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#dnd elves
lunastrophe · 3 months
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BG3 Elven Lore 🌙 Astarion's Name
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I stumbled across this popular theory that Astarion's name means Little Star - but personally, I prefer to derive his name from DnD version of elven language. I think that the result is much more interesting 🙂
Astarion - it looks somewhat similar to aasterinian (quicksilver, mercury as a metal), with the last syllable changed into a suffix -ion (noble).
So, Astarion's name could be connected to a definition of mercurial character - changeable, cool and willful at one moment, utterly fragile the next. Mercurial can also mean: animated, quick-witted, having the characteristics of eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, and thievishness. Suits him!
Suffix -ion is commonly used as a term of respect to address the scions of noble elven families who are not entitled to "lord" or "lady" (based on A Treatise on Espruar). It could nicely point to Astarion's social status: noble, but not of the highest rank.
Child name - if you prefer the theory that Astarion's name is his child name (customarily given by elven parents to their children and used until the elf can be considered an adult) - "mercurial" could still fit. I can totally imagine Astarion as a hyperactive, hard-to-control, shrewd kid... prone to mood swings, maybe?
Ancunin - using D&D Elvish as a point of reference, Astarion's last name can be neatly split into an (hand) - cu (in) - nin (ritual).
So, "hand in ritual". In a foreboding sense, it could point to Astarion's role in Cazador's ritual - but it could also suggest, for example, that his elven ancestors were connected to some arcane rituals or religious practices in their community.
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soulessjourney · 3 months
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Sick
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Paring: Astarion x fem!DurgTavReader
Word count: 766
Summary: The moment you let out a cough in camp Astarion turns to his necormancy book for answers.
Warnings: OOC Astarion, Humor, Astarion doesn't know how to comfort sick Tav, Astarion believes Tav is dying, fluff
A/N: This one is just a tiny little humorus work that I had sitting here in my drafts, I thought the idea was cute as we apprach out spring months.
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The changing of seasons was the one time you dreaded being alive. Transitioning from winter to spring meant a massive shift in temperature, often resulting in catching a cold due to the sudden change. Seated on the ground between Shadowheart and Halsin, you observed as he taught you the art of carving a small wooden duck. A few feet away, Astarion was engaged in a lively argument with Gale about who knows what, while Lae’zel tirelessly sharpened her sword against the stone wheel for the fifth time that day.
“Gently slide the dagger over this portion of the wood; the trick here is to apply pressure and scrape for a smooth outcome. Now, give it a try,” he instructed, handing the small wooden figure to Shadowheart.
Pulling your knees to your chest, you watched her work, following Halsin's guidance. Her tongue poked out from the corner of her mouth, a sign of her focused concentration. An itch filled your throat, and you cleared it a few times to relieve the sensation. A cough escaped you, catching Astarion's attention as he turned to look at you. “What was that?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.
Raising a brow in confusion, you glanced at the others, only to receive shrugs in response. “What was what?” you asked, shifting on the ground. Another cough slipped past you, and Astarion quickly approached, shoving his finger in your face.
“That! You never cough, Darling. Are you dying?” A laugh sounded from Shadowheart, and Halsin shot Astarion a confused glance before looking at you. A fit of coughs overtook you, causing you to lean over in an attempt to stop them. “You are dying. Out of everything we have been through, I cannot let this be the one thing to take you out,” Astarion declared, rushing towards his tent.
Once your coughing fit ceased, you followed his movements, watching as he tore apart his tent in search of something. Shadowheart leaned over and nudged you gently. “Who's going to tell him that you simply have a cold?” she whispered, keeping her eyes focused on him. Halsin, from the other side, laughed and took the dagger and wooden duck from Shadowheart.
“I've never seen Astarion care so much. What is he looking for, anyway? If you were dying, I could've simply helped you,” Halsin remarked, shrugging. Everyone turned their attention to Halsin, nodding in agreement.
Just a few moments later, a loud ‘Ahah!’ echoed through the camp, and everyone's heads snapped towards Astarion, their eyes widening. Gale stepped forward, holding out his hand. “Now, why did you pull that out? She's not dead, Astarion. There is no need to bring out the necromancy book,” Gale said, eyeing the book in Astarion's hands as the stone placed in the center of the cover glowed brightly.
Astarion scoffed as Gale continued trying to convince him to hand over the book. “I know she’s not dead, but if by chance she does die, I can simply bring her back,” he stated, flashing Gale a confident smile before shifting his gaze to you. “Don’t worry, my sweet. I would love you even if you were undead.” Your jaw dropped open as you shot to your feet, placing your hands on your hips.
“My gods, Astarion, I’m not dying. Put the damn book down; I just have a cold,” you snapped, narrowing your eyes as you met his stare. “If I were dying, I don’t think I would be standing right now.” Shadowheart stood, sensing a shift within you. Whether it was from standing too quickly, being sick, or both, black dots filled your vision, and you felt yourself collapse to the ground. Shadowheart dove to catch you, breaking your fall.
Astarion looked between the group of your friends before flipping to a page in the book and beginning to read a spell from its contents. A chorus of “No” echoed from the group as everyone lunged to tackle Astarion, preventing him from reading any further.
Karlach walked up to the camp, a deer hanging over her shoulder, observing her groupmates tackling Astarion, Gale prying the book away from him, and you lying on the ground a few feet away from everyone. Dropping the deer to the ground beside her, she caught the group’s attention. “What in the nine hells is going on?” she shouted, her eyes staying trained on you. “Well, don’t stand there; bring her back!”
The group groaned as they scrambled to keep Astarion from grabbing the book again. “She’s not dead!” they simultaneously yelled, the sound of their voices bouncing off the rocks around them.
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spacebarbarianweird · 4 months
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Alright fic request! (Either reader or named Tav, whatever sparks joy.)
I HC that since Baldurs Gate has such a low population of elves, a lot of Astarion's previous sexual experiences did not involve his ears. They are probably the least "used" (his feelings) part of himself.
Maybe Tav isn't an elf and doesn't know, so they eventually just casually reach out- because they are so cute and Astarion's been OK with casual touches like that now they are in a relationship. But he just flinches away- very uncomfortable and hurt this happened.
Tav is obviously going to apologize and try to accept they hurt Astarion by mistake. Maybe not that night, but sometimes later after Astarion got to see them be sincere about his boundaries (maybe even OK woth him having a "bad" reaction) he puts his head in their lap and asks them to touch his ears in a quiet voice.
Basically a story about navigating rough waters with love.
I finally got to your request! I know it's been a while, thank you for waiting!
Synopsis: Astarion has very sensitive ears, you've never touched them. Until today.
Tags: fluff, Elven language and culture.
Thanks @bunnidarling for beta-reading! Your notes are super helpful!
Read on AO3
Masterlist
Headcanons
Pointy Ears
Moon washes the meadow in silver light. As he sits by the campfire, Astarion's skin looks almost marble to you: white and perfect. You glance at him from time to time to detect a hint of disturbance, that his mind has dragged him to some unpleasant place.  
But it seems like he is at peace with himself.
His pointy ears twitch a bit when invisible facial muscles move. They’re probably your favorite part of his body: long and sensitive, with a delightful pinkish hue. The elves, Tel’Quessira, have the most amazing ears. 
But you suddenly realize you’ve never touched them. You often massage his scalp and have kissed almost every inch of his body, but the ears remain untouched.
The scars and the bite mark? It took months for him to relax enough to let his guard down. You still remember him muttering “Tav loves me, Tav won’t hurt me” while you were caressing his back. You pretended you didn’t hear that. As for the more intimate parts of his body, you two agreed on an “ask before putting a hand into the trousers”.
But his ears… You are a non-elf, a lesser being in the eyes of elves, and know nothing about them. But you remember how many years ago someone told you “Never touch their pointy ears, they hate it”.
“Astarion.”
Silence. 
“Astarion, are you with me?”
Silence yet again. He looks somewhere into the woods, mentally far away from your small camp. Suddenly, his eyes squint and you see anxiety on his face.
Nine hells, again. 
It happens to him often. He just sits motionless as if someone has cast a “hold a person” spell on him. He can stay like that for hours oblivious to the world around him. As if his mind shuts itself down. Sometimes he returns, surprised it’s already sunset “I thought it was still morning”, he says.
He describes it as a dark wave that just pulls him under into the nightmare, and he can’t do anything, only to keep drowning.
You approach Astarion and sit behind him. Then you touch his curls, slowly brushing them with your finger.
“I am here. I am not going anywhere,” you whisper. “Return to me, please.”
No response. 
You keep caressing his head, intensifying your touches as you try to return him to reality.
And then your fingers accidently brush along his left ear.
Astarion flinches, forcing you to take your hands away.
“I am sorry,” you mutter.
Astarion covers his ear with his palm and stares at you in shock. He looks like a person who has been woken up in the middle of the night in some weird and violent way.
“Did I hurt you? I am so sorry!”
“No… you didn’t…” He still looks startled. “I just… Seldarine… How long have I been like that?”
“Since sunset. It’s almost the middle of the night.”
He snatches his shirt from the ground and puts it on. You still feel guilty.
“Sorry… I won’t touch your ears again.”
“Darling, you’ve touched me in much more intimate places and done much more lewd things to my body than this.”
You blush.
“It’s just… unexpected.”
“I am sorry.”
“Stop it! I hate it when you apologize. You’ve done nothing wrong. It’s just… Fuck it. I want to take a walk.”
You nod. “Take a walk” means “I want to wander the woods on my own''. Sometimes he hunts small animals and drains them dry. More often he just walks enjoying the freedom of being in nature. Even a person who loves cities would go insane, forced to spend 200 years within its walls.
You are still embarrassed by your actions, so you return to the tent. You are feeling sleepy and doze off on your bedroll hugging a pillow. 
You wake up a few hours later when Astarion returns to the tent. His shirt is bloodstained and his trousers are dirty, but he looks happy.
“Good morning, darling”, he kisses you. “It’s sunrise, time for the mortals.”
“Unless they travel with vampires,” you mumble as you sit up, feeling more or less rested. “I see you are in a good mood.”
“I am always in a good mood when I see your face, my dear.”
You scoot over, making more room for him. The tent is small but enchanted with darkness which fully protects Astarion from the sunlight. You would love to spend a couple of days in the inn, but the nearest town has no such place and you have to stay at the camp.
“Listen… about what happened…” He stumbles over his words. “Could you touch my ears?”
You giggle and invite him to sit between your legs. He presses his back against your chest and you wrap your arms around his body.
“You have leaves in your hair,” you say, brushing his curls with your fingers before kissing the crown of his head. “How sensitive are your ears?”
“Very sensitive, he admits. “That’s why… I… we… don’t like unwelcome touches.”
You carefully touch the tip of his left ear, then move your finger along the edge of the shell. 
He closes his eyes and smiles.
You get braver and use your other hand to caress his right ear. You lean forward and kiss the tips, and as you do you feel an electric impulse coarse through Astarion's body.
“Why don’t you wear any adornments? You like rings and necklaces, but all the elves I have ever seen wear something on their ears. I mean, I understand why Tel’Quessir don’t pierce them…”
“Darling, never suggest to pierce the ears of the elf, it’s fucking painful.”
“But are there other ways? Without damaging the skin?”
He shrugs. “Never found anything proper I guess.”
He softly touches your finger and you understand he’s signaling you to stop. You press Astarion tighter. 
You sit like that for a while in silence before you make yourself return to reality.
“I need to go to the town to see if they have some job for us.”
“I doubt it. We’d better return to the road at sunset,"he said.
“Yeah, this place is unbelievably peaceful.”
“I would say boring”, he takes out a book from his sack and you recognize Gnim, the language of the gnomes. Noticing your stare, he chuckles. “I prefer to know the enemy.”
You kiss Astarion’s cheek and leave the tent.
The town looks sleepy as if its residents exist in some weird world without troubles and worries. The townsfolk look at you with suspicion. Adventurers are rarely guests since there's almost nothing to do. 
You ask here and there about a job, but as Astarion said there is nothing to be found. No troubles. No dangers. No reward. 
Suddenly something catches your eye: a small building different in style from the rest of the houses. It is more elegant, with intricate runes on the wooden door.
Elven. 
You enter carefully, opening the door as if you are afraid you may break it, 
It’s a Jewelry store.
There are dozens of rings, necklaces, and bracelets. They are simple and delicate, but you just can’t take your eyes off them. 
“Do you want anything?” A golden-haired elven woman waves her hand over the adornments. “Maybe for yourself?”
You shake your head. “I wouldn’t want to wear such things on the road. I will either break them or lose them.”
“Pity. Maybe for someone you care about?”
Astarion would love something like that. No matter what happened to him, he is still an elf. Nothing will ever change it.
“Yes...” You say with some hesitation. “What do elves put on their ears?”
The woman smiles. “We wear ear cuffs. Like these”, she points at her own ear, showing a golden adornment that looks like flowers. “You want a gift for an elf, don’t you?”
You nod.
“Can I ask what kind of bond you share?”
You blush a bit and the elf smiles again. “It’s not an idle question. Elven culture is very complicated”.
“He is my… love.”
She points at the ear cuffs. “Then, this. Only lovers can give such things to each other. Received from a friend or, worse, a stranger, would be considered an insult.”
“Why so?”
“Oh, poor N'Tel'Quess. So bad of him not to tell you such important things.”
You pretend not to understand that the word she’s used is an insult. You speak some Elven.
“And how important is that?”
“Have you wondered why elves don’t like their ears being touched?”
“Because it hurts?”
Her laughter sounds like bells chiming. “The same way lovemaking hurts when nonconsensual.”
Fuck.
“It’s intimate. Even lovers sometimes don’t do it because they don’t fully trust each other. We allow this only to our aestara, our thiramina.For us, it’s a form of sex. But even regular sex might be less intimate. So, tell me, does he allow you to do that?”
“He did let me do this… today. For the first time. ”
“Then, give him an ear cuff. Choose.”
They all look equally beautiful and you try to picture Astarion wearing them but nothing is quite him. There are smaller and larger ones, golden and silver. Some resemble flowers, and some are more like stars.
Noticing your confusion, the shopkeeper sighs.
“Tell me about him.”
“He… is very kind. To me, at least. Very brave, but never admits it even to himself. He is smart, can learn a whole new language within a week, and can persuade people to do anything he needs. He can do a lot of things with his hands – embroidery, lock picking, you name it. But… he’s been through a lot. His past is very dark and he is still overcoming it, learning how to be with people, how to live this life.”
You carefully avoid details, trying to sound as vague as possible.
“It’s called srinna. The one who tests limits and establishes new boundaries.”
“Yes, it does sound like him”
The woman hands you a metallic ear cuff. It is simpler than the others but you notice small details like crescents and birds. It will look nice with his curls, you think.
You pay and as you leave the elf laughs again. “If I were you, I would scold him!”
You return to the camp at sunset. Astarion is still inside the tent engrossed in the book. He hasn’t been through too many pages. Gnim is difficult for someone who can’t stand its speakers.
Astarion smiles joyfully as he notices you. He always looks like this when you return. Pure happiness.
“So was I right about these peaceful people?”
“Yes. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why didn’t I tell you what?”
“About your ears! The elven jeweler gave me a lecture about them! You could have at least explained this to me before I embarrassed myself!”
He disarms you with his puppy eyes. They say: ‘Oh, darling, you can’t be really angry with me, can you?’
“Stop making that face. You know I can’t resist it!”
Astarion sighs. “My apologies. Never really took it into account. But yes, touching ears is a form of showing affection.”
You take out the ear cuff and hold it out to him “I’ve brought a gift for you.”
Astarion puts the book away and takes the cuff. He is silent and you are afraid he doesn’t like it.
“Srinna”, he says. “The one who establishes boundaries. Thank you”, Astarion doesn’t try to laugh it away or mask his emotions. His smile is goofy and sincere; he rarely shows it even to you.
“Put it on!” you encourage him. “I want to see how it looks!”
“You’ve given it to me. You must put it on, not me.”
You lean to Astarion and carefully adjust the adornment to his left ear. To your surprise, it fits perfectly and doesn’t show any indication it can fall off. You think it must be easier to lose regular earrings than elven cuffs. 
“How does it look?” he asks.
“Gorgeous.”
He cups your cheeks and kisses you. You feel like floating, forgetting about everything. You touch his ears and caress them with your fingers. Then he lets you go and presses his forehead against yours. “Salen arivae.”
“Salen means ‘my’, what does “arivae” mean?”
“Sunshine”, he answers after a short pause. 
--
Seldarine - Gods! N'Tel'Quess - not people. A derogatory term referring to non-elves. Aestar- love Thiramin - soulmate
--
Tag list
@tugoslovenka @marcynomercy @wintersire @vixstarria @not-so-lost-after-all @ashiro20 @theearthsfinalconfession @herstxrgirl @starlight-ipomoea @micropoe10 @astarion-imagine-archive @veillsar @elora-the-slutty-songstress @fayeriess @lumienyx @astarion-beloved @tallymonster @caitlincat-95 @tragedybunny @valeprati
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ghostpainters · 2 years
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Vox Machina Bookmark Designs 
I just decided to do some more Critical Roll art because why not? The Legend of Vox Machina was a highly entertaining show. Even if you’re not really a DnD person, I’d recomend it. The animation is beautiful and the characters are just amazing. 
Speaking of characters, Scanlan seems to be missing. Poor man. He is missed XD. (I’ll try to do a part 2 tho, and he’ll be featured in that). I just don’t know when I can make that happen.) 
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evilyunia · 1 year
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Many of you voted for drow elves so who i am to resist.
Some people who follow my account for short amount of time may not know that before descending into Abyss Ranrys in fact was a mortal drow warlock.
 And it was exciting  to finally draw him like this again.
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floatysparrowthing · 7 months
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Okay so question:
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lucrezianoin · 6 months
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i recently started reading into dnd lore especially elves bcuz of astarion and its even worse to release casador literally locked astarion out of his own race.
Elves as a race have a very interesting history and culture, specifically with sleeping, meditation, and their version of an afterlife/reincarnation. Too sum it down (i may be wrong if I'm wrong)
>Astarion was bitten/died very young for an elf so he has to constantly cycle through traumatic memories with casador and nightmares. He can't reincarnate so he got cut off form elf religion bcuz of the undead factor. I doubt he can even claim any identity or culture that elves usually do in DND esp with their native tongue etc.
I love reading your analysis's of BG3 and would like to hear ur thoughts on it
I KNOW NOTHING OF ELVEN LORE!! What do you mean about the cycle of traumatic memories? I know that Astarion does trance. Do you have any recommendation on where to read more on this? :D
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vspin · 5 months
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Temple of Lolth by Julian Kok [x]
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Decided to draw Sokka and Azula as dnd elves for fun.
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softservecom · 8 months
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First post, idk what to put here but she’s my character from one of my first campaigns I’ve played
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goldengoblink · 9 months
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Spiral Mage 🌀
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lunastrophe · 1 month
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BG3 Elven Lore 🌙 Astarion's Life In The City
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I was thinking recently about Astarion's past and how his childhood could look like. Did he spend it in Baldur's Gate, or somewhere else?
According to D&D lore, elves have their own cities, laguages, cultures, customs and deities. They are not meant to be simply prettier, pointy-eared versions of humans with longer lifespan and some other superior traits. They are different on many levels: biological, psychological, even spiritual one.
Elven parents usually want their children to be born and spend the first decades of their lives in elven communities - mainly to ensure their safety (children are not common among elves), but also to allow them to grow up in connection to elven way of life: language, cultural values, spirituality and so on.
Sometimes it is not possible, though, and elven child is born and / or grows up in predominantly non-elven community. Perhaps Astarion's childhood looked like that.
🌙 City Elves - some elves, for various reasons, choose to spend some time away from elven lands, adventuring or travelling. Some of them may decide to stay for a few decades or centuries in a large, cosmopolitan city like Baldur's Gate - and even start a family there, becoming a part of local community.
It is quite possible that Astarion's parents were such "city elves" and because of that, he was growing up more or less disconnected from a typical, traditional elven way of life. That might explain why at 39 he had a career and quite responsible position - while typically, a young elf of a similar age would not even be considered an adult.
🌙 Fostered Out - upon reaching the age of twenty, a young elf is usually fostered out to another relative who lives in the same community or somewhere else, mainly to learn various skills and family lore, and to study. This process of fostering and studying can be repeated for the first hundred years of young elf's life (based on Races of the Wild, D&D 3.5e).
So, another possibility: maybe Astarion was born somewhere else and was sent to Baldur's Gate when he was twenty or so, to spend some time (like, a few decades) with his relative(s) and to study.
🌙 Orphaned - some elven children after losing their parents are adopted by their relatives, but some may end up being raised by non-elves - for example, by humans.
Among elves, such a thing is typically considered a great misfortune. Non-elf-raised elves are often not prepared for the prospect of centuries stretching before them - they are forced to grow up quickly, they try to live like their non-elven teachers and later, they have no idea how to manage the weight of their much longer lifespan (based on The Complete Book of Elves, 2e).
This is yet another scenario that might explain why Astarion, being a very young elf, had a life of a very much adult human (39 definitely does not sound like "adult-enough-to-work-as-a-magistrate" from elven point of view).
🌙 Astarion's Family - assuming that Astarion was raised by his elven parents or other relatives, it seems a bit doubtful to me that they would never, ever stumble across him somewhere in the city for around two hundred years. Perhaps after his death, they decided to leave Baldur's Gate - because, for example, staying there was too painful for them?
And if he was an elven orphan raised by humans - even if his human family did not leave the city, it is certain that they are not around anymore after two centuries...
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soulessjourney · 3 months
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No Time To Die
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Paring: Astarion x fem!TavReader
Word count: 2k
Summary: Astarion and Tav share an intimate moment alone after she is wounded during the battle with Cazador.
Warnings: Little Angst, Mentions of violence, OOC Astarion, Fluff and lots of it
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The battle with Cazador proved to be no easy feat, particularly when he was determined to have Astarion play a role in his ascension. Astarion stood steadfastly by your side as you confronted Cazador, with your other companions ready for a fight behind you. The moment Astarion was torn away from you, everything blurred into a reddish haze. Astarion's pleas for freedom echoed, while Shadowheart and Wyll urged you to focus on reaching him. You needed no second prompting as you skillfully cut through your adversaries, your attention fixed on the vampire positioned on the opposite side of the room.
Upon reaching Astarion, you extended your hand toward him, only to be abruptly pulled back and thrown to the floor, Astarion tumbling a few feet away from you. "Tav!" Karlach's voice echoed as your gaze caught a blade coming your way. Rolling to the side, you winced at the clash of metal against the marble floors. Rising to your feet, you evaded Cazador's lunges, his eyes filled with madness.
"I will not let you hinder my ascension. Why defend Astarion so fiercely? He's nothing and will never be anything. You're protecting damaged goods," Cazador taunted, his words dripping with venom as he sliced at you, catching your arm. A yelp escaped you, catching Astarion's attention as he raced toward you, stumbling over his feet. Everything unfolded in slow motion as you found yourself on the ground again, your back colliding with a pillar. Astarion had tackled Cazador, but his words were unintelligible amid the growing ringing in your head.
Sitting up, you leaned against the pillar, a sharp pain shooting through your side, eliciting a strangled groan. Looking down, your mouth opened and closed in a silent scream at the sight of Cazador's dagger firmly planted in your side. A gasp emanated from Shadowheart, who dropped to her knees. "Oh gods, Tav," she whispered, her hands hovering over the dagger. The battle played out in her eyes as she deliberated whether to remove the dagger, the odds seemingly against you with its deep implantation in your side.
Astarion did a double take as your face paled, and you slumped further against the pillar. The prospect of your death weighed heavily on you, considering that Astarion would finally be free. However, another realization struck you - he would be left alone, just as he had been for the past two hundred years. The thought of abandoning him in such a manner became unbearable. Your vision began to blur, your eyes focusing on Astarion as he repeatedly stabbed Cazador, his broken screams echoing through the room. He had forsaken his ascension, and some part of you felt a sense of pride. Astarion was giving up something that he knew, deep down, would lead to his destruction.
Letting out another groan, your eyes began to droop shut as you felt Shadowheart shaking you. "Tav, stay with me, do not close your eyes," panic filled her voice. Opening your eyes slowly, you could see the pure horror on Astarion’s face as he stood and stumbled towards you. Your other companions rushed towards you, screaming your name as you descended into a realm of slumber.
----
The atmosphere around the camp was tense. Wyll and Karlach sat by the fire in complete silence, while Gale, Halsin, and Shadowheart were stationed in your tent, working fervently to save your life. At the edge of the camp, Astarion paced, running his fingers through his silver locks. Lae’zel observed her companions before setting down the dagger she was sharpening.
“Pacing and looking so down won’t save her life. If anything, I would say you’re more likely to end it with the amount of brooding you all are doing,” Lae’zel remarked, scanning the individuals in front of her.
Karlach was the first to speak up. “I’m sorry, mate. It’s just that she’s in there alone, fighting for her life, and there’s nothing we can do but hope the other three can save her.” She shifted her eyes to Astarion, who, a few feet away, was still pacing. “I'm also worried about Astarion; he clearly blames himself for what happened to her.”
Lae’zel nodded, letting out a soft hum of agreement. “You say she’s alone, but she is not. Tav has us here waiting for her, does she not?” Lae’zel asked, watching as Karlach looked back towards her and nodded. “Then don’t say she is alone when she is not. As much as she can get on my nerves, Tav is strong, and she wouldn’t let something as small as a dagger take her out of this world. She’s our stubborn leader for a reason.”
Her words were interrupted by Shadowheart and Gale stepping out of the tent, whispering amongst themselves before taking a seat on the log just to the right of Lae’zel. “How is she?” Wyll asked, attempting to keep his voice low, perhaps to prevent Astarion from finding another reason to pace a hole into the ground, if he hadn’t already.
Gale sighed and looked to Shadowheart, who appeared just as defeated. “We did all we can. Now, it’s up to her to finish the fight. Halsin is in there now in case something happens or if she wakes.” Shadowheart gazed toward the tent, her eyes softening. “She’ll wake up. She has to.”
Gale stood up and made his way towards Astarion, stopping just short of him. “It’s not your fault, Astarion. She knew what was going to happen; she took that dagger for you so you could live,” he said, watching as the vampire ceased pacing. “She knew the risks, and she was willing to take them all for you.”
Astarion turned to face Gale slowly, his gaze broken. “What if I lose her? That would just be one more person that Cazador took from me. Even from the dead, he wants me to suffer like I always have,” he spat, balling his hands into fists. “She has to live, Gale. Not just for me but for all of us. We are so close to winning this war; we can’t lose her now.” Astarion felt like he was losing his mind. He had given up ascension for you, his one true love, and now you were knocking on death’s door.
“Have faith in her, Astarion. When have you known her to simply give up? Tav would fight the Netherbrain blind if she had to. She has taken on an entire goblin camp just to save that owlbear, and she saved an entire camp from an attack, all because that’s who she is. She wears her heart on her sleeve, but a fighter like that is as strong as they come. We have been traveling nonstop for days and fighting along the way; she’s burnt out, and the injury was no help. All she needs is rest, Astarion,” Gale said, turning to walk away. Stopping, he looked over his shoulder. “Out of both of us, she chose you to love, and as hurt and betrayed as I may feel, doesn’t that mean something? She’s not going easily, so go stay with her, hold her hand until she wakes,” he said before walking off to join the others.
---
After a lengthy conversation with Halsin, Astarion found himself kneeling next to you. He had successfully convinced Halsin to leave the tent, reassuring him that he would fetch him once you woke or if something went wrong. Holding your hand tightly, Astarion looked down at you, observing the peaceful rise and fall of your chest. You looked so peaceful, but he despised how quiet you were now. Much as he would never admit it to you, your bickering with Karlach and Shadowheart kept things interesting for him. The way you would joke around with Gale or Wyll, and even crack some horribly made jokes in an attempt to make Lae’zel smile, was something he adored about you. You were more than just a group-appointed leader; you were someone who brought joy into his miserable life. You were his best friend, his lifeline even.
Reaching down, Astarion brushed a strand of hair from your face with a sigh. Gale was right; you were burnt out. These past few weeks felt like endless fighting or traveling. You were always the first to jump to your group's aid in battle, and even when injured, you made sure to check on each and every one of them. He should have noticed just how off you seemed after your fight with Ketheric Thorm. You appeared drained, but he chalked it off as mere fatigue after battling a literal god. Although that was true, looking back, you had changed slightly afterward. You weren’t as quick to block attacks in fights, and you seemed slower when walking. Something about that fight took everything out of you, but Astarion, being Astarion, kept pushing everyone, including you, to reach the city. He was so desperate to reach the city that he became blind to how tired you were. Then the fight with Cazador happened. You had barely had time to react before his dagger found its way into your side, and it was all his fault. If he hadn’t pushed you and allowed everyone to rest, you wouldn’t be in this position right now, covered in sweat and fighting for your life.
Reaching down and gently squeezing your hand, he felt his frown deepen. “You know, Darling, this isn’t fair. You finally gave me something to care about, just for you to end up like this. I may not have a true beating heart, but sometimes you make me feel as if it is truly beating. I don’t know how you did it, but it’s truly terrifying, Darling,” he said quietly. It was true; this new feeling he had towards you terrified him. For two hundred years, he had never had someone he truly cared about, and he had never had someone show him as much love as you had.
Astarion hated confessing his feelings to you, terrified that he would lose you forever after admitting he was using you, especially when you were so gentle and honest with him. But you were never angry. Instead, you were understanding and supportive of his concerns. It was when he received his first hug from you, and later on that evening, his first kiss from someone real. You were so real to him, and he would burn down the entire city if it meant protecting the one real thing in his life.
Smoothing back your hair, he leans down, pressing his lips against the crown of your head. Lost in his thoughts, he doesn’t notice the twitch of your hand or the change in your breathing. "Don’t tell me you’re getting all sentimental on me, Astarion. I would be the one thinking something happened to you," you grumble, keeping your eyes closed and relishing the feeling of his lips against your forehead. A strangled laugh escapes you at the way he tenses before pulling away.
As he looks down at you, you notice how his red orbs seem to glisten, on the verge of tears. Your eyes soften as you meet his gaze, and a small warm smile spreads across your lips. "How long—" "Long enough to hear just the tail end of what you said," you shrug, shifting to sit up. Astarion is quick to help you, turning his head as if he's about to yell something, and that's when it hits you. "Astarion, if you call Halsin in here right now, I will send a stake through you."
Astarion can't help but let out a surprised laugh at your words and the way your eyes narrow into a teasing glare. Reaching up, he caresses your cheek gently and nods. "Then Halsin can wait, but it doesn’t mean I won’t take care of you. You’re everything, Darling. I won’t let anything harm you ever again," he whispers, leaning down to brush his nose against yours gently.
Leaning your forehead against his, your smile only grows at his words. "Then I guess the feeling is mutual. I will protect you even if it means I have to kill Cazador and take a dagger to the side a million times over. For you, I’d do anything." With that, you press your lips to his in a silent promise. In other worlds, Astarion may be the one protecting you with everything he has, but in this one, you’d ruin yourself just to see his smile.
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spacebarbarianweird · 4 months
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I haven't seen much of Astarion n Elf!Tav, so I was wondering what you would think about them together 🤔
Hi! I've got so many requests for headcanons I really felt like I couldn't decide which one to take next so I asked my subscribers to choose the race for me.
The most voted for Elf! Tav. Since I have separate requests for Drows and Wood Elves, this one is going to be about High Elves.
Hope you will enjoy it!
Astarion x High Elf!Tav
Masterlist
Headcanons
You are young by Elven standards, still many years from receiving your adult name.
But you already have a lot of life experience - and there is sorrow in your eyes since many of your friends are already too old to accompany you.
And you know sooner or later you will be able to share company only among ones of your kind since the world will change too fast for you to grasp it.
You fall in love with Astarion at first sight. He is your Thiramin, a soulmate, a forever love.
Maybe you were together in your past reincarnations. Or in your past life, you met him as a mortal.
Or it's something new for both of you.
Astarion shrugs this idea away. He doesn't have a soul. He will never see his past lives in his dreams when he gets older (because he will never age), he won't reincarnate when he dies (because he is already dead). There is nothing, only the existence of the undead.
To have a Thiramin you also need to have a soul.
Which he doesn't.
But he still loves you. You are the first person he cares and loves. And unless you don't want him in your life, he won't go away
He also has come to terms with your mortality.
First, you will be around for many centuries. He has at least six hundred years together with you or even more.
Second, you will come back. Not right away, but you will. You will come to him, in your new body, and he will recognize you the same way older elves recognize their long-dead friends in children.
Post-game, you travel. Elven wanderlust takes you places - other continents and planes. Halrua, Kara-Tur, the Vilhon Reach, the Sea of Stars. Sometimes you settle for a bit, but never longer than a decade or two.
You speak Elven to each other. Astarion feels safe speaking his mother tongue to you.
You call each other "Salen Aester" and "Salen Thiramin": my love and my soul.
He likes teasing your ears, caressing and love-biting them.
You do the same to him, though, he wasn't comfortable at first.
But you just made him sit in front of you and allowed him to touch your ears while copying his movements.
He ended up a crying mess.
You also decide to spend some time searching for his family though it's difficult since he doesn't remember anything about his past life.
His surname is though of an Elven origin ("The one who learns by hand") sounds unfamiliar to most Elves you meet.
And Astarion is hesitant about searching for his past life.
"Whatever it was, I don't want it. I want the future. With you."
Once you turn 110 years, you return home to get the adult name.
And marry Astarion.
It's difficult for the elders to accept Astarion - a vampire, an undead, a person with no family or kin. 
But they do.
It's a sin to separate Thiramins, after all.
--
Tag list
@tugoslovenka @marcynomercy @wintersire @vixstarria @not-so-lost-after-all @ashiro20 @theearthsfinalconfession @herstxrgirl @starlight-ipomoea @micropoe10 @astarion-imagine-archive @veillsar @elora-the-slutty-songstress @fayeriess @lumienyx @astarion-beloved @tallymonster @caitlincat-95 @tragedybunny @valeprati
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galacticsabc · 2 years
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Wanted to make a peacock themed armour set, then i drew more of the guy wearing it.
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grechaart · 2 months
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She taught her beloved elf to "sleep" with her!
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