlling four total characters at once.

There's a lot to get used to just on a mechanical basis, as the game does in fact do a poor job of tutorializing. The crashing ship in the beginning is basically your only tutorial and that amounts to two fights with some imps. So you get two relatively easy combat encounters (with a couple of twists if you hang around long enough) but not enough time to figure out which buttons do what. After that, once you leave the beach all bets are off and you're left to figure everything else out on your own. I've had to google how to 'use' the torch I had.

This is easily a 9.5/10 game but the game does have some niggling issues like that. It performs mostly well but longer game sessions can lead to some instabilities, areas won't load, so on. After 3-4 hours of playing it I usually need to save and close to give it a 15 minute break for my computer to 'cool down'. But even on a fresh session in the morning, there can be some hiccups but otherwise it's been a fairly smooth experience. If you're running a potato, then beware.

The reason I have 127 hours is that there is an insane amount of character and class combinations that result in slightly different interactions throughout the entire game. If you play a Drow, there's a certain area where some human knights will put up arms because they just suffered some Drow and goblin raiders burning down their township. Play a Dragonborn and some of the Gith will respect your heritage (being dragonriders themselves). Now double all that for the various class-specific dialog you can get. This list goes on, it's insane.

There's a lot of breadcrumbs to pick up, several interactions in Act 1 will come back by Act 2 and 3. How you save or destroy the druid grove will change some major interactions in the next, and is one of the only games in recent years where your choices do in fact, matter. This is not an A or B ending kind of game. If you fail some persuasion rolls, you can enter combat and wipe out an entire inn of friendlies and you either reload or move on and deal with the fact that you just burned down four potential quests. That's just something you can do here. (And there's an entire Dark Urge custom origin character you can play to lean into that very thing).

A complaint I had in EA is that your choice of companions seemed to be fairly limited. That complaint has morphed into a different version. Before, if you played the harder difficulties you pretty much had to keep both Lae'zel and Shadowheart in your party as the damage dealer and healer. So you had to deal with their opposing approval. On release however, there's an respec NPC that allows you to change any party member's class. The story treats them the same, but you can actually hang around with team members that best reflect your character's morals. Now my new complaint is that only having four teammates is a different kind of restrictive; one that omits at least one role from the party. I don't often play with a cleric (or Shadowheart) except on tactician. I try to go for two melee, one rogue(ish), and one caster as a backline. But depending on my main character that can be more difficult to arrange than you might think, and I always end up losing out on a caster or cleric. Just one extra teammate would fix this issue, but the game isn't balanced for having a party of 5 or 6, so I imagine many fights would become much easier.

I cannot fully articulate the fun I've been having. Some reviews like to get anecdotal which I won't bother with here, the internet and reddit are already filled with tons of stories. I find myself doing the same thing I did on DoS2. I play a character for several hours only to find some really nice magical item... for a class I don't play. So I'd go roll a new character as that class so I can soon take advantage of that really nice item.

Well, I'll do one anecdote: I was having trouble getting past a door for a major treasure haul because of some patrolling neutrals. So my bard set up, started playing her violin and drew characters to her. So the -barbarian- of my party, of all people, could actually sneak into the door and Take All the treasure before the crowd got bored. Peak bard gameplay and I was super proud of that moment. I did the same thing to draw out an enemy so my team was better positioned to deal with him.

Anyway the game is excellent and highly recommended. If you're the kind of player that doesn't fully enjoy the hassle of the combat or mechanics, there is an easy mode here where you can blow through it and just experience the various story and choice combinations. There's a lot of game here, and it welcomes you.

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #larian studios #gaming #pc gaming #dnd

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ryttu3k · 8 months

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I'm actually a bit further than this bit, but the whole... event is so full-on it gets its own entry. The beginning part of act 3! You know the one.

Last night in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, and already, it's lifting! Still, before they go, there are conversations to be had. Shadowheart goes to see Aylin, to get the answers about her past she desperately needs.

Aylin talks about how she senses bonds that link Shadowheart to others, and offers to help her remember. Shadowheart links her mind to Tae's, and invites them in to see what she's being shown, too - the memory of the wolf, only this time, with the added detail of the 'wolf' transforming back into an elf.

Shadowheart asks who he was. Aylin says she already knows, and Shadowheart realises that that man was her father, a Selûnite. (As for the wolf part, did the Sharrans make Shadowheart see a wolf, something she needed protection from, instead of her father? Or is he a werewolf? The Forgotten Realms wiki mentions there's a group of non-evil-aligned werewolves that worship Selûne.) He and her mother are still alive, held by the Sharrans; Shadowheart vows to rescue them.

One final gift - Aylin managed to retrieve the spear intended to kill her, and has transformed it into a Selûnite weapon. Shadowheart accepts it.

The next morning, everyone discusses the events (favourite line from Astarion: "And here I was worried I'd be the only one with a difficult family reunion waiting in the city!"), and then get going - just as the curse starts breaking, a tree bursting out of the ground and growing around the statue of Ketheric.

*happy druid noises*

(Meanwhile in the city, Gortash continues to be a dick, and Orin continues to be unhinged.)

The group stop to camp for the night. By now, the city is in view.

Tae chats with their friends, getting to know Jaheira, and going "oh bby those are a lot of red flags" in Astarion's general direction.

Off to bed, but Tae can't sleep. Too much to think about, with the city that close.............. and yes the sudden mental attack from the Absolute does not help in the slightest, no!

The Brainworm Squad, Halsin and Jaheira in tow, are set upon by githyanki monks, a portal opens to the Astral Realm, the Dream Visitor calls urgently for aid, and they're given three turns to get to the portal or succumb to the Absolute.

So no pressure.

We get to the Astral Realm, only to find some kind of... orb thing inside a giant skull being attacked by githyanki. Inside, the target of the githyanki trying to break the orb prison...

And, attacking the Githyanki...

So yes Tae is a wee bit surprised. Just a tad. You know.

Somewhat reluctantly, the team attack the githyanki. Without them, the Emperor is able to subdue the prisoner inside, and tells his tale - how he was once an adventurer who stumbled upon the illithid colony beneath Moonrise Towers, being infected and undergoing ceremorphosis. However, he was able to escape, and returned to Baldur's Gate, working for Duke Stelmane and ending up leading the Knights of the Shield.

He was happy for a while, until Gortash reared his ugly head again, and the Emperor was returned to the Elder Brain, becoming a slave once again. When orders were sent out to find a githyanki relic called the Astral Prism, the Emperor was the one to find it...

...only for whatever was inside to break him away from the illithid hive mind, allowing him to finally think freely again. The Prism was a prison, and inside it - Prince Orpheus, son of Gith, the first leader of the githyanki. When Gith departed, Vlaakith turned on Orpheus, wanting his vast mental powers, imprisoning him and his guards in the Prism. It wasn't the 'Dream Visitor'/Emperor that Vlaakith wanted Tae to kill when they entered the Prism - it was Orpheus. If he was alive, he would be a threat to her power, a civil war breaking out amongst the githyanki.

The Emperor ventured inside the Prism, and from there, he was able to start planning to fight back against the Elder Brain / the Chosen, and their cult of the Absolute, to contact others on the outside, Orpheus' psychic abilities holding the hive mind at bay.

So there's the dilemma. Orpheus is a prisoner, and has been for a very long time. But if he's ever freed, his hatred for the illithid would lead him to slaughtering not just the Emperor, but the Brainworm Squad, who, by his standards, already are illithid by virtue of having a tadpole, and if he doesn't outright kill them, the loss of his psychic defenses would mean they would instantly fall subject to the Absolute anyway. So, the only way to remain free and fight the Absolute is to keep Orpheus imprisoned in the Prism.

The Emperor urges Tae and the others to evolve, to use their tadpoles' potential. Become part illithid themselves.

He offers them an astral-touched tadpole - this will cause some minor physical changes, but greater mental ones, strength that they wouldn't otherwise have access to. Tae refuses, and the Emperor reluctantly acquiesces, saying they're not ready, then, but to keep the tadpole until they are.

Then, their task completed, Orpheus secured and the Dream Visitor's identity revealed, he sends them back to their campsite on the outskirts of Baldur's Gate.

Where to go from there? Tae talks to their companions, who comment on the 'holy fuck what the hell was that' that the evening has been.

Lae'zel in particular has a lot to say, given that the entire political foundation of her life has been promptly kicked from under her.

It's a hell of an adjustment, but for Lae'zel, the choice is clear - abandon Vlaakith, and stand by the true prince, Prince Orpheus.

No one seems particularly keep on this astral-touched tadpole, though. Astarion in particular is adamant.

(Mildly painful note - the very brief hesitation before he says the word 'vampire'. Nearly every single time he's said the word, he hesitates briefly.)

Fairly understandably, honestly. He wants power, but he wants bodily autonomy even more.

No more discussions for the evening, at any rate. Everyone retreats to bed. The next morning, it's into Rivington, on the border of Baldur's Gate!

#ry plays bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 spoilers

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