what I lament with how bg3 chose to portray udadrow and people new to dnd took it at face value because why wouldn't they, is how everyone's from Menzoberranzan now without understanding that being Menzoberranyr was like a region specific state of unwellness

New baldurs gate meta: Show fans Astarion and Minthara.

"Mintharas mean but I like astario-" BLOCKED.

"Mintharas racist but I like astario-" BLOCKED.

"Astarion gets better but I hate minthar-" BLOCKED.

Spot the difference impossible

Why, yes, I am thinking about Halsin and Astarion slipping into speaking patterns that fell out of fashion 200+ years ago, and when speaking to each other, it becomes an eclectic mix of centuries old slang they pull out of nowhere, standard fantasy speak, pieces they picked up along the way, and "shit's wild, bro".

Bonus points, for more fun, if they have different threads of different old speaking patterns because they come from two different places.

So for most of my Durge characters, I imagine they enjoy Astarion drinking from them quite a bit more than Tavs do, or at least experience it differently- since it just seems kind of in character. But past just the "they're murder blood freaks" aspect-

Do you think that being temporarily, at least somewhat free of Bhaal's blood feel different? Do the urges quieten, soften? Is it because everything is going fuzzy, or because what ties you to Bhaal is draining out of you?

That moment when you gotta talk in depth about Astarion, his tragic backstory, and his quest line, with your therapist for reasons 😅😅

Have this in the spirit of recovering from the pain caused by experiencing Astarion's questline✨✨✨

new ask game where you tell me about your bg3 ocs and i yell about how cool they are 🤲

Halfway through the BG3 Holiday Challenge ✨

Prompt: Holiday Spirit

Featuring: Astarion x Rogue!Tav

Series: Fits into Love at First Knife, AO3 link here

Premise: You’re used to being stressed: first, life as a rogue on the streets of Baldur’s Gate, then, surviving the Absolute. What you were unprepared for was how particular holiday stress would be. In particular, how stressful hosting would be. When Astarion notices this, he aims to get you back in the holiday spirit.

Tags: POV Second Person, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Fluff, Holidays, post-canon, comfort

Word count: ~1.4k (this was supposed to be short, what happened)

Midwinter is just around the corner and you find yourself running around like a madperson– well, more mad than usual. For some gods forsaken reason, you've decided to have guests over for the holiday– you even had the unmitigated confidence to tell your lover, ‘don’t worry, I want to do this myself.’ You haven't the faintest where to start.

Astarion, the perceptive vampire that he is, notices that as the days to Midwinter countdown, your 'holiday spirit' or so you call it, seems to be dwindling. On this particular evening he watches you as he leans on the doorway to the kitchen.

You're walking in circles, apparently unable to decide where to place a decorative candle. After you put it back in the same spot for the third time, he speaks up.

"Darling, are you alright?"

You jump, not realizing that Astarion's been there this entire time. It's rare that he surprises you, so your heart begins working overtime at the sudden shock. "Oh gods, Astarion," you breathe out. "How in the hells did you sneak up on me like that?"

He chuckles lightly and pushes off the doorframe. "I'm afraid I've been watching you for at least half an hour. It's been cute, mind you, but I figured I should say something eventually."

That brings a small frown to your face. Am I losing my touch? Or is it all of this damned stress? You're about to ask when Astarion places a finger on the corner of your mouth.

“Love, what’s the matter?” he says, prodding your cheek up to form a half smile. “You seem to be in short supply of your usual winter-merriment.” You move to bite his poking finger, but he avoids it easily, adjusting his hand to cup your cheek. “Darling.”

“I guess,” you start glumly, annoyed to be trapped in his loving palm. “I am stressed about this whole Midwinter get-together we have planned.”

He brings up his other hand to cup the other side of your face. “I can see that, my sweet. But why are you so stressed? They’re just our old companions.”

“Friends,” you correct as you give him a look. He’ll get used to the word eventually, you’re sure. “And it’s not them that I’m stressed about. It’s… me.”

You feel your face squished between Astarion’s cold hands as he says, “Don’t you dare say something disparaging about yourself next, I’m warning you.”

The glare you give him is quite likely the opposite of whatever holiday cheer is. “Then why did you ask?”

“Because I thought it would be something reasonable!” he says, indignantly, shaking your head a bit. “Like that you were annoyed Gale actually accepted the invitation.”

You laugh at that despite yourself, and you see Astarion’s self-satisfied grin at your reaction. “No, I’m afraid it’s nothing like that,” you say and your laughter turns into a sigh.

“Fine, tell me. But if you’re too hard to yourself, I will spend the rest of the evening lavishing you with praise,” he warns, finally letting go of your face.

"Astarion, I don't know how to be… domestic," you say the word like it may as well be abyssal. "The only things I know how to do are kill and apparently lead a crew of barely functional adventurers. What if the whole thing is a disaster?"

"You know, for someone who seems concerned about disasters, you sure run toward them a lot, my dear," Astarion replies with a smirk.

"You aren't helping."

"Sorry, sorry, I couldn't resist," he says and moves to grab your limply hanging hand. Holding it between his, he brings it up for a kiss and continues, “Well, if it makes you feel better, I don’t think any of us are very good at being domestic– except maybe Gale, I suppose.”

You groan at that. “You’re right, we should have let him host.”

Astarion tugs on your hand now, shaking his head. “No, no, no. That’s not what that means. What that means is that this is new for all of us, so none of us have any expectations. If your version of Midwinter involves decorating with skulls and blood, so be it.”

You give a breathy laugh at that. “I think only you would like that.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I wouldn't rule Shadowheart out either,” he says, taking a step closer to you. “And if you need more brilliant ideas like that, you know I’m here to help, love.”

“But I wanted to do this on my own,” you mutter, looking down remorsefully. “To show you that the holidays can be fun, even if it doesn’t look like it right now.”

“You know there’s nothing I’d like more than for you to prove me wrong,” he begins, finally closing the distance between you and pulling you into his arms. He speaks his next words into your hair, “But I think I’d still prefer it if you were having fun again. To me, the most important part of the holiday is living vicariously through your joy.”

You blink blankly in his embrace for a moment, surprised at how easily his words fill you with relief. “Are you sure you want to help?" you ask, squeezing him to you tightly. "I won't go easy on you, there's a lot of decorating, tidying, and cooking to help with."

"When have you ever gone easy on me?" he asks with a laugh. "And you might want me to steer clear of the cooking, but otherwise, I'm all yours, love."

Pulling away from him, you give him a good, long look, verifying he means what he says. His smile is sweet, his eyes expectant, and you decide that it's alright to let this go – you really could use a second pair of hands at least. "Oh very well," you huff, though you can't resist the smile that comes to your face. "But if at any moment you feel like you’re starting to hate the holiday, you have to warn me!"

He places a hand on his chest in a vow. "You have my word. Besides, I can all but guarantee you that this will be the finest Midwinter I’ve had in 200 years."

“Astarion,” you say, feeling an ache settle in your chest at his admission.

The vampire grabs you by the shoulders and says, “Stop that. I didn’t say that to make you feel bad, I said it to inspire you. Understood?”

“Yes, love,” you say, swallowing down the emotions that threaten to overtake you.

“Good. Now tell me what you need,” he says, releasing your shoulders and gently running his hands down your arms.

You nod. "Alright. Your first task is simple: where in the hells should this candle go?" You gesture to the very same candle he'd been watching you struggle with earlier. It stands awkwardly on your kitchen table like a testament to your frustration.

Astarion looks at it for a moment and places a hand on his chin as he thinks. He walks over to the candle, picks it up, turns it a few times. Finally, he answers you with, “In the bin.”

“What?”

“In the bin, dear. We can do better.” He walks back over to you and hands you the candle, a beautiful white thing that has little snowflakes carved into the side. You wonder what could possibly be wrong with it but he’s already answering you. “I know you were probably trying to be mindful of my taste, but this candle? This isn’t you at all. Where is the red one that smells strongly of cinnamon?”

“Oh, I didn’t think you like that–”

“Nonsense,” he says, waving away your concern. ”If we’re going to host others, we’re going to make our home reflect both of us and be appropriately festive. This is why you were struggling, love. You needed someone with vision.”

You smile at him, appreciating his enthusiasm despite the snark. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that you’re starting to enjoy the holidays yourself, Astarion.”

“Oh, darling,” he murmurs, wrapping a hand around your waist. “You know I can find enjoyment in anything involving you.” His fingers grip you a little tighter and he gives you a naughty grin.

You raise an eyebrow at him suggestively and say, “That’s good, because I plan on keeping you busy all night. Let’s start with picking some placemats.”

Tossing the candle into a pile of decorations, Astarion and you get to work, setting up the home you’ve built together for the allies you now call friends.

For the Writers Truth & Dare Ask Game, I choose 🐝

Great ask, nonny!

🐝 ⇢ tag your biggest supporter(s) and say one nice thing about them

Ooooh, boy. This could take a few hours. 😄 Alright, so this can in no way, shape or form be an exhaustive list, but ...

@essence-stealer World-class beta, dearest friend, adopted sibling, and all around a truly wonderful person. I'd *never* have completed NEWTS without their support. Fact. You're the best, darling.

@why-its-kai Whenever I feel down about lack of comments or whatever, I go re-read one of Kai's and I immediately feel better. 10/10 would befriend again and again and again if we were stuck in a time-loop.

@predawnite Well, let's just say a certain fic wouldn't be what it is without Dawn. *coughs in KW* Also they have the absolute best freaking prompts, bar none -- an inspiration to us all. And a truly cool person to know, as well. *high-five*

@celestialholz My fandom wife, who somehow still likes me even though she's been straying into BG3 fandom and I have... not. AND WHO MADE ME PLAY POKEMON AND GET TENDONITIS (I wish I was joking). Write Reduction and I might forgive you (joking, joking -- or AM I)

@mrporg My actual, RL, bona fide, patiently long-suffering spouse, who has been putting up with me for a very, very, very long time and now has to endure me on Tumblr too. Talk about supportive. Mwa! <3

Let's not forget:

@dustydahorse (the pinkest and awesomest of little bros)

@lordlexion and @voiid-vagabond (their comments single-handedly kept me posting NEWTS even when I wanted to give up -- fact -- and they're both awesome)

@anzstrek, @ellewood117, Bonesy, and all the others on the Qcard server -- you guys are the best <3

And lastly a wonderfully skilled artist friend of mine who I'm 100% sure will prefer to remain unnamed (but you know who you are!).

Here's a link to the Ask Game if anyone wants to keep playing!

Listen. Listen.

Being "uncomfortable" with Halsin being poly and wanting Larian to offer more mono options is BS. I said it.

(This is me ranting about clear bias and bigotry toward poly people/relationships in the BG3 fandom, I'm putting it behind a cut.)

"I like Halsin except him being poly."

Can you imagine someone saying "I like Halsin except him being gay." and being able to get away with it? In 2024? Do you think people would still post thread after thread about how creepy he is, because he dared to ask if a male character was interested in him?

Do you think the majority of the fandom wouldn't call that shit out, and rightfully accuse the OP of being a bigot?

Halsin is the ONLY option poly fans have. Him existing doesn't mean you, "I like Halsin except him being poly" get fewer options. It doesn't mean that the game forces you, "I like Halsin except him being poly" into a poly relationship.

"If [character] is written to be mono, then why do they need lines for poly characters only?"

You mean the ONE [1] singular poly romance option? The ONE [1] character who is canonically poly? That character? That ONE [1] character?

"I just think the devs should stick to [mono character's] personality as intended!"

Funny that I don't see this argument when talking about Halsin being poly. Funny that there are multitudes of fans demanding Halsin's romance path be changed to a mono one. Funny that the one, singular canon poly character is accused of being a creep and overstepping boundaries.

REAL FUNNY. HMMM.

"But it's normal for [mono character] to be mono!"

Being poly is not abnormal.

Being anything other than mono is not abnormal.

It is not a "character flaw" for Halsin to be poly. No more than a mono character being mono. Halsin, the ONLY poly character, being open to poly takes away nothing from mono characters, or their romance paths.

Stick to your fucking lane. Let us enjoy the ONE [1] poly option in this game. Let us search in Halsin's tag without coming across your anti-poly bullshit. Don't pretend that being anti-poly is anything except bigotry, even.

soooo you know how when it comes to ask memes, normal people reblog the list and wait for others to send them asks? well. im not normal. I did THE ENTIRE LIST from here because… I’m mad with power? I guess? also I really really need to put some effort into characterising my poor bg3 ocs. and yep thats ocs plural!! I made a durge and didn’t bother to make a post for her here. so!! introductions!!

Cassiopeia, she/her. High Elf with the Noble background, Wild Magic Sorcerer. Chaotic Evil. Self-possessed with a calm outward demenour that belies her ruthlessness. Power-hungry (as is her right!!) and uncaring of how many people die in pursuit of her goals. Classy and graceful. Snooty. Loyal only to her friends and family, and she doesn’t have that many friends or family. Drawn to danger, and surprisingly cavalier about taking risks. But then again, why shouldn’t she be? She rarely faces consequences, and what her money can’t fix, her magic does.

Rin, she/they. Wood Elf, Spore Druid. Durge who resists! She’s been fascinated with death and decay ever since she was a little kid, and has been shunned as a weirdo ever since. Generally a quiet person who keeps to themself, she finds the beauty in everything, even the grotesque. But while she respects and appreciates death, she doesn’t actually like doing the killing… She’s only in act 1 so far but already she’s drowning in guilt and confusion. She’s not having a very good time at the moment, if she’s being honest. :(

(and yes theyre both romancing astarion 🤡 who else)

anyway!! let’s go! also I’m tagging @fadedsweater, @effelants, @roguelioness, @korcariiwitch and @potatowitch to do this too if they want to (yes the entire list if you have the strength!! I dare you!!) and any other hidden bg3 mutuals/followers I might have 👀

what do they smell like at their freshest? (and/or after a tenday. your choice)

Cassiopeia: Like a subtle spritz of jasmine perfume, just enough to notice but not to overwhelm. After a tenday she… still smells exactly the same, since she uses prestidigitation with impunity. No need to show any flaws when you can hide it all with magic!

Rin: Like grass and the faintest whiff of decay. After a tenday add some stale sweat, mud, and the metallic tinge of old blood.

what would their blood taste like to vampires?

Cassiopeia: Sweet and rich after a lifetime of good meals, with an aftermath of something tingly from her Wild Magic.

Rin: Her healthy lifestyle leaves her blood clear and refreshing, with an imperceptible fungal bitterness if she’s forgotten to dismiss her Spore form.

how would they kiss their LI?

Cassiopeia: In public? Proper and sweet little pecks. 😌 In private? She gets Bitey 😈

Rin: Whether in public or in private, she kisses the exact same way: arms around Astarion’s neck, eyes closed, with all her focus.

how do they sleep with their LI (what position, does one steal the blankets, is one too hot/cold, etc)?

Cassiopeia: She actually plonks down and falls into the Elf Trance pretty easily, so both she and Astarion are usually side by side in that meditation pose like weirdos 😂 Sometimes Astarion spoons her from behind in his sleep tho. She doesn’t mind.

Rin: Oh, she doesn’t sleep 🙃 Too dangerous. When she’s too exhausted to resist she basically curls into a tense tiny ball of a fetal position. She usually asks Astarion to watch over her in case she "sleepwalks" again, so he’s gotten into the habit of keeping a hand on her back.

what does their tent area look like? where do they prefer to pitch their tent (next to water, covered on three sides, etc)?

Cassiopeia: Always sets her tent by the shade. Sorry, did I say sets her tent? I meant her Mage Hands set her tent (she gets two cause she’s a sorcerer, Gale, and if that’s not proof sorcerers are the superior class she doesn’t know what IS.) She keeps the materials light and breezy, since she can always use her magic to warm the inside up if she needs to.

Rin: Under a tree OR next to a boulder OR under a tree and surrounded by boulders. The more closed-in and cozier the better. Also she genuinely doesn’t mind mud, so she might volunteer for the spot if no one else wants it.

if they had a set of dnd dice, what would they look like?

Cassiopeia: oooh this is a fun question 👀 I’d say her colour scheme is light blue ooor white/gold, so she gets a custom set made of lapis lazuli, and an opal one as back-up. All made with real gemstones, of course.

Rin: A set made of wood. She carved it herself!

do they collect anything (gems, bottles, keys, etc)?

Cassiopeia: No. Collecting things is for children.

Rin: She likes picking up cool rocks :) hasn’t had the time to look for any lately tho :(

if either, are they part of the astarion/gale book club (magic & literature) or the wyll/shadowheart book club (trashy romance novels)?

Cassiopeia: Ooooh definitely in the Gale’n’Astarion club. She waits for Gale to finish his verbal analysis essay only to respond with “I disagree.” She offers no further comment. Also she and Astarion like to make fun of any character making stupid decisions… according to them, of course.

Rin: She doesn’t actually like to read lol. She knows how to, she just… doesn’t really find it that fun, and it makes her head hurt if she reads too long. She doesn’t mind if someone reads out loud to her tho, and Wyll is usually the only willing to do it, so… trashy romance education, here we go!

if they had to be put in a “get along shirt” with a companion, who would it be?

Cassiopeia: It’s got to be Gale lol. Though really, he’s the one getting all up in a huff when Cassiopeia is surprised human wizards are actually good at magic. She’s chill. She’s not even picking a fight, she’s just stating that humans study magic for less time than elves so naturally they’re worse at being a wizard. That’s just common sense!

Rin: No one really. She’s too sad and quiet to pick arguments.

do they prefer speak with dead or speak with animals?

Cassiopeia: Speak With Dead baybeee 😎😎 She looks super cool doing it. Also fuck them dead people, they’ve got no rights.

Rin: As a druid she’s more or less obligated to cast Speak With Animals from the moment she wakes up. Just in case!!

what are their thoughts on clowns?

Cassiopeia: Pathetic. Unfunny. Food for the uncultured masses. If all clowns died out overnight nothing of value would be lost.

Rin: Clowns are fun! :) It’s always nice to bring some joy and laughter into the world.

their companions are gossiping about them behind their back! who is it and what are they saying?

Cassiopeia: “Okay but how rich do you really think she is?? Like patriar rich? Richer?? Also do you think she’s killed any of her servants. Like she seems the type to blast one with magic when displeased. Okay place your bets on how many servants she’s killed, starting bet is 500gp.”

Rin: “Hey, are they… okay…? They doesn’t look okay. 😐 I'm pretty sure they cried themself to sleep last night.”

what makes them laugh? what does their laugh sound like?

Cassiopeia: Astarion’s mean comments never fail to make her laugh. She has a restrained and surprisingly low laugh, coyly covering her mouth out of habit even when she’s in private.

Rin: She doesn’t have much to laugh about these days, but when something does surprise a laugh out of her it’s always full-bodied and earnest, making her eyes crinkle.

do they have any inside jokes among their companions?

Cassiopeia: She and Astarion share Looks ™ when the rest of the team is being too goody-goody. Also when they’re mocking an npc without bothering to open their mouths. Tadpole-to-tadpole communication baby!

Rin: She’s a bit too stressed with all the amnesia and accidental killing to make any jokes, inside or otherwise.

what’s the description of their camp clothes in the inventory menu?

Cassiopeia: Expensive, silky garments, tailor-made. The quality is unimpeachable. Might not be the best idea to traverse the wilderness in them, though.

Rin: Rough but sturdy homespun clothes. These were build to last. Ignore the suspiciously blood-like stain, that’s just spore residue. Probably. 

what’s the description of their underwear in the inventory menu?

Cassiopeia: The only thing smoother than this satin is the skin underneath it. For a classy, intimate night out.

Rin: Utilitarian but comfortable. A small R is hand-stitched at the back.

how do they celebrate their birthday?

Cassiopeia: Throws a huge and lavish full-day party with hundreds of guests at her mansion, with paid entertainment and vast amounts of alcohol. She swans around in her Designer Clothes (Faerun Edition) for like an hour before she fucks off somewhere private to do the fun drugs. And maybe bang someone. It’s her birthday, after all.

Rin: She doesn’t actually know when her birthday is 🙃 And even if she did the rest of her Circle wouldn’t really care.

what modern day tv show would they binge over a weekend? do they get their LI to watch with them?

Cassiopeia: askjdh okay I think she’d binge Succession and COMPLETELY miss the entire point of it 😂😂 Logan is like legit her favourite character and she hates the kids, she finds them annoying and frustrating. Like, just stop failing!! Just be smart and competent, and then your dad will love you! How hard can it be, jesus!

Rin: oh man her life is so sad that I think she’d curl up in bed and watch a sitcom like a zombie all day long. She just needs those few hits of laughter serotonin to give her strength, you know? 🥺 I haven’t watched enough sitcoms to choose one for her, maybe Friends?? She seems like she’d like Friends. Ross is her favourite.

do you have a playlist for your tav? if so, what’s the title + description?

I DO NOT 😭😭😭 I HAVE FAILED AS AN OC CREATOR LMAO. maybe if i ever make some I’ll come back here and edit it but lets be real im not gonna do that lol. thats not how i operate. i just put all the songs on my humongous unorgonised Favourite list and then never open that list ever again

if you were to try pickpocketing them, what would they be carrying?

Cassiopeia: Carrying things is for the plebs, darling. You might get a golden ring or two though, if you’re lucky.

Rin: Healing potions, some botany ingredients, also random daggers she keeps picking up and forgetting to sell. Don't think too hard about it.

I'm unclear if you meant you wanted asks for those couples of yours, but just in case:

14. Rings - What do their rings look like, if they choose to exchange any?

15. Vows and Unity Ceremonies - Does the couple exchange vows? Do they complete any kind of "unity" ceremony, like handfasting, planting a tree together, etc?

18. I Now Pronounce You... - Do your characters change their last names, keep their last names, arrange for a specific kind of name? For example, "Mr. and Mr. Dekarios" or "Lord and Lady Ravengard-Cliffgate"?

3. The First Look - Write about the moment when your married couple sees each other in their wedding outfits for the first time.

I'll think about answers for later. <333

Thank you for sending this! I'll be honest, I didn't really know how it worked haha. I just wanted to tag people who might want to do it. I have no idea what I'm doing.

I would have probably filled these out without asks because I'm just like that.

BG3 Wedding Season Tag Game

14. Rings - What do their rings look like, if they choose to exchange any?

Gale is definitely the easiest to figure out rings for, for both the Gale/Tessa and Gale/Vaira pairings. Ed Greenwood, the Forgotten Realms creator, explained Waterdeep wedding ring traditions:

"Each person about to be married takes their own ring to the same smith (in Waterdeep, many "storefronts" for gnomes and dwarves reach anvils in the Warrens) and are ("betrothal rings" are worn on middle fingers in the Realms) "sized."

Then both rings are cut in half, the non-matching halves fused together to create two half-and-half "union" rings, made (either by adding new material or by thinning the rings to stretch what's already there) to fit the respective middle fingers (resizing visits may be necessary).

These are worn to the ceremony on fine neck-chains by the partners-to-be, then exchanged, each puts the ring on the other, and at the end of the vows, the rings are clinked together to end the ceremony, so the kissing and feasting can start."

Wyll proposed with an acorn. He would eventually have a ring, but it's hard to top that acorn. I think he'd probably use his mother's ring. Both Lamia and Minty would happily accept that, too.

Lae'zel has no idea what you're talking about. She does not care about weddings. Laura, fortunately, doesn't care that much about tradition. A ring exchange would not be part of their ceremony.

Halsin wouldn't do rings either. He wouldn't even have a wedding. He'd have something wedding adjacent. Maybe this is a hot take, but while he is poly, I don't think he's as "we just roam and do whatever" as he claims. I'm sure he was in his younger years, but he's more prepared to settle down now. It doesn't mean he's less poly, just less "I roam around and if my partner takes off, that's how it is." He actually wants something more stable.

Exactly what the ceremony or tradition he partakes in would look different depending on his partner, so it'd be different for both Ingrid and Paloma. That said, he still wouldn't care for rings. It feels to close to claiming ownership for his liking.

Astarion would have jewelry from 200+ years ago that he would use for his rings. And the rings would be, I dare say, gaudy as hell. Lamia would also love something that flashy. Bex would just go with the flow and defer to what Astarion would want.

Barcus would make rings for his betrothed. They'd be rustic, yet heartfelt.

Rolan would overthink it so hard. He'd hunt for the perfect rings. Since Elyse was born a noble, he'd pressure himself to get the most expensive ring. He'd eventually realize that's not what she wants, but he'd still feel like a failure if he couldn't provide it. It'd take a lot of reassurance before he accepted the cost of the ring is the least important thing.

15. Vows and Unity Ceremonies - Does the couple exchange vows? Do they complete any kind of "unity" ceremony, like handfasting, planting a tree together, etc?

Gale's vows would be an hour long. Tessa would match him for time. Vaira, on the other hand, would be more succinct. Hilariously succinct. And it would sound so perfect to Gale.

Wyll would definitely exchange vows. Lamia would follow Wyll's lead for the most part. She'd be surprisingly sincere in her vows. In Minty's case, she'd want to add some more Kara-Tur traditions into the ceremony, which Wyll would love. I'd have to look into that to see if there's anything already out there on it, or what might have to be created.

Lae'zel would just challenge Laura to a fight and cry joyfully when Laura wins.

Halsin would alter what he does for his partner. I could see Ingrid and Halsin planting a tree together to watch it grow together. It'd be a gathering for their friends. With Paloma, it'd be such a small, intimate affair with vows. Halsin would 100% tear up during the ceremony.

Astarion would want a traditional elf wedding. I found this on Reddit:

"An elven marriage ceremony can take many forms. Though it is often a ritual celebrated before the entire community, it can consist simply of two elves speaking the words that bind them forever with no witnesses except the trees and the grass. Most elven weddings are officiated by a priest of whatever deity the couple deems appropriate (most often Hanali Celanil, but sometimes Corellion Larethian). The two elves write and speak their own vows, and the priest uses their own words to seal the union. Thus, an exchange of vows amounts to an exchange of life essence that forever bonds one to the other. Dowries are not usually exchanged unless the marriage is of considerable political import, though gifts to the newly wedded couple from the community are common."

Astarion seems like he'd be ostentatious in how he would write and perform the vows, but I think he'd just get emotional during the ceremony. He'd cut himself short and not even say half of what he meant to. He'd try to play it off and fail miserably.

Barcus would prefer to have something like a barn raising with an exchange of vows.

Rolan would follow Elyse's tradition of exchanging vows, but he'd also want to do handfasting.

18. I Now Pronounce You... - Do your characters change their last names, keep their last names, arrange for a specific kind of name? For example, "Mr. and Mr. Dekarios" or "Lord and Lady Ravengard-Cliffgate"?

Vaira doesn't have a surname since it's not really something gith do. She'd happily take Gale's especially since it'd help her fit in more in Waterdeep. They would become Mr. and Mrs. Dekarios. Gale would be so delighted. He doesn't need his partner to take his name, but the idea of the love his life taking his name would make his heart soar. I just think everything would make that man melt. If you don't take his name, he'd just be like "My love is so strongly independent" or something. It's win-win with him.

Tessa would want to keep her surname for social reasons. So it'd be more of a Mr. and Mrs. Dekarios-Chastain situation. Because Gale would probably feel the same about both their surnames. I told you, this man just loves his love.

Minty is proud of her family name, but also understands the importance of Wyll's. They'd become the Ravengard-Lam or Lam-Ravengard household. They're figuring it out. Their children would have both surnames.

Laura would keep her surname. Lae'zel has no interest in taking a surname, no matter how much she loves Laura. I also don't think they'd have a "I pronounce you..." moment in their wedding. They'd want something much more unique and fitting for their relationship.

Ingrid has no attachment to her surname. While I, personally, like her surname (I did give it to her after all), she associates it with her parents who she has a rough relationship with. She would happily take on Halsin's surname. He would just want her to do what makes her happy.

Astarion would want to have the same surname as his partner in my opinion. It wouldn't matter if his partner took his or if he took theirs. It would give him a sense of family and belonging. It's more about coming together as one family than the name itself.

Bex wouldn't care. They could go by either Ancunín or McQuoid and she'd be fine with it. It'd drive Astarion nuts that she'd make him decide which name they go by. (He'd pick Ancunín btw.) Lamia would most likely change her name to Ancunín. In the case of Paloma, she's not interested in changing her surname. Astarion would take hers.

Lamia would take her lover's name, be it Ancunín or Ravengard. She just does not care about her birth name. She's apathetic to it. For Astarion, it would give him that sense of family. If she's with Wyll, she will want to wield the power of the Ravengard name. Also she'd be so fucking smug about being an ex-con changeling who married a Ravengard. (Look, she does love him... but she's still petty.)

Viktor would keep his name. He would leave it up to his partner how they feel about their own name. Barcus would also keep his name. So they'd have to just be pronounced married lol.

Rolan... does he have a surname? He might take Elyse's just because she has one. Also Starling is a big deal name in Baldur's Gate and there's something juicy about a refugee tiefling getting to have it. Cal and Lia will make fun of him forever for it, too. But then they will also throw around the Starling name to get things as they should. They are Starlings by marriage now so suck it.

3. The First Look - Write about the moment when your married couple sees each other in their wedding outfits for the first time.

For now, I'm only going to do two.

Halsin and Paloma

Their outfits are simple yet elegant. They reflect nature in some way.

Halsin didn't expect Paloma's dress to affect him so profoundly. He had heard of how grooms and brides reacted upon seeing each other. He just assumed it wouldn't apply to him. He had agreed to do the commitment ceremony while never anticipating the rush of emotion that would come over him.

Seeing Paloma changed everything. She was surrounded by her children who he would also vow to care for. His family was waiting for him to join them before the Oak Father himself. It was overwhelming to say the least. He wept, happily. His tears set off Paloma's. She's also taken off-guard by how handsome he is, the man she hoped to grow old with. She'd been burned before by love and assumed her jaded heart wouldn't stir at the sight of him, and yet....

They would both be incredibly glad they had decided to do a commitment ceremony, and cherish the memory for the rest of their days.

Rolan ad Elyse

Rolan wouldn't even notice he was holding his breath. He'd be so blown away by his partner. Elyse would be able to make the most simple, inexpensive gown look like it was being worn by a queen. He'd be tongue-tied before he finally found his voice again.

Elyse would be anxious until she laid eyes on Rolan. All of her fears would melt away and it would feels as if it was just the two of them.

Cal and Lia would never let these two dorks live it down, but they'd cry the day of. Fortunately for them. Rolan is too distracted to even notice so he can't tease them back.

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Get to know your fanfic writer!

Tagged by @teamdilf several days ago woops thank you tumblr WILL NOT give me notifications When did you post your first ever fanfic? I wanna say 2008, it was a beyblade/doctor who crossover and about what you'd expect from a 12 year old 😂

First Character(s) you wrote? Kai from the original Beyblade series', as far as I can remember.

Main Character(s) you’re currently writing? Castis Vakarian, Avitus Rix and Macen Barro. Also maybe my AU femShep (Mass Effect)

Character(s) you haven’t written about before but plan to write about soon? Astarion (BG3) because alas I am not immune to the appeal of a shitty little vampire twink nor to the brainworms that game seems to give everyone who plays it

Fandom(s) you’re currently writing? Mass Effect (Trilogy and Andromeda)

Platonic pairing(s) you’re currently writing? Saren Arterius & Avitus Rix Sara Ryder & Avitus Rix

Romantic pairing(s) you’re currently writing? Avitus Rix/Castis Vakarian Macen Barro/Avitus Rix Vetra Nyx/Sara Ryder

Your top AO3 tags? Angst, Pre-Canon, Established Relationship and Hurt/Comfort

Current platform you use for posting? AO3 all the way thanks, that's my bestie

Snippet of the WIP you are currently working on? Here's some Tolerance Tested - Chapter 9: Muddied Waters; in which Macen has some awful realisations and far more truth than he ever wanted

Macen remained quiet, finding it hard to breathe if he were quite honest - here, in the quiet of the pre-dawn, a million kilometres and more than a decade away from the horror, he was still scared to hear the culmination of the tale. But Avi carried on regardless, desperate to get to the end of it, he thought. “Caught them in night-shift, just a couple of kids on duty. I ordered them to open fire and… when they refused, I shot them.” This time, he contemplated the bottle in his hands before sipping it once more. By all rights he shouldn’t be able to speak clearly at all at this point and yet here they were. “Two more for my conscience, for what they were worth. Then I trained the main gun on the outpost’s oxygen converters. Didn’t take much- two shots’d have done it, but I went with four, made damned sure it was a crater- made sure there was no more Dregir.” His mind supplied, uselessly, intrusively, platitudes about how little those people would have suffered; igniting their oxygen supply would have meant they’d have died from rapid decompression at worst and simply burned away in a fireball at best. Either way would have been ruthlessly efficient and mostly painless - likely dead before they knew what had hit them. It did plenty to explain the little moniker he’d heard though. The Reaper of Dregir. Horrific as it was, it wasn’t surprising- well, no, what was surprising was that the hierarchy hadn’t covered it all up. “You didn’t have a choice, baby.” Macen murmured, not daring to reach out again with physical comfort he was almost certain would serve only to put him on edge. “They must have seen that- you couldn’t have done anything different without the fallout being made your fault.” “Maybe.” Tension-cord tight, his voice nearly broke with the word, and then Avi shook his head. “Didn’t matter. One thousand and ten casualties, someone had’ta pay. I did my duty and trusted that they’d stand by me- what’s twenty two years of loyalty worth, huh? Turns out, shit-fucking-all.” Their eyes met and he couldn’t help but see resentment there - maybe not aimed at him directly but certainly at the ideals he chided Avi to go along with. “They threw me in a cell under Eldis; kept the court case small, blessedly, just some good ol’ silver barking questions and getting psychiatrists to prod at me, but it was still hell. Promoted beyond my capabilities and without sufficient consideration to my limitations - that’s what they decided in the end, and that fair enough, they’d let the victims families have my life for it.” Perhaps his surprise at that was too blatant, his instant, roiling disgust that they’d blamed it all on him too loud, given how Avi chuckled - dry and humourless. “Firing squad, Mace, that’s how they said they’d do it. One of the guards complained that t’wasn’t a hangin’; apparently the hanged dance for over a minute after death, d’you know that? He showed me, too.” Macen clenched his teeth, determined not to let his disgust at that slip out, if only because he suspected it’d come out as nausea instead. “I got the last laugh though. Hours before my big day, Saren turned up with a council-ordered stay of execution an’ demanded to take me away for their investigation.” Hours. Hours had been between Avi and being essentially murdered for the crime of doing the right thing- and with that, Macen knew for certain that he definitely had some calls to make. How could he not, how could he live with that information? But…. It did at least make it far more evident just why Saren had earned his devotion and loyalty; why he’d transferred whatever confidence he’d had in the hierarchy before then straight over to him. “He saved your life, quite literally.” Until that point, he’d assumed he’d meant it in the more figurative way but, no, he had genuinely saved him, hadn’t he?

“Dunno if that was his intention to start with.” His boyfriend shrugged, maybe leaning a little closer, looking a little more regretful instead of simply broken. “But he got everythin’ he needed outta me and hadn’t yet put a round between my eyes, so I started to get spooked. Asked him t’just be up front about it and… he put a gun in my hands- put his gun in my hand. Told me that if I couldn’t live with what I’d done, he’d understand and it’d be a right damned shame I’d managed t’get it off his hip and kill m’self before he had a chance to react but if not, that he thought it’d be a waste of a useful soldier.” His mandibles twitched with some half-lost in-joke. “Dunno why I said yes, in hindsight an’ given the hell he put me through in the name of training, but I did and…” “And here we are now.” This time, Avitus didn’t resist when he took his hand, just nodded and transferred the bottle to his other hand so he could keep going, as if he still had more demons to chase away with drink alone. Over a thousand- he had to have a fair few. And… that had been in one go. How many more ghosts had he gained since then? How much blood was on his hands that he blamed himself for? How had he lived with that?

tagging @spaceouttatime, @callista-curations, @ferowyn and anyone else who fancies doing this and hasn't yet!

how dare you hide this account from me ITS ON SIGHT NOW PUT UP UR FIGHTIN MITTS

I DIDNT HIDE IT LMAO ITS JUST MY FANTASY SIDEBLOG

BEWARE A LOT OF UNTAGGED BG3 SPOILERS THO BRO UR SO EARLY IN THE GAME

U MAY WANNA BLOCK THAT TAG...

oc meme

@dekariosgale tagged me thank u nullsies

name: ka'yravin

nickname: ka

gender: trans man (he/him)

star sign: leo

height: 187cm

orientation: gay

race: half-elf (wood elf/human)

romancing: wyll

fave fruit: varis apples and raspberries

fave season: autumn

fave flower: poppies

fave scent: rain and wet dog

coffee, tea, or hot chocolate: tea, anything spicy and warm

average sleep hours: 5-6 is the minimum he can run on, but he prefers a round 8

dogs or cats: how dare you make him choose

dream trip: somewhere sunny and temperate

amount of blankets: just one is fine

random fact(s):

he has a bad leg after a run in with a poacher which is how he met his bear friend

picks up every book he can find he loves reading.

actually met wyll when he was younger working security at a ball ravengard put on, but wyll was. very small lmao and ka was only like 16

name: varis

nickname: he doesnt really use any

gender: cis man (he/they)

star sign: sagittarius

height: 186cm

orientation: pansexual

race: "half"-drow (full drow father, half-drow mother)

romancing: astarion

fave fruit: tomato (he doesnt like sweet stuff)

fave season: summer (suns out guns out)

fave flower: roses (basic)

fave scent: gardenia and mint tea

coffee, tea, or hot chocolate: coffee

average sleep hours: hes always running on like 3 hours of sleep he has to be bullied into sleeping for extended periods

dogs or cats: hes used to both, living with ka, but he prefers cats and reptiles

dream trip: he probably would not be able to relax on any sort of vacation, but he likes the underdark

amount of blankets: like 4

random fact(s):

he has a 10 year old daughter from his time in neverwinter who he didnt meet until act 3 of bg3, her name is rose, shes purple and a tiefling

he wants to adopt myshka sosososososo bad he wants a cat soooooo bad

he has ka's name tattoo'd on his butt

i really dont know who to tag who hasnt already been tagged so if you wanna to it, do it!

@commander-krios did an open tag on this, so... YOINK! ;) Passing along the open tag to whoever would like to play along!

1) How many works do you have on AO3?

76! Although a few of those are one-shot compilations. If I were to individually post those, I'd probably be closer to 150-ish.

2) What’s your total AO3 word count?

515,558

3) What fandoms do you write for?

SWTOR, BG3, and I cross-posted a couple from my old FFN account -- two Jedi Apprentice fics and a Star Wars/LOTR crossover.

4) What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Reluctant Care -- BG3, Gale/f!Tav

Drastic Measures -- SWTOR, Theron/f!Jedi Knight (KOTXX AU)

Fictober 2021 -- SWTOR, one-shot collection

Novel Inspiration -- BG3, Gale/f!Tav (smut)

Outtakes From Odessen -- SWTOR, one-shot collection

5) Do you respond to comments?

I didn't used to, but I've been getting better with that! ^^

6) What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Proooooobably this one-shot in Outtakes! Set during Theron's TR-8R phase. Implied character death. It's angsty as fuck.

7) What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Probably "Reluctant Care"!

8) Do you get hate on fics?

I used to, on FFN, back in the early 2000s when I was writing a girl-in-Middle-earth fic...

9) Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Sometimes, when the fancy takes me! Haven't written much in the last few years, so... I'm rusty. ;)

10) Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I have one on-going! Strangers from Distant Lands -- Star Wars/LOTR

11) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yes -- one persistent little fucker on FFN plagiarised my first SWTOR fic that I put on that site. TWICE.

12) Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not to the best of my knowledge!

13) Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yep! I once had a Star Wars fic going with another writer on FFN, and @andveryginger and I have been working on "Deja New" for yeeeaaaaars.

14) What’s your all time favorite ship?

HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME CHOOSE.

Faramir/Eowyn was my very first OTP, but I'm also VERY fond of Theron Shan/f!Jedi Knight, and recently Gale/f!Tav is eating my soul.

15) What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Honestly, Drastic Measures at this point. I haven't updated that since like 2018. =(

16) What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue, world building

17) What are your writing weaknesses?

Action sequences

18) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I've done it before! I've put a couple of Mando'a sentences into Drastic Measures, and I've been known to throw Sindarin words into my LOTR fics on FFN.

19) First fandom you wrote for?

Lord of the Rings

20) Favorite fic you’ve written?

Once again, HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME CHOOSE.

For BG3, either A Valuable Lesson (aka The Cheesident, aka the crackfic that @greyias somehow got me to write ;) ) or Involuntary (angst!).

For SWTOR... hmmm. Jailbreak (set during the Emperor's Fortress portion of the Jedi Knight story, and comes with a bonus illustration!), Questionable Timing (or, Theron and Xaja TRY to have a first kiss...), or Ghost (post-Sacking, pre-vanilla angstfest featuring baby!Xaja) are probably my favourites!

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