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nerdalmighty · 2 months

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hey! so, i just recently started playing baldur's gate 3 after seeing people put it all over my dash for months--and you're one of the people i've seen reblogging a lot of posts about it LOL. so if you don't mind me asking, i was wondering what kind of character do you/did you play as? and do you have any sort of backstory for your tav that you'd like to share?

Hoooooooooooooh my god thank you so much for asking. I have a friend who comes over to watch me play on Thursdays and I make a powerpoint every week to catch her up on what she missed - this week's powerpoint literally has slides about my Tav's background (more on those later). This is about to be long, I'm about to drop ALL my lore so buckle up! AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING UP WITH MY BG3 BRAIN WORMS!!!!! I'm glad they convinced you to play 😈

So to begin, I've been in my first ever dnd campaign with a group of friends for a little over a year now. I didn't know much about Baldur's Gate except that it was a dnd video game and that you could romance people. Me, being a Big Fan of Romance And Fantasy was like "okay well I'm in" and my friend actually let me start a game at his house. Through that, I met Shadowheart, Gale, and Astarion.

Backing up a bit to my character; I decided I'd put my character from my irl dnd campaign into the game since I already knew her whole deal. I get pretty overwhelmed with making decisions, ESPECIALLY with big open world games like bg3, so knowing who/what I wanted to be really helped me out.

In the campaign I'm in with friends, it's pirate themed, and I play a half-elf bard named Birdie Harp who's secretly half-siren (murder mermaid). To make a long story very short, she was born in the arctic and escaped her murderous pod during a coming-of-age trial where she also lost her siren abilities (hypnotizing voice, breathing underwater, etc).

I've watched a ton of Dimension 20 which is an actual play show on Dropout.tv (an "actual play" is where you watch other people run a campaign of dnd - like Critical Role, which a lot of people have at least heard of - HIGHLY recommend Dimension 20, as I find it incredibly funny and easier to get into than CR because of the episode lengths), and I knew that I really liked the silliness and theatricality of the bard class. I also loved the bards from The Owl House which helped influence my decision as well.

To be honest, Birdie is my first ever dnd character, so she's basically a self insert but with a MUCH more traumatic backstory than me (this IS dnd after all). As for the half-elf aspect, it was more of an "I want to be half mermaid, what's similar to that?" as opposed to a love for half-elves or something.

BACK TO BALDUR'S GATE - knowing I wanted Birdie to be in the game, I felt a lot less overwhelmed to come up with something entirely new - I knew a lot about the bard class having played one so I wanted to CONTINUE playing one (and I've learned even more since playing bg3!).

When I finally got my own game (I no longer play at my friend's house, but in the comfort of my own home), I recreated Birdie and started on my journey in earnest. I'm VERY MUCH someone who likes to be in control and know what to expect, so I've had guides and walkthroughs to help me the whole time - SUE ME! When it came to first meeting Shadowheart, Gale, and Astarion back at my friend's house, Gale actually immediately stole my heart - a kind, witty wizard who likes books and cats? Literally say less. I went home from that session with my friend fully thinking I'd be a Gale girlie until I really looked into the other options and saw The Vampire.

Blah blah blah, he's hot and funny, but he can also be incredibly soft, which really won me over in the end. So I've been romancing That Guy.

Through Acts 1 and 2, I wasn't all too sure about this version of Birdie's background - sure she COULD still be that half-siren from the arctic, but the game kept suggesting she was FROM Baldur's Gate. I LOVED the inclusion of the harpies in Act 1 and thought maybe that was a viable entry point for her backstory, but so far, she was kind of just... me? She was making the choices I wanted to make (and a few that I knew Astarion would like lmao), but she wasn't really her own entity apart from me except for her name. She also felt vastly different from that character I'd created for my friends over a year ago. For instance, my irl Birdie currently has a crush on a Gale-type character, but this Birdie is ass deep in Astarion (hey, sorry I said "ass deep in Astarion"). The thing I love about Baldur's Gate 3 is how you can really come up with your own backstories, since the in-game one for your Tav is so vague. It's totally fine to ignore tiny details in the game and mold them to your own headcanons for your Tav, but I was so unsure of what I wanted for this Birdie that I kind of internalized that she was from Baldur's Gate.

HEADS UP! The following has some spoilers for Act 3 and some side quests, so STOP reading if that's something you'd care to avoid (the last 3 paragraphs of this post are SAFE from spoilers):

When Act 3 finally rolled around (which is where I am currently, I only have the one playthrough so far because I become INCREDIBLY attached to things), I stumbled across the Water Queen's House in Baldur's Gate. Ah ha! Now this felt promising.

A temple dedicated to the Vengeful Sea Goddess, Umberlee, and her loyal Wave Servants to serve her. It's ocean themed, it has mermaid undertones, and their goddess is basically evil. Seems like the perfect place to FINALLY insert this version of Birdie. I wasn't 100% sure until I completed the Iron Throne mission and was faced with either handing a (mostly) innocent man over to the Wave Servants, or fighting to defend him.

Here are a few of the slides from this week's powerpoint that I mentioned all the way back at the start, starting with SOME background on the Wave Servants:

Ass and Shart are what I affectionately call Astarion and Shadowheart (Also I got this beautiful "Birdie" art on Pinterest which originated from someone named Dantrelium on Reddit):

Apologies for the small text here, but there are some more details about THIS Birdie here, which I literally made up/figured out earlier this week:

Essentially, this Birdie was born at the Water Queen's House as Kittiwake Crest - Kittiwakes are common arctic birds, which I thought would be a nice little homage to the original character she was based off of. She was raised by the collective of Wave Servants there, the main one being Flood Tide Allandra Grey who seems to be head honcho at the Wave Mother's House (in this reality, she is).

Since Umberlee is such a vengeful goddess, I imagine she asked her Wave Servants to commit unspeakable acts in her name, mainly drownings, which THEY see as merciful, but I think Birdie always saw as horrifying. Who were they to decide the fates of others? I also think that the Wave Servants themselves were abusive during her upbringing to keep her in line (but much like how Nocturne was a light in the darkness for Shadowheart, I don't think EVERY Wave Servant was evil). GOTTA have a classic tragic backstory.

Upon researching Umberlee, I learned that most of her servants are clerics, so in my mind, that means Birdie was raised to eventually become one, with her official title eventually going to be "Seawind Kittiwake Crest." Is she still half-siren/mermaid though? Not entirely sure. This IS a magical world though, so I'd be inclined to say yes, probably.

But when we first meet the Wave Servants, they're singing beautifully for their drowned sister, Holli. I think Birdie REALLY loved music and singing with her sisters and secretly trained herself in bard magic when she should have been learning to be a cleric. It's also a classic trait of bards to hide their pain through humor, so I often imagine the type of stupid things Birdie gets up to to bring herself joy (my favorite headcanon being when you meet Skittle the Rat in Wyrm's Rock prison - he's a rat merchant who speaks exclusively in puns. I think Birdie and Gale would excitedly throw puns back and forth with Skittle while Astarion and Shadowheart begrudgingly (and affectionately) roll their eyes in the background).

Another thing I love about the game is how you can string together your own ideas of how companions react to things between big cut scenes. For example, in my head, in my game, Astarion has really become a Big Softy thanks to how fucking Stupid (affectionate) Birdie acts in life and has drawn him out of his shell, but also runs a tag team scam with her where she plays her lute to distract people while he loots an entire place. Gale is Birdie's partner in crime when it comes to tomfoolery and loves to joke and fool around with her (so long as it goes easy on his knees). And Shadowheart is basically a sister figure who flip flops between sassing with Astarion and joining in on the fun. THEY'RE JUST THE BEST, OKAY? OF COURSE I'M GONNA WALK AROUND WITH A BUNCH OF IDIOTS. I LOVE THEM.

Anyway, back to Birdie's backstory: she always hated the atrocities that were asked of her, and she was looking for a way out, but was too scared to take that step and leave since the Wave Mother's House is all she's ever known. One night, while stepping out to quietly dip her toes in the water, the Mindflayers captured her, and that's where we start Act One, all the way up on the Nautiloid. She changed her name to Birdie to distance herself from her previous life, fully took up the bard class, and the rest is history.

Back to that dilemma with handing over that (mostly) innocent guy or fighting the Wave Servants: with encouragement from the party, they convince Birdie to face her traumatic upbringing and fight the Wave Servants once and for all. At this point in Act 3, she's basically helped every single person with their problems except her own. Here's another slide featuring Ass and Birdie:

That's right folks, Birdie faced her past! But the bad news is we don't get to see Astarion in this (audio from The Adventurous Adventures of One Direction):

(Video description - Astarion from Baldur's Gate 3 wearing the Wave Mother's Armor with the following audio:

Guard 1: Whoa, check it out.

Guard 2: Hubba hubba hubba.

Gaurd 1: Nice. I love dudes in skirts.

END VIDEO.) I don't want to tell you how many times I recorded that until I felt like I got it right lol. Also yes, I DID do a scum save where I handed the guy over ONCE just so I could see Ass in this outfit, but Birdie did canonically save Redhammer in my actual save file.

And honestly, that's BASICALLY it for now! My most recent save was after that battle, so I need to figure out if Birdie's going to go back with her party to confront the rest of (or most of) the Wave Servants, or if this chapter of her life is closed.

In an ideal world I'd LOVE to make one of those artsy gif edits of my Tav like this and this, but PS5s make it hard to download clips without uploading them to YouTube first which I don't really want to do.

Thank you SO MUCH for this ask, I had a blast writing it!! Sorry it's so long, I just love this game so much and LOVE talking about it. Please feel free to ask more questions OR chat with me about YOUR Tav! I'd love to hear all about them :)

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galebrainrot2024 · 3 months

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Gale x Tav Enemies to Lovers Part 15

Tav's POV - with a slow build, comes the promise of a massive, angsty pay off. Shout out to @thelittlepinkwitchblog and @stuffforthestash for helping me in the brain room and with the lore! Getting back into the rhythm after being away for a week. Had a little block because I'm excited to get to the meat, and in order to enjoy we must savor the build. Enjoy! Content Warning: death/suicide

“Farewell, my friend,” Elminster said, the seriousness in his eyes unmistakable. Tav’s eyes jolted back and forth between the two, heat pricking her cheeks. She felt dizzy, unbalanced by what Elminster was asking - what Mystra, their Goddess was asking.

Had Tav not been studied in magic perhaps the news would have felt less jarring. To use Magic and to be studied in the art was to know lMystra. To be an extension of her. Seeing this knowledge dropped on Gale like his life was frivolous and replaceable repulsed her. It made Tav’s stomach rot. It made her feel the slow creep of a gag at the back of her throat.

Tav looked Gale up and down as he bid his friend, “Fairwell, Elminster. I’m glad she chose you.”

Tav stood, dumbfounded. Just like that - Gale was sending him on his way. As if the message wasn’t what it was from his ex-lover.

Ex-lover. Even the idea of it made her skin creep, it felt like she was covered in black tentacles. She wasn’t naive - it wasn’t unheard of for Gods to have sexual affairs with their devotees. But Gale spoke of his relationship with her as if it was mutual, as if she could see him in the way he saw her, with the same reverence and appreciation.

Thinking about the imbalance of power made Tav grow tight at her seams. Was his naivety invisible to him? Why did Gale give so much of himself to Mystra when she would never do the same? Would never see him as he seemed to need her to.

Tav wondered if Gale had ever felt superior, to have bedded a Goddess. The emotion that broiled within her felt quite the opposite. It felt cold, and lonely.

Tav felt her muscles twitch as the adrenaline surged in full force. Her hair stood on edge. They’d been so vested in finding a cure - in getting to the heart of the Absolute - Tav realized she understood very little about how complicated his relationship with Magic must be.

When he explained his folly about the orb, he had a heavy air about him. A weight that seemed to suffocate him underneath the lie of being unworthy. Tav felt guilt wrap her, remembering how her initial thought was thinking he deserved such a punishment for thinking he knew better than a God. Gale was reaching for an impossible goal. Instead of looking on solid ground he looked above for escape.

Tav couldn’t blame him for that.

In all of their lectures of Gods of course she learned they had dealings with mortals - blessing their chosen with extended life, clerical abilities and that to harness unique powers. Gods taking on mortals as lovers, though was thoroughly glossed over.

Tav finally understood what her father had been saying from the moment she discovered her abilities. He had no magic in his blood, as far as she they knew, so her abilities were a surprise to them both. He rarely spoke about her mother but he didn’t indicate she was gifted.

He told Tav humans were puppets to the Gods. Trifles. Children’s amusements. That if she were to study magic to stay grounded in everything that made her mortal lest she lose herself in the process.

The Gods had no vested interest in individual mortals. Tav had seen it already: Shar and Vlaakith proved as much with Shadowheart and Lae’zel. It was one thing to read about in textbooks, it was another thing entirely to experience. The Gods had as much a vested interest in mortals as the people Wyll tried to polity flirt with along their journey.

Mystra was asking - expecting - Gale to end his life like he was nothing. Tav needed to lie down.

The feelings hit her and splintered through her core like icicles. It made her skin clammy and cold. Often Tav felt it - unworthiness, the same self-deprecation she recognized in Gale. No Wizard in the realms would touch her after her final Blackstaff demonstration, a wound that still wept on occasion. It was so mortifying that Tav sought refuge in anonymity.

Tav gritted her teeth. To Gale, Mystra had been and was everything. Would be everything until his last breath. Even if Mystra the Goddess was nothing to him, Mystra was the Weave, and they were inextricable. Tav began tapping the tips of her fingers together and realized she was standing where the conversation had just been taking place, now alone. Shadowheart and Astarion were whispering, their bodies tilted towards Tav and their eyes shooting away from her when they caught her staring.

“You can’t seriously be considering what he just said?” Tav ignored them and approached Gale, not quite able to match his pace as he started to walk away as if avoiding her and she clasped his arm.

Gale stopped and turned, his eyes dropping to where her fingers gripped, and she felt his muscles tense. “For Mystra to have sent him, the severity of her bidding could not be clearer or weigh more heavily on me.” Gale put a hand on his hip, the other running across his jaw and mouth. “Time seems so infinite when you’re young. A month is an age. A year is a lifetime… it is a strange feeling to realize how little of it one might have left.” He paused for what felt like eternity. “Of course I have to consider it.” Tav felt his body pull closer to hers as he whispered this, his tone laced with solemn regret. “She’s offered the clearest solution to our problem. All I have to do is find the right place and time, close my eyes and let go.” Tav searched Gale’s eyes and they did not meet hers. They seemed to focus beyond on and yet into her all at once. His eyes traced her lips, her hair, but not to meet hers. “The slate will be clean. Wrongs will be righted. The Absolute will be gone.” Tav shuddered, “And I along with it.”

Tav’s breath stuck like glue in her throat and her knees buckled. Sure, she’d be annoyed, angry with Gale even at times.. yet, the possibility of the world no longer including him felt incomprehensible. “We’ll find another way - I’m not going to let you blow yourself up. She can’t ask you to do this - it’s insane!”

Gale’s nostrils flared and he tilted his head to the side and when his gaze met Tav’s she sank into his pupil’s black abyss and saw herself reflected in their severity. “Let’s save such certainties for later. I need time - to process. To think. Excuse me…” Gale sighed and lifted his hand as if to touch her and dropped it as abruptly and turned to walk to his tent.

As they sat around the fire, midday turned to late afternoon and soon the sun dusted the horizon with streaks of mellow purple. They were restless, no one yet confident enough to broach the glaring bulette in the room.

Tav was standing off to the side, chewing on her lip and pulling her amulet back and forth. Tav jumped when she felt the fingers tap her shoulders. “I know that Gale just received some difficult news..” Shadowheart began her long fingers resting delicately on Tav’s shoulder. “We were wondering if we should set up camp. It feels unwise to travel much farther late as it is and I’m afraid we’ve all had quite a bit of wine between us.”

The rest of the companions waved a bit dramatically as Tav glanced over. Ah. They must have nominated Shadowheart to ask for the plan. Tav knew they didn’t have an infinite amount of time. Every hour they wasted was a moment closer to becoming a mindflayer.

“I think it’d be best if we camped for the night. Maybe ask Wyll if he can make dinner… practice for his future dates.” Tav tried to force a smile that didn’t come, her joke landing flat. Shadowheart flipped her hair with a nod, Tav assumed she was glad to escape cooking duty again.

Gale did not emerge from his tent for dinner. Tav didn’t know if she should leave him or check on him. For the rest of the companions the choice would have been easy. With him she questioned every word, every action, mulled it over like an overly complex problem.

Despite the fire before her, Tav shook. Shadowheart leaned forward on her knees, holding her hands up to the heat. Her eyes danced beneath her dark curtains. “I can’t believe Mystra actually expects Gale to just sacrifice himself like that. It seems like a waste of a fine mind if you ask me.”

Murmurs of agreement swept through them and Karlach paced behind those seated, swinging her axe. “Mystra asking Gale to end his life… I mean this is a lot to take in. What do you think he’s going to do?”

Karlach looked expectantly at Tav and Tav shook her head and shrugged quickly, looking away. “Oh… I don’t know. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s of two minds.”

Karlach groaned and swung her axe into the dirt. It landed with a thud and she pulled it out like a knife into cake. “Well, tell him to pick the right one.” Tav felt her cheeks redden.

“He won’t listen to me.” Tav said, pulling at her fingers.

“He doesn’t listen to anyone,” Astation tossed, only mildly interested in the conversation.

“Fine, I’ll do it.” Karlach said, “Fucking wizard’s, man they always need help picking the simple, obvious option. If Mystra can’t think of another way to stop the absolute other than sacrificing Gale, she is no God worth worshipping. I’ll say that to Gale in, you know, gentle terms. Lae’zel, you’re one of our resident experts - what do you think?”

Lae’zel stepped away from sharpening her sword, even she compelled by the visitor in their camp and news to Gale. “Even the Githyanki have heard tell of the sage of Shadowdale. Some of his works have been translated to tir’su.” Lae’zel came to sit by the fire and Shadowheart bristled. “That doesn’t mean his every word carries wisdom. Near as I can tell, Mystra demands Gale’s faith but holds no faith in him.”

“That’s what I’m saying!” Karlach waved her arms towards Lae’zel, her eyes widening as if to say ‘see?’

Lae’zel continued, “Why else would she demand Gale sacrifice himself and perhaps so many others? Does she not think he can destroy the Absolute with his own immense talents?”

“Well I wouldn’t call them immense…” Astarion mumbled under his breath and Tav shot him a nasty look that made even him wither.

“Does she not know the mighty company he keeps?” Lae’zel said, undeterred, “Demanding as Vlaakith may be, she acts for the good of the Gythanki people. Mystra is concerned only for herself. Perhaps he can find forgiveness in a fiery death… but I cannot help but wonder why he’d want it at all.”

Everyone was silent for a moment and Tav stared into the fire as if scrying. “To suffer on the Wall of the Faithless is no fate anyone should want.” Her voice was a whistle that brushed through them. “It’s cruel to ask it of him because she knows he’ll say yes. It’s wicked.”

“I can’t believe Mystra is asking Gale to sacrifice himself,” Astarion agreed, scooting closer to Tav and putting a hand on her knee. She flinched but did not pull away. “It’s just a perfectly good waste of a cult we could be controlling!” Before Tav could scoot away she felt him lurch, Shadowheart nudging him. “And a perfectly good Gale, I suppose.” He said the final part with poorly disguised ambivalence.

Anger simmered in her and Wyll’s calming voice placated her, if marginally. “Listen, I might invoke the triade from time to time and appeal to Helm, but I’m no man of faith. Not like Gale.” Wyll looked at the fire, tossing a stick into it. “I don’t know what drives a man to consider his own death to be an appropriate exchange for his goddesses forgiveness. To me, it all sounds like nonsense.”

“To some of us it’s important.” Shadowheart interjected but Wyll shrugged.

“The faith that matters most is that which you hold in yourself and the ones that most matter to you.” Wyll pointed to his chest and stood, “Big bomb be damned. He’s got everything he needs to defeat the Absolute already. Nerve, and powerful allies at his side. I hope he’ll come to his senses and see that.”

Tav wondered if Gale heard how they spoke of him, how the others seemed to revere him - would they be able to convince him to spare his life even if she could not? The heaviest weight was one of knowing a future she began to see unfold might never come. One that built over years and was reignited by the parasites. Like a planet and moon, destined to be within one another's orbit.

She looked towards Gale's tent and saw him in the darkness, looking directly at her. If she hadn't been looking for him he would have blended into the night. When she spotted him, he held up a hand and offered a half-hearted smile. Although it had yet to pass, she knew then the waters of their relationship threatened to surge violently if they continued to be unaddressed.

#gale of waterdeep #gale dekarios #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 gale #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #gale #bg3 brainrot #gale x tav #gale x tav enemies to lovers #bg3 fanfiction #gale fans

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mumms-the-word · 2 months

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A Faerûnian Masterlist

I write mostly SFW fluff, angst, and adventure fic. Below you'll find plenty of cute moments, witty banters, angsty arguments, action scenes, and the occasional slightly NSFW hint that fades to black.

Contents:

Popular One Shots

Tav/Durge-Specific Fics + Tav/Durge bios

Random Short Fics

Deep Dives in Lore

Ongoing Series (multi-chapter fics)

Click here to read my works on AO3 (where they are also slightly better organized).

Enjoy!

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Popular One-Shots

The things that have been Doing the Notes the most

Choosing to Live - Gale x You/Reader in which Gale struggles with the complicated emotional fallout of not obeying Mystra's command to self-destruct in Moonrise Towers (AO3 link) he is enough - Gale x You/Reader but it's poetic thoughts about how Gale doesn't have to earn your love (AO3) Ascension, Return - Gale x You/Reader where you're witness to Gale's ascension to godhood before he leaves to give the Crown of Karsus to Mystra...and you're a little scared he won't come back. (AO3) Close - Halsin is playing hide and seek with the tiefling children, and Ardynn gets roped into the game. TLDR: trapped in a closet with Halsin (AO3)

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Tav/Durge Fics

Fics arranged by Tav or Durge in mostly chronological order (they're better organized on AO3)

Meridan "Dani" Zavrai

A blue Mephistopheles tiefling bard who prefers her fiddle and a few handy spells over combat. Dani was briefly part of a band of bards called the Merry Rovers, led by a human named Brann who she views as essentially her father figure. She loves to talk her way into and out of trouble, making her silver tongue just as much an asset as it is a hindrance, and she finds it hard to resist the allure of a few gold coins in almost any circumstance. She is deeply devoted to her friends, however, and will defend or support them at the drop of a hat. You can rely on her for a good song, an encouraging word, a hearty laugh, and a healthy dose of Vicious Mockery heaped upon your enemies. Dani fell in love with Gale and the two spend most of their time in witty banter.

AO3 Link to all of Dani's fics in one place! New Friend - 10yo Dani meets a lifelong best friend Abducted - Dani is abducted by the nautiloid Settling In - Dani reflects on her companions and her new place among them Signs Part 1 + Signs Part 2 - Dani teaches the companions a new game (with some light romance angst) The Art of the Night - Gale invites Dani to spend a perfect evening in Waterdeep and Dani reads poetry from The Art of the Night (Im)possible Odds - Gale contemplates fulfilling Mystra's command in Act 2 Reunited Part 1 - Finally back in Baldur's Gate, Dani brings her companions to meet her mother Reunited Part 2 - Several days later, Dani finally finds the Rovers at last An Argument - Dani and Gale do not see eye to eye about the Crown of Karsus A Little Boat Voyage - After their argument, Dani agrees to listen to Gale's plan for the crown...begrudgingly... Siblings -Dani is not pleased at how Rolan is being treated at Sorcerous Sundries (half of this takes place both before "An Argument," and half of it after) New Normal - Dani thinks back on the last six months after their victory over the Netherbrain

Ardynn Harrow

A half-elf ranger whose mother, a wood elf, abandoned her heritage to marry a human man, raising three children in a small clearing in the woods far from society. Ardynn grew up attuned to nature but with a marksman's talent for hunting. She views the world as an extension of nature's laws, of survival, and of balance, and she views herself as just one tiny part. To her, all life (animals, mortals, and otherwise) has value and should be treated with respect, but she also believes in survival and is a crackshot with a bow after years of hunting to feed her family. Just because you respect something doesn't mean you have to kneel to it and bare your neck, after all. She is unused to being in highly populated society but her desire to help others overcomes her anxiety about large crowds, busy streets, and labyrinthine cities. Ardynn had a crush on Halsin as soon as she met him and to this day is amazed that out of everyone in the camp (or the world), she was the one to catch and keep his attention.

AO3 Link to all of Ardynn's fics in one place! Starstruck - Ardynn meets a certain very famous Archdruid Close - Halsin is playing hide and seek with the tiefling children, and Ardynn gets roped into the game Healing - Several scenes over the course of the game of times that Halsin has healed Ardynn More That I Want... - Ardynn emerges from the Ketheric-Myrkul fight to find Halsin waiting for her in the throne room Release - Ardynn struggles to cope with the stress of events in Baldur's Gate, but Halsin has a solution Drowning - Ardynn faces her worst fear in the underwater prison of the Iron Throne New Normal - Ardynn has some news to share with Halsin (part of the same post as Dani's, Ardynn's is second)

Freyr

A bloodthirsty human fighter who gets as much pleasure out of cleaving his greatsword through someone's skull as he does supporting his best friends in their endeavors. Freyr is a tall, buff, handsome Dark Urge who thinks with his sword before anything else. He doesn't talk much and is often mistaken for being morbidly stupid thanks to his irrational behavior and terse words, but he knows who to rely on when making difficult decisions and he's a surprisingly adept strategist on the battlefield. He also happens to be Faerûn's biggest hype man, that is, if you're pursuing personal dreams that lead to you having loads of awesome power. Just tell him who to murder on your path to success and you can consider it done. It was love at first sight for Freyr when he met Minthara, and whether he decided to rule the world in Bhaal's name or defeat the Netherbrain instead, he's making it his life's mission to make sure Minthara is there to rule beside him.

AO3 Link to all of Freyr's fics in one place! Clarity - Freyr seeks Minthara fight in battle, and if he wasn't in love before, he sure is now Slayer - Freyr tests out a new power Hope - Freyr likes exactly one NPC in the game and her name is Hope In Your Name - Freyr and Minthara discuss their future and Minthara gives him a new name

Invi

A high elf storm sorcerer, she is a mystery even to herself. At the start of her story, she knows almost nothing about her past, not even her own name, using the initials she finds carved on a pendant as inspiration for what people should call her. Plagued by dark urges that tempt her to kill and maim others, she has a hard time determining what is the "right" thing to do, resulting in more than a few mistakes with big consequences. She is a quiet, observant woman who frequently seeks others' wisdom on matters, viewing everyone's opinions and suggestions equally, and she has an uncanny knack for scientific study and realistic art that hint at some of the dark past she has yet to remember. She fell easily to Astarion's charms early on, but over time the bond they share deepens into a rich, enduring love as they seek answers for the mysteries in their lives and put an end to the forces that would seek to control them.

AO3 Link to all of Invi's fics in one place! Awakening - Invi awakens on the ravaged beach and gives herself a new name Together - Invi reflects on how nice Wyll is (it's a Wyll appreciation post okay) Devil's Deal - Invi makes a deal with Raphael: one name in exchange for another

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Posts with short fics for all or most of my Tavs/Durges on this list

Four Shared Baths - Dani, Ardynn, Invi, and Freyr share a bath with their LI...results vary Songs and Lyrics - A few songs/lyrics that inspired little bit scenes for Ardynn, Dani, and Invi First Confessions - The first time my Tavs/Durges said "I love you" to their LI

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Deep Dives

Long posts that sparked my hyperfixation and had me red-string-theory connecting lore dots until I landed on a narrative that made sense in my head

Gale and Mystra (and Mystra, and Mystra...) - Meta post that dives into Forgotten Realms lore to discuss Mystra's multiple lives/deaths, how Gale fits into the timeline, when Mystra visited Gale, etc Shadow Curse Events series - Meta posts that dive into Ketheric's descent into Sharran zealotry (Part 1), his war against the Harpers and Druids (Part 2), and the first 40 days of the shadow curse (Part 3). Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

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Ongoing Series

Below are the multi-chapter fics I'm currently working on, along with a short summary.

A Macabre Masquerade

Plot: One year after defeating the Netherbrain and saving the city, Dani and Gale receive a mysterious invitation to a masquerade ball. The invitation specifically invites them to participate as the Heroes of Baldur's Gate. However, when they get there, they soon realize they aren't the only Heroes of Baldur's Gate that got invited. Characters/Pairings: Yes. All of them. Jk, but the core 8 companion + Tav/Durge romances are featured, also with some companion + companion romances implied or referenced A/N: This fic brings together multiple Tavs/Durges in one place, including Tavs designed and played by some of my friends, but is written from the perspective of my current favorite Tav, Dani. AO3 Link Ch. 1 - An Invitation Ch. 2 - Getting Ready Ch. 3 - Donning the Masks Ch. 4 - The Gang's All Here Ch. 5 - Mirrors Ch. 6 - For My Next Trick... Ch. 7 - A Danse Macabre

#bg3 #bg3 fic #bg3 fanfic #bg3 fanfiction #my fic #oc #gale #gale dekarios #astarion #halsin #minthara #bg3 companions #dani #meridan zavrai #ardynn #ardynn harrow #invi #freyr #baldur's gate 3

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mslanna · 3 months

Text

Almost Doesn't Count

Chapter 23 of Be My Guest now on AO3

In which Raphael inopportunely fails to use his single brain cell, Tav gets s big dose of Should Have Seen That Coming and MsLanna fucks lore five ways from Friday before running for the hills.

To Tav's surprise, answers to their letters arrive. Gale sends a whole sheaf detailing everything that happens in Waterdeep. Untouched by the destruction that ravaged Baldur's Gate, life there is easy. His tower stands, Tara forgave his long absence. He fills pages with anecdotes about his students. The gifted ones he functions as a warning to. And the less talented ones he guides onwards with unwavering support and patience.

He ends with a flamboyant and heartfelt invitation, promising to host Tav whenever and for however long they want.

Of course Tav accepts. They will visit, as soon as they can, as long as they want and see his new life, watch him teach and wield magic. All places are equally far from home if you can use a portal to get there.

Astarion wrote less excessive about what went on in Baldur's Gate. He still looks for a way to walk under the sun again and Tav’s heart hurts for him. They cannot wait to follow the slimmest of leads with him. Soon. Once their little problem is taken care off, his is next.

It’s a comforting thought and as solid a plan for the future as Tav can currently conceive of. They will do absolutely everything. At once. It is easier to think about what they will do once Mephistopheles is dead than worrying constantly about the battles and possibility of losing.

Lae'zel's letters read like update reports on her campaign against Vlaakith. Tav takes to drawing little maps and diagrams to keep things partly straight. It occupies time and lets their answers appear not utterly incoherent.

Wyll confirms Tav’s intel that the devils of Avernus leave him and Karlach alone, which doesn't keep Karlach from not leaving them alone. She has a shit list a mile long and with nobody stopping her, she goes hog wild. The main repercussion seen to be offers to fix her infernal engine to get her out of Avernus again. So far, no luck.

There are even a few lines from Karlach who doesn't want to say much because she's sure Raphael reads every word.

It's something Tav hasn't even considered. They discard the thought quickly again as well. On the one hand, they wouldn't mind. On the other hand, they don't believe he'd do it. The stuttering exchange of words with the outside world fills some of the hole Haarlep left behind.

And Tav can't keep away completely. But the visits are short. They brim with unease and the incubus has more fun things to do than endure the awkwardness between them.

Haarlep themselves shrugged the incident off completely. Nothing in their behaviour indicates they cashed in on their friend, if Tav ever was one, for their own advancement. Only natural, they call it and ask Tav to return the favour any time. But for the human it is a breach that runs deep and keeps them teetering.

And then, just like that, the time has come. Tension that rose over days peaks and submerges the House of Hope. Anticipation and exhilaration run rampant. Everybody balances on the knife's edge – dominance or defeat, the decision looms.

"It is not the end, my love," Raphael keeps assuring Tav that clings to him, "but the beginning. Everything will change but for the better. Have a little confidence in the future – or at least in me. Would I attempt this if I could not prevail?"

Tav shakes their head, rubbing it against the fabric of his doublet. The colours are subtly changed – darker, less blue, more red. Change is heralded in their devil's looks as much as everything else.

"Then let us prepare for the final victory over my father." Raphael drops a kiss onto Tav's head and pushes them away a little. In the gained space, hellfire embraces his change into fiend form.

Tav sighs and can't help but smile. He is resplendent. They run loving fingers over the blackened bones encasing golden hellfire. Raphael is a glorious beast in this form and they regret they didn't get to see him fight like this except as opponent.

The three-skulled head lowers to them, it's mane of fire wafting behind. So close to him the air smells of hot iron and dead ashes. Tav inhales deeply as they place a hand against the white bone.

The final "adieu" is already reverberating in Tav's bones but they don't want to spill it. So they climb onto the bed instead to stand next to the crown of Karsus. Their fingers follow the familiar black lines of Raphael's chest unwilling to let go. Such a foolish longing and yet overpowering.

"Can I come with you?" they ask, longing dilating their eyes and words.

"Of course, you can," Raphael replies gently. "Will you die if you do?"

Tav averts their eyes and wipes at them angrily. "Yes," they breathe. Yes, I will."

"Stay then." Black claws pinch Tav's jaw and gently turn it to face the devil. "Be safe as you always were and I will be back."

Tav bites their lips and shores up their tears for later. There is a battle that has to be fought. They pick up the crown that never felt this heavy in their hands before. But this was the last time for a while. If all went well. Which it would. It had to. There would be a break, time to breathe after this.

"Adieu mein Herz, ich kann dich nicht begleiten." Tav's voice breaks and they cannot continue. "Promise me you come back,” they breathe instead.

"I promise." The long tongue lolls out of the snout, licking over Tav's face. "For you."

Tav presses a last kiss on their devil before he turns and leaves.

The air leaves with him and Tav crumbles on the vast bed. Maybe they should have asked for a spot of stasis just to be numb while time passes anyway. Instead it is up to them once more. They scald their skin in the bath, feeling the full expanse of their body, crab red and hurting in an explicable pain that can be controlled.

The soft sheets are scarping on the sensitive skin after wards, another physical experience to overpower the brain. And the pillows and sheets still smell of Raphael and that must be comfort enough.

They wake and wander the House of Hope. The archivist is rearranging the items on display.

"Raphael will bring more treasured items with him from Mephistar," he says. "He will find the archive well prepared."

Tav stares at the empty pedestal where the Orphic Hammer once lay. It makes sense. Raphael has to know the vaults of his father, at least to an extent. There must be things in there he lusted after for centuries.

They watch the bustle for a while before they meander on. But the House of Hope is only so big. Inevitably, Tav ends up in the boudoir. The world calms for the duration it takes them to reach the bed from the entrance. A familiar calm not yet disturbed by a familiar face.

"Will you not stay?" Haarlep asks and pats the sheets beside them. "One last time."

Tav feels the irresistible pull of the incubus. They yield and climb onto the huge bed, sitting at the headboard next to the incubus. Haarlep wraps a protective wing around them and silence falls.

"I will remember you," Haarlep finally says. "When this is all over and long gone; when humans are distant memories and Faerûn a mythical country that exists only in legends told by molluscs. That's more than most humans get. Just so you know."

Tav leans against them with a sigh. It means nothing. Maybe it means something in the grand game that is life. But they recognise an outstretched hand when they see one. "I hope the molluscs are smarter than me and see through your machinations then."

"Oh, they wont." The incubus laughs. "But, as you were, they will be happy for the duration of the game. Me, a generous dispenser of happiness. Isn't that something?"

"Your happiness doesn't come without a cost," Tav murmurs. "It comes with strings attached."

"Oh, sweet little mouse, every happiness does." Haarlep wraps an arm around Tav's shoulder. "There is only one story and that story is that somebody has to leave first. You have to die one death in the end. And so many smaller ones in advance. Take your pleasure where you can."

"The way you do?"

"I decided when to leave first." Their tone is light. "It makes everything so much more convenient."

"But then it turns into a race. A race to leave first." Tav shakes their head. It's no way they want to live. "That race knows only losers."

Unthinking they peck Haarlep on the cheek before extracting themself from their wing and climbing off the bed.

Tav wanders into the library. Infernal will stay in integral part of their life and there is always more to learn. Those devils turned their language into a weapon and Tav doesn't plan to cut themself publicly.

It's unclear how many devils know or suspect Tav understands. They keep their head down and their mouth shut as yet. But one day all the hells will know. By then, Tav intends to have mastered at least sentences of medium length that are acceptably complicated in grammar.

It doesn't matter that Tav can't really concentrate. They repeat every paragraph as often as necessary. When their head hurts and the eyes start to droop, Tav folds their arms over the book, places their head on them, and closes their eyes. It's uncomfortable. But the alternative it to start studying again.

The door doesn't bang open. The fiend entering, closes it as deliberately again and strides towards Tav with confident, measured steps. The human raises their head, sleepy befuddlement replaced slowly with recognition. They beam and climb onto their desk to rise closer to their devil's height.

"Raphael."

The whisper is a prayer and an affirmation. The skulls grin back and for a moment the tongue lolls out of the central one. Long claws mesh into soft fingers as he leans down to touch his forehead against Tav's. It lasts only a moment before the human wraps their arms around the incandescent body.

Then the devil straightens, lifting Tav off the desk and they wrap their legs around his waist. "You're back," Tav murmurs against the hot bone. "It is over."

"Es ist Vollbracht." The words rumble through Tav's body in an avalanche of safety. Burning wings close around them and the towering figure makes its way through the House of Hope, cradling its prize close. Victory is to be celebrated. The library won't do.

Tav snuggles against him like a cool centre to his world. Finally all his. Finally safe. Nothing but a lavish feast will do to herald this state of perfection. When he unwraps the wing-made cocoon a little, Tav looks up and meets his muzzle with soft lips. He has hells to bring to heel and order, but this takes precedence.

# # #

Avernus is lacking in sunrises. Tav wakes anyway. The room is also lacking in Raphael but they will cut him some slack. He won a decisive battle and made time to spend with them afterwards instead of politicking. They stretch feeling the welcome soreness throughout their body.

For a golden intermezzo, they stay under the blanket, engulfed in the warmth and lingering smell of Raphael. Then they jump up. The rest of their life awaits. And it looks utterly glorious.

The door to his study stands open when Tav emerges from their suite. They peer inside and Raphael cuts the conversation with the attending three devils short. He smiles and Tav wonders how long it was since last they saw him him this relaxed. Secure in himself and his life. To think that their safety meant so much to him, made Tav's heart skip. They allow their body to follow suit and bounce into the study.

Their devil rises to meet them halfway around the desk. "Recovered?" he asks and his index finger gently pries Tav's collar from their throat to reveal a crescent of angry red teeth marks framing their shoulder. "You should have said something.

Tav smiles. The bite hums in a circle around their shoulder, saturated with luxurious memories. "I did." They capture the devils hand and press a kiss on his knuckles. "Not sure about the precise wording, but I am certain 'please' was involved."

"It was indeed." Raphael reluctantly retracts his hand. "What do you need?"

"To know what happen." Tav steps into his personal space. "To know how he died."

"It will be my pleasure." With a swift motion, he sits them on the desk, fingers tracing their face. "Where to begin. We fought a long and hard battle before we reached his palace. My father holed up in the end, maybe hoping for a siege.

"But his home was my home as well. And children will build their own secrets, unsupervised, neglected, ignored. Underestimated." He says the last word with a deep satisfaction. And Tav smiles up at him, enchanted, happy, at home. He traces their lip with his thumb. As it should be.

"Mephistopheles had nowhere to hide. Nowhere to run that I could not access. His last, most loyal guards, I slayed before his eyes all but one who I turned, right under my father's nose, took trusted loyalty and made it mine." The memory is sweet on his lips, a moment to savour for eternity.

"He was at my mercy. Bargaining as all devils will. You should have seen it. The great Mephistopheles, brought low by a cambion." The surge of power he felt then echoes through Raphael. "He offered me anything, everything I wanted in exchange for his life."

"My contract?" Raphael looks down at the human’s hopeful eyes.

"Of course." The curve of Tav's face is soft in his palm. Of course his father offered the contract. One of his last trumps. One that didn't save him in the end. "He offered me everything I had already taken by force. Offered me fealty even, to reverse our roles. And I will not lie, I did consider it. To have him at my disposal, at my mercy for however long it takes for me to tire of it."

He smiles and kisses Tav's forehead. "Then I thought of you and he received and undeservedly quick and painless end.”

"Thank you." The tremor in Tav's voice burrows deep into his chest. "So it is finally over."

"It is." Raphael wraps an arm around them. "You are safe now. I won't let anybody hurt you."

"And I promise not to sell my soul again." Tav snorts slightly and looks up at him with a lopsided grin.

"Don't worry, that can't happen."

"Can't?" Tav leans back further for a better view.

Raphael slips his index finger under their chin. "You already sold your soul, remember?"

"Yes, but Mephistopheles I dead. The contract is void."

"Unless," Raphael smiles, “the devil is killed by another devil. And that devil decides to uphold the former commitment. Your soul is in safe hands."

Tav's face freezes, then a furrow creeps over their brow. "You took my contract?"

"Of course."

Tav doesn't reply. For a long while they just stare at him. Of course. There is nothing of course about this. They were meant to be free. Mephistopheles' death was meant to free them. Not bind them to somebody else. Not even Raphael.

"Why?" they finally ask.

It is Raphael's turn to be dumbstruck. He looks down at the little mouse, finally well and truly caught. Finally all his. What answer do they expect when this has been their truth from the day they stayed with him in his House of Hope? "To keep it safe, of course. To keep you safe."

"I am safe." Tav shakes their head. "Here with you and in Faerûn."

"So you plan to go back."

"Of course. I want to visit all my friends and help them if I can. I left a life behind and I want it back." Tav blinks and breathes deeply. "The House of Hope is my home, I think of this," they gesture around, "as my home. I will always come back."

The news doesn't go down well and Gale's words echo in Tav's mind. They reach up to cup the devil's face with one hand. "Just as you always come back. I love you and I am yours – body, heart and mind."

"But not soul."

Silence falls and Tav tries to wrangle their uproar of emotions. This is not how it is to go. This is all wrong. They need to get through to Raphael, but their words are slipping through their mind like snakes through sand.

"You want to be here," Raphael finally says. It is only half a question.

"Yes."

"With me."

"Yes!"

"As it was before. Willingly. Body, heart, and mind."

"Yes." Tav murmurs. Hope flares up that they are finally getting somewhere. "But I never wanted to be bound to you by a contract!"

"What difference does it make?"

Tav stares at him, looks at the devil they know as if they see him for the first time. He sees no difference. To love is to possess and if that is impossible to obsess. "If you don't know, I don't think I can explain it to you."

The wobble of their lip is quelled by Tav biting down on it hard. They taste blood but it is a welcome counterpoint to the tears rising in their eyes.

"You are mine," the words fall from his lips hard and final. "You want to be mine."

Tav shakes their head. "Not like that, not like a – a thing. I wanted to be yours but like a commitment, not like a possession." They draw themself up with a long sigh. "If I have to spend eternity here after my death, I better go and see something else until then."

Their shoulders hunch up yet Tav turns away anyway. "Goodbye, Raphael."

The words are soft lest their voice break and Tav walks out of the study with measure steps. They don't turn around or stop until they reach the foyer, calling up the portal to Baldur's Gate. Casting a last, blurred glance around their home, Tav steps into the darkness.

#bg3 #bg3 raphael #raphael x tav #bg3 fanfiction #mel writes fanfic #be my guest #chapter 24 #sleazy second-hand car dealer

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mybg3notebook · 3 years

Text

The Party Scene

Disclaimer Game Version: All these analyses were written up to the game version v4.1.104.3536 (Early access). As long as new content is added, and as long as I have free time for that, I will try to keep updating this information. Written in June 2021.

In these “scene posts” I will explore the scene of the title looking for the information in the dialogues. What I will be looking for is how much Gale “lies”, how much lore is provided, and any extra detail that may be of our interest to highlight. At the end of these posts there are summary points for those who don't want to read the whole post.

Additional disclaimers about meta-knowledge and interpretations in this (post) while disclaimers about Context in this (one).

The party scene, I personally think, needs plenty of polishing. The fact that many characters can have a "jealous" behaviour towards Tav no matter their approval looks suspicious to me. Gale's case is even weirder because if Tav did not romanced him at all, Gale will still share those judgemental comments that seem to come from jealousy, as well as strange dialogue options about “being a bad loser” when the context is not romantic at all. This would make some sense—to a certain extent—if Tav romanced him, but if Tav locked him as a friend, it has no purpose. Especially if Tav explores the option of suggesting him to spend the night together, which ends with Gale rejecting the situation because "they are just good companions" after such display of incoherent jealousy coming from a char who values privacy (and therefore would not meddle into Tav's personal affairs). It seems to contradict his character and therefore, it makes me suspect that the whole party scene is just very raw and unpolished in general.

As I said, the party interaction is very confusing since it doesn't follow the relationship context created by Tav, and in Gale's case looks inconsistent with his char as well, inviting a strong misinterpretations of his character (this is probably a consequence of the decision of making Gale part of EA in the last moment). So this scene analysis may be a bit messy since the scenes are messy too (hence this post's length. I'm sorry).

Whether Gale was locked into friendship or romance, Gale drops his famous line:

As they say in Waterdeep: In wine there is truth. That's usually followed by: In water there is good sense. Good sense will have to wait till the morrow.

A great warning line from a narrative point of view: he is basically saying that what will be shared that day under the effect of wine is true, but it certainly won't be "good sense".

In a friendship path, he would not want to waste Tav's time any longer, and will bid them a good night while promising a bed-story the next day. In that case, the wine line could be interpreted as the final decision of a confession that will happen the next day: Gale has finally reached a degree of trust in Tav that gives him enough courage to finally speak about the details of the "orb" (and I emphasise details because in broader aspect, he already shared what's most important: the "orb" in his chest is a dangerous thing. If Tav assisted with his death protocol, this is undeniable by now, unless Tav allowed him to keep his privacy).

In a romantic path, this wine line could be interpreted as the decision of inviting Tav to share a night, and explaining the details in the morning, the “good sense”. After the wine phrase, we have other piece of prose in which Gale describes a book that it's a bit more than a sexual book:

Gale: Allow me to make the following proposition: there is a book that circulates in Amn, detailing the first thousand nights of a newly-wed king and queen. They turned everything they did into an art. The art of conversation. The art of taste, time honoured and newly acquired. The art of the body. The exploration and acceptance of the self and the other. The art of the night itself. I say we take a page from their book.

Considering that Gale is not only a verbose char, but also a poet and a scholar, the enumeration of the concepts in the description of the book speaks a lot in my opinion. Gale is not inviting Tav to a night of sex (let's remember he never uses that word in EA) but to a deeper degree of "intimacy", as he calls it. There is a lot more involved in what he asks for: confessions in the art of conversation, pleasures in the art of the body, and, hopefully, acceptance. For Gale, acceptance is a big deal: it’s not by chance that he left it last in the enumeration, summarising the whole concepts with the "art of the night". Gale is truly eager to access these concepts, and in doing so, I personally believe he shows a fair level of naivety on this matter. It seems (especially later with his unpolished arguments in the morning) he felt he needed this level of intimacy—of acceptance first—so he could speak the details openly. He wants to have this night before any confession because he thinks that it would allow him to acquire something that would prevent the abandonment that he viscerally fears: acceptance.

Any of the options taken by Tav keeps showing his eagerness. He wants this to happen in whatever terms Tav desires: as a brand new experience (“blank slates on blank sheets”) or with the promise of commitment (writing the prequel of a newly-wed couple). Or if Tav romanced Gale and then chose to spend the night with another companion, Gale will still insist in sleeping together, showing he was open for Tav to have casual sex as long as the "commitment" part would be established with him. This is reinforced by the fact that, if Tav never shared the Weave with Gale, there is no way to sleep with him: Gale is not a character for one-stand nights. He craves for deep connection, for commitment, in whatever fashion he can get it. Mystra taught him not to ask about exclusivity after all.

Gale is so desperate to have this deep connection that if Tav doubts about spending the night with him, he will drop a line which can trigger an alarm in the player:

Tav: I'm not sure you're the one I want. Gale: That's because you've yet to find out what you're missing. Doubt is a spoilsport. Cast it aside.

Gale, the scholar, the one who kept encouraging Tav to doubt and to think critically about everything, suggests to dismiss doubts. Once more we see he needs this to happen. Some players interpret this as manipulation as well. I personally think this also says something else in Gale: since the dev's notes show no second intentions in the only two scenes where dev's notes existed, and instead, they display how much fear Gale has for a second abandonment, Gale is showing here his inexperience with relationships as well as a constant fear for abandonment.

Gale is looking for commitment, for something that can last longer than Mystra's affair did: he wants something solid, but his inexperience in this field made him "acquire" knowledge of how things should work via romanticized means such as books and poetry. In his mind, the acceptance he needs can only be acquired due to the "art of the night", very well detailed in this book he describes.

It's true that, all this part, if we completely ignore the narrative weight that the book has for a book-based character such as Gale, can be interpreted as Gale manipulating Tav to have sex alone; desperate to obtain it, doing everything in order to get it. We can also see the description of the book as a “bait”, as some people do. It's a valid interpretation, especially for a Tav who respected Gale's privacy during the Loss Scene and the protocol, so that Tav has no information with which to connect the dots. But I personally find it an over-magnification to see him as a "mastermind of manipulation". The few dev's notes we have about Gale seem to confirm that nothing shadier than his “orb” despair and his fear for abandonment are going on. These fears are constantly echoing in his mind, and they are, as I said in other posts, the main reasons why he becomes emotional and prone to make mistakes.

Is this action manipulative? It can be seen as “withholding information” by any Tav who didn't push him to explain, otherwise, all the information in a general way has been offered already and there is no withholding at all. Is Gale a manipulative character? In EA we don't see a pattern of that behaviour to qualify him as such. He has been quite honest, explaining in all scenes what he can say and what he cannot, drawing his boundaries clean and clear. We saw him struggling with the explanation of what he lost. The few Dev's notes reinforce mainly his fear for abandonment, lacking any manipulative behaviour behind his actions. His pattern, in my opinion, is that he tends to make mistakes in his emotional state, which is mostly triggered by the “orb” and the concept of “abandonment”. Not so much with Mystra per ser. He seems to be nostalgic but more aware of what loving a God causes (his regret is explicit during the conversation of Karsus). He is quite done with "her love as a lover", but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to be forgiven nor he doesn't love her as the essence of Magic itself. More details in the post of "Mystra and her Chosen ones".

After the party, Tav can have a romantic conversation before the sex “intimacy” or can reject the chance. What seems incoherent in this part is when Tav is not in the mood for sex, and Gale simply cuts off the situation. He is a character who craves connection and intimacy, and pretty much like Wyll, he needs a bond before stepping into romance. To waste a night of celebration that could be used to share any other level of intimacy (let's say, talking? The man clearly LOVES to talk) seems strange. If this reaction is truly meant to be in the game, it would seem that he certainly was more desperate for sex than what all the previous scenes hinted, but in that case it would have done little sense to leave the tale of the wizard for the next night. Gale already knew Tav did not want to have sex, so no point in delaying the explanation of the details. I personally suspect these incoherences are a consequence of Gale being added into EA at the last moment, making him more “shadier” than he is meant to be.

To justify my opinion that this seems to be an unpolished scene: if Gale is not romanced, and conditions are given, Lae'Zel will spend the night with him, talking. Why would Gale prefer to share a night of talks with a companion with whom he had not the Weave connection before, but he won't do it with a Tav who shared it? I see some incongruence here, probably as the result of being added into the EA in a rush. His scenes are less polished and much more messier than the other companions' (certainly not more than Wyll, though) and his bugs and triggering priority show it.

This part is also seen as "coercive" by some players:

Tav: I’m sorry, but I actually don’t think I can do this. I’m just not in the mood. Gale: Not even a simple kiss would change your mind? Tav: No, it wouldn’t.

Tav: Maybe a kiss was enough Gale: Are you sure? One kiss is like one chord in an entire symphony. It begs for more.

Gale: (disapproval) What a pity. One should never be afraid to live life to the fullest. Before we part.. I know there are many things about me that remain shrouded in mystery. You’ve been very patient with me, and I appreciate that. You’ve brought me back from the grey shores of death. You know of my condition, and you know about my unfortunate efforts to win Mystra’s favour, but those are but the broad strokes. The time has come to paint you the true picture. So come find me another night, yes? No kisses, just words. (Leaves)

Asking seems to be coercive for some people just because there is a disapproval. I personally separate very clearly what Tav sees and receives as information from the NPCs and what I, the player, do. Tav should react to what they see, but the player is having a “meta-knowledge” of the situation with the info of the narrator and the approval system. The player knows Gale is disappointed in not having intimacy now, and he expresses it. Then he behaves completely natural, and continues talking (of course) about what he will explain about in the following morning (I don't understand what impedes him to say it in that moment: is it the wine? He fears his charisma checks are at a disadvantage due to the wine? Is it just a reflection of the rush in which he was added to the game? We will see in the full release. To me it looks inconsistent.)

Anyways. The scene continues in the early morning or simply the next night depending on what option Tav picked. Here, Gale presents the details of the revelation: “It is a story full of answers long overdue. It is a story of a man who fell in love with a goddess.”

Tav: You're really about to tell me about another lover? What's wrong with you? Gale :I couldn’t do it before. I couldn’t ruin the chance for us to happen. You were there. How could I say no to you? Dev's notes: Gale revealed he was in love with Mystra. He tells this the morning after. Understandably, the player can react negatively to his timing. He tries to explain himself.

This line clearly shows that there was an intention in hiding the relationship he had with Mystra, which it's an “answer long overdue” (is it?). Now, some players consider this the proof of Gale's manipulations; the greatest betrayal, because people are entitled to know all the details of their partner's past before sleeping with them. Other players consider that it's in poor taste to disclose this exactly the morning after sharing the night with Gale. And I agree. However, I see a scene with a lot of over-magnifications and making things more problematic than they truly are. In my opinion, “the chance for us to happen” is deeply linked to the book of Amn for all the reasons explained before. It's not by chance that this book has such a weight in the scene. Gale also shows with this line that he has no experience nor idea how relationships develop.

I also think that Gale fails so much in delivering decent lines in this scene because, 1) this is a very unpolished text in EA, or 2) this is very on purpose, emphasising that Gale is ready to speak about the two topics that turn him into an emotional disaster and his word choices could be attributed to as someone failing many charisma checks. Maybe that's the intention.

If Tav considers this the greatest of the betrayals they can tell him to leave and Gale will not resist the rejection, leaving the party immediately and facing one of his biggest fears: Abandonment. And once more, the abandonment as a consequence of his own mistake. The irony of this path.

If Tav allows him to explain, Gale will accept any "judgement after telling his story". This is something very related to Gale's approvals: to have a complete grasp of a situation, you need to have all the evidence, hear all the details of the event, before drawing a conclusion. And curiously, no matter what aggressive option Tav picks, Gale gives no disapproval unless he is forced to leave the party. So, after some dramatic reaction, Gale will try to proceed with the telling.

Tav: It’s clear as day you are talking about yourself, you know Gale: I know, but a bit of narrative distance will make it all so much easier in the telling. Indulge me.

From here, Gale gives Tav another courtesy gesture: to pick the version in which this will be explained. He clarifies that the long version, more pompous and verbose and in third person, is the one he would prefer due to the distance. Since the first meeting on the road, or the stew scene, passing through the Loss Scene, we see this pattern again: Gale, the character who always has a lot of things to speak about, has also topics that are difficult to explain and needs to use narrative tricks to do it. Not by chance he is a reserved person: those topics he can't talk about are always personal.

Long version

Gale: Once upon a time, not quite that long ago, there lived a wizard in a tower. The wizard was what one might call a prodigy, who from an early age could not only control the Weave, but compose it, like a musician or a poet. Such was his skill that it earned him the attention of the mother of magic herself. The Lady Of Mysteries, Mystra.

Tav: What did Mystra’s attention feel like? Gale: Love. Dev's Notes: nostalgic, regretful, bitter, sad, lost romance–all with a bit of hesitation on the front of the line. Tav :He sounds like a very talented individual Gale: He was. Even though it was in Mystra’s affections that his true power lay. Tav: Teacher’s pet, was he? Gale: He fancied himself much more than that. He fancied himself favoured above all others.

These three options give interesting additional information: Gale was convinced that Mystra's attention was love, because he was young and naive. He is now very aware that his talent meant little, because the true power he had was in Mystra's affections, meaning in being a loved Chosen one. He fancied himself unique, as a Chosen would do.

Gale: Perhaps it was not quite love, Dev's Notes: A little embarrassed Gale: but you see, the wizard was but a very young man. It was most certainly love to him. Mystra showed him the secrets behind the veils. The gossamer veils first, draped across the Weave. The delicate veils next, draped across her body. ‘Chosen One’ she whispered, as she slipped them off completely.

This is another fragment with interesting, yet disturbing lines: Gale now, as a narrator, questions if that past feeling was Love. He has matured his sentiments for Mystra, they are less "teenager-like". He is convinced that in the past it was love to him, implying that now he has doubts (concept reinforced once more by the end of the scene). The disturbing line is the definition of "very young man", which I will talk about in the post of "Gale Hypotheses- Part 1", section: "Grooming".

Tav: The veils draped across the Weave? Gale: Indeed. What most wizards perceive is but the ripple of the Weave’s surface. Untold wonders lie beyond. I enjoyed them for a while, as we enjoyed each other.

Once more, in these details, the narrative reinforces how intense is the connection of Mystra with a Chosen one. Again, this is lore information. Chosen ones have a deep connection with Mystra/the Weave/Magic, which is unique. More on this matter can be read in the post about "Mystra and her Chosen ones".

Gale: One day all too soon, the whispers stopped. The goddess spurned the mortal. The veils were drawn once more, and the wizard was left behind heartbroken.

Tav: Poor wizard Gale: Poor wizard. Silly wizard too, for he wouldn’t take no for an answer Tav: What happened next? // I hate to say it, but he really could have seen this coming Gale: He was blinded by love. Good stories are rife with lovers’ follies after all. Tav: Perhaps she, like you, had other lovers she didn’t tell him about. Gale : She might well have had, but that didn’t stop the wizard from trying to reclaim her affections.

Gale: Like so many of the heartbroken, he did something infinitely foolish. One has to think big if one seeks to win back a goddess. So the wizard thought big. [Here he explains all about Karsus who] sought to usurp the goddess of magic so that he could become a god himself. He almost managed but not quite, and his entire empire – Netheril – came crashing down around him as he turned to stone. The magic unleashed that day was phenomenal, rolling like the prime chaos that outdated creation. A fragment of it was caught and sealed away in a book. No ordinary book, mind you; a tome of gateways that contained within it a bubble of Astral Plane. It was a fragment of primal Weave locked out of time – locked away from Mystra herself. ‘What if’, the silly wizard thought. ‘What if after all this time, I could return this lost part of herself to the Goddess?”

Another part of the scene that keeps giving us a lot of information: Gale is very aware now how silly he was in his youth (at this point, one can almost remember his words during Arabella's quest: she is not innocent but that doesn't mean she is guilty) and his past young self was unable to take a no as an answer (which apparently Gale learnt very well when before this revelation or after, Tav can reject him and he simply leaves the party without putting much resistance, despite knowing that Tav only has a fragment of the big picture). The other answer reinforces his blindness by this strange concept that Gale thought it was love, and pretty much uses the word Folly for describing or making an analogy with his past, which again, it's not a casual word: Folly is a formal way to say stupidity and it's also a word that Gale uses to compare his mistake with Karsus' folly. As an extra, the last answer seems to explain very much what he does when Tav romanced him and then slept with another companion. Details of this in the post "Gale Hypotheses- Part 2", section: "Proposition to Cheat".

Short version:

This version is shorter and more into the point without an excess of dramatic details that may end up annoying Tav more than making the process of comprehension better. The short version makes much more clear where Gale is standing: the facts are presented without his typical pattern of embellishing the story.

Gale: […] I am what one might call a wizard prodigy, who from an early age could not only control the Weave, but compose it like a virtuoso. Such was my skill that it earned me the attention of Mystra herself. I soon fell in love with her, and she returned my affections. […] Before long Mystra tired of me. What was I, after all, but a mortal plaything in sacred hands? You have to realise I was heartbroken. I was a young man, she was my first love. I thought it would last forever.

This part reinforces once more that he is very aware that a relationship with a goddess was very unbalanced, that Mystra was his first love, he was a young man, and he thought it would last forever.

For completion's sake, the goblin version has a different introduction:

Gale: Let's just get this over with. No doubt you've guessed by now there was something rather special about my relationship with the goddess Mystra. The thing is, we were lovers once. I am what one might call a wizard prodigy [...follows the same speech of the short version]

Three versions converge in the kneeling. The scene in this point has a different narrative value; a proud character as he is, who has a deep regret for his mistake with the “orb” (he says it explicitly in the "Loss Scene" post) kneels before Tav to humbly show the traumatic experience by placing their hand on his heart, where the “orb” resides:

Gale: Here. Place your hand over my heart. Let me show you Narrator: You feel the tadpole quiver as you realise Gale is letting you in. Into the dark. You see through Gale’s eyes, staring down the corridors of a dread memory. A book, bound, then suddenly opened. Inside there are no pages, only a swirling mass of blackest Weave that pounces. It’s teeth, it’s claws, it’s unstoppable as it digs through you and becomes part of you. And gods, is it ever hungry…

This scene speaks of opennesses in all senses, honest and without any interest of pretence: Gale is showing his greatest regret, the lowest of the lowest he reached, the despair that it inspires. For once, he is not talking, he is showing it (because the experience is the one that makes him speechless and its memory seems to cause him great pain too due to the facial gesticulation). And what Tav sees shows again that Gale has nothing extra to hide: this has been the same exact information that Tav could extract from him in earlier opportunities with successful tadpole intrusions. So, if Tav never reveals that they saw this in Gale during the stew scene, Tav will realise that Gale kept his promise: he was reserved for a while, trusting slowly in Tav, to finally open up and show that he was going to explain the “why” much more later, because it's truly difficult for Gale to speak about.

1-Yank your hand away Gale: Terrifying isn’t it? And that is only the beginning 3-Tav: Gods – why show me this? Gale: I’m sorry, but I had to. After all, that is only the beginning 4-Tav: I slept with a monster. Gale: I didn’t sleep with a monster despite the tadpole in your head. We are none of us monsters. We are merely hatcheries for monstrous things. So we fight them.

This is one of the most ominous information Gale gives us, in my opinion: The experience of how the “Black Weave” rushed into his body is grotesque and painful, and it's meant to cause despair. But that was only the beginning: Gale is everyday dealing with that feeling, but on a bigger scale as its hunger increases with each passing day. The descriptions of his emotions during the artefact scenes adds more despair and anxiety to it. Gale is living in the worst mental state that a person can, but he manages it thanks to his wizard training and the Weave he consumes (he is still alive thanks to Magic, of all things). This shows the mental power of a wizard in DnD. And if you read the post about "Well-known Characters" section: "Elminster", Gale could have been inspired in him since I can see this level of endured torture similar to the one that Elminster was exposed to when he was kidnapped and dragged to the Hells.

Gale: This Netherese taint.. this orb, for lack of a better word, is balled up inside my chest. And it needs to be fed. As long as it absorbs Weave it remains stable – to an extent. The moment it becomes unstable, however..[...] It will erupt. I don’t know the exact magnitude of the eruption, but given my studies of Netherese magic, I’d say even a fragment as small as the one I carry…. It’d level a city the size of Waterdeep. Dev's Notes: He admits he’s a walking disaster waiting to happen. This is said very seriously. The truth is finally out and he has no idea how the player will react to such monstrous news.”

Tav: I should godsdamned kill you Gale: Perhaps that is what I deserve, but you deserve no such thing. To kill me is to unleash the orb. I understand your anger, I do […]

Here is where we know that Gale calls it “orb”, but it's not an orb. For more details, read the post about the "Orb". Tav already knew since the Stew scene that Gale could cause a catastrophe without artefacts. In this scene we just get some extra details about it.

Gale: It is my truth, finally revealed. It is this folly that led Mystra to abandon me completely. I can only hope you won’t abandon me as well. After all we’ve been through.. (After the night we spent together). Surely we can brave even this side by side. Dev's notes: Solemn. Full of yearning his news will not lead to him being abandoned by the player.

And there, Gale's “truth” is “revealed” (not truly, it is only more detailed in the information): We know that the Weave he consumes from the artefacts keeps this condition stable (something we already knew since the Stew Scene) and it will erupt if it doesn't consume artefacts (which is something we knew since the Stew Scene too). So the revelation scene is not so much of a revelation. The whole scene has a writing with a lot of weight in “shocking” revelations and “dramatic” reactions when the context provided shows that there is little to be shocked about, in my opinion. If anything, this whole scene needs serious polishing.

Then it follows the “coercive” part according to some players, which again... it's only Gale hoping this situation doesn't end in a second abandonment. The concept that the “intimacy” of the shared night gives more reasons to stay by his side seems pretty naïve, but maybe that was the intention (thus my suspicion that Gale has no experience at all in relationships, only what he learnt from romantic books). What it's clear is that after the detailed explanation, Gale is desperate to avoid a second abandonment, yet he knows it's unavoidable. This can be seen when Tav doesn't forgive his betrayal (?) of not saying anything about Mystra or the "orb" (he did in the Stew and following scenes, but this context is not acknowledged here), and Gale simply accepts it, showing that Mystra's experience made him learn to accept a no, leaving the party forever (in EA).

Tav: No. This is too large a betrayal. Gale: I see. I am sorry. I am sorry that it had to come to this. All that’s left to say is farewell. Dev's Notes: A slight hesitation, hurt but understanding. He makes a polite little bow, then we see him walk away.

Really, I don't understand what happened with this scene because it's either ignoring any annoyance that the situation can cause on a Tav who didn't push Gale to talk, or it offers an over-reaction when all the information has been shared already, at least in a very generalised way during the Stew Scene. A Tav who doesn't push Gale to speak will have no more details than the ones provided during the Stew Scene at this point in the game, but one who pushed Gale will basically have the whole story covered. The Rpg-options we get here are so white-and-black, and not even coherent with the context, no wonder so many players turned Gale into a “mastermind in manipulation”. This scene is very unpolished in my opinion.

Tav: Gale, are you still in love with Mystra? Gale: I’ll be honest with you; I don’t know. She is my muse still, the embodiment of magic, but the embodiment of love? Only if we ever meet again will I know

Here we have once more confirmation that Gale questions what kind of love he has for Mystra. Considering all the context he gave us previously, it seems that his love for his Goddess as a devotee will never cease, but romantic love is a big question for him. He has given Tav all the hints to make them suspect that Gale probably never knew romantic love outside his experience with Mystra or what he could read in books.

Tav: What would permanently rid you of the orb? Gale: The orb was kept safe and inert in a pocket of Astral Plane, suspended in time. If I can somehow manage to expel it from my body while in the Astral Plane, it will be rendered inert again. Alternatively, I could learn to control it’s chaotic magic, that is; to succeed where I failed before. But without Mystra’s favour, I don’t see how that may come to pass. Of course there could be different answers as well. Faerûn brims with more magic than any one wizard could fathom, let alone comprehend. Who knows what outlandish solutions may yet present themselves?

The last bits of information are more interesting: Gale thought of two possible solutions to solve his “orb”problem. One is to expel the object out of his body in the Astral Plane where time doesn't exist so its hunger or ticking mechanism stops, so the magic will remain inert. The other option is to control Netherese magic. He informed Tav that he already tried this option, so it's clear that Gale's intention when obtaining this book was to master this strange piece of Weave and give the secrets of that control to Mystra. But he failed.

Summary of the post:

There is an important emphasis in acceptance: only through acceptance Gale can open up to share the details of his mistake. He wants to have this night before any confession because he wants to acquire this acceptance that, in his mind, would prevent the abandonment he viscerally fears.

In all the scenes there are many hints suggesting Gale is very inexperienced in relationships: the acceptance he needs can only be acquired due to the "art of the night'', which is one of the main points in this book. His notions related to relationships seem to have been acquired via romanticised means: books and poetry. He may believe that intimacy guarantees acceptance.

Gale “reveals” his truth: he was a Chosen of Mystra, he was Mystra's lover, and the “orb” problem was a mistake he made to earn Mystra's attention. All this information is now detailed here when it had been shared already. There is little “revelation” in it.

Gale's actions can be interpreted as manipulative for a Tav who respects his privacy and has little information about the “orb”. But hardly the pattern extends to his behaviour. His need for acceptance makes him make bad decisions.

A Tav who pushed Gale to speak in previous scenes finds little new information in this one: they will have a more detailed picture of the situation and they will know that Gale and Mystra were lovers.

Gale is very aware that Mystra's love was not exactly love, but it felt like that when he was young. He also knows that the true power of a Chosen is related to being loved by her. He is also aware that a relationship with a goddess is a very unbalanced one. He states that Mystra was his first love, the affair happened when he was a (very) young man, and he thought it would last forever.

Potent narrative image: Gale, a proud character with great confidence, kneels before Tav to humbly show the traumatic experience by placing his hand on his heart, where the “orb”resides.

In general, the whole tone of the scene jumps constantly in my opinion. Tav's options are not toned to the general atmosphere of the scene: or they ignore completely the value of what Gale says, or over-react magnifying information as if it were the first time Gale says it, when a lot of it was shared during the Stew Scene and following scenes. It feels like a very unpolished scene, probably as the result of Gale being a companion added to the EA in a rush.

The Dev's notes explain the whole situation as:

Dev's notes: synopsis: The principal portion of this dialog consists of two main parts: a romantic night intro that leads to a fade to black and implied intimacy, and a section in which Gale tells you his true story in either of two ways (chosen by the player). These are the ‘story’ variant in third person, and the slimmed down ‘story-light’ version in first person. It is the story of how he fell in love with the goddess Mystra, was spurned by her after a brief affair, and how he got himself into big trouble when trying to win her back. The dialog was originally meant to contain only the above, but for recording and cinematic purposes, the story sections of it are also used in a variety of other ways, that is to say, the dialog also contains an intro section in which the scene begins with no romantic intent. In specific cases though, Gale will still try his luck, which you’ll see in the repeat of some lines of an earlier dialog.

This shows that, so far, the intention was always to make Gale explain the “true story” in this scene, which was the one we were told. I think that expecting more secrets would water down this intention here. In any case, the future secrets, if there are some left, may be secret even for Gale himself.

This post was written in June 2021. → For more Gale: Analysis Series Index

#bg3 meta #gale #gale of waterdeep #bg3 gale

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timeforelfnonsense · 3 years

Text

Looking to Make Friends

Dafni x Astarion || T || Ao3 || Sunshine & Starlight: My on going bg3 series

Some pre relationship fun before any feelings were caught. Astarion has a pretty good WIS score and with his background, I think he'd be quite good at reading other people. It's interesting to contrast that with Dafni, who is also very perspective but in a very different way. (and they were narrative foils)

Astarion padded along softly behind Dafni, bow drawn and at the ready. He’d offered to help her catch dinner for the party. To be perfectly honest he wasn’t much for hunting. Not with a bow anyway. In truth, he’d followed her out here to pick her brain. He wanted to get the measure of each of his newfound associates and the peculiar cleric seemed the best place to start. She was far and away the most open of the bunch. The rest of their number all carried an air of privacy about them. Dafni, in contrast, was completely transparent or at least presented herself to be. She could also serve as a bridge to gaining the trust of the more discerning among them. She’d already created a respectable rapport with Gale and the pair they’d picked up in the grove, Wyll, and Criella. She’d gone out of her way to offer hospitality and kindness to each person in the party, even those who seemed less than interested in playing nice.

You do seem the type. Inquisitive. Looking for connection… It’s every man for himself and you are looking to make friends.

The corner his Astarion’s lip turned up. Shadowheart was canny. That much was clear. She was, however, too short-sided to see the benefits of having someone of that sort on her side. Dafni wanted friends and he needed to secure an ally- It was an ideal fit. He’d noticed the way she blushed at his teasing. How eager she was to keep his company. She almost certainly found him attractive. That made things a bit easier at least.

“Can I confess something to you?” He inquired, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her pointed ear, “I asked to tag along because I wanted to spend time with you.” Dafni’s cheeks turned cherry red as he traced the blade of her ear. A coy smile forming across his lips. “Aw, I hope I haven’t embarrassed you. I couldn’t help but overhear the way Shadowheart rebuffed you this afternoon. It’s her loss really if she can’t see what an intriguing woman you are.”

“I-Thank you, Astarion.” She stammered, tracing a small circle in the dirt with the toe of her boot, “What did you want to know?”

“Tell me about your life before all of this?” He asked, gesturing to his temple.

“In the city or before that?” She asked, tilting her head thoughtfully, “I can think of several ways to answer that question.”

Astarion mulled his response over for a moment. He was curious about her life in the city. Dafni was a creature of the wild through and through. She seemed very much at home among the plants and creatures of the forest. It was hard to picture her strolling about the lower city. But, he’d observed her to be the sentimental sort. An inquiry into her more distant past would yield far more.

“Tell me about where you grew up?”

He heard her heart give a worrying lurch. Her honey-brown eyes falling to the faded leather of her shoes as the flush that covered her cheeks grew even deeper. That was not the reaction he had been expecting from her. Was she embarrassed? No. Nervous. Her arms crossed over her chest as she let out a rush of air from barely parted lips.

“Umm- Well, as you might have overheard Criella saying, I’m from the Feywilds originally. I should have told you the truth when you asked about my being from the city. I don’t like lying! Even by omission! I just wanted you to trust me...”

Astarion knew a thing or two about conceding one’s nature. He had to stifle the chuckle building in his chest. It would seem he and lovely little Daffodil had something in common.

Her reaction had been rather dear. But, the logic did follow. The creatures of Faerie had a certain...Reputation. View by the common folk as at best, fickle, whimsical beings, ruled by emotion and a strange sense of decorum. And at worst as wicked, Unseelie tricksters or hags looking to strike duplicitous bargains.

She wants to be liked, He thought, Her reputation is important to her.

“Think nothing of it!” He soothed with a wave of his hand, “We are all entitled to our little secrets. I’d still like to hear more if you’d be kind enough to indulge me?”

“Of course!” The tension in her shoulders loosened and she continued, “I’m actually quite proud of my heritage, despite my omission. Of all of the Protectors' children, the eladrin of the Faerie are the most like the first elves that sprung from his blood. The plane of Faerie is magnificent. As close a place to Arvandor, there is. It teems with the most beautiful plants and colorful creatures in all of creation. It is a place of enchantment and wonder, both deadly and delightful. Many creatures who stumble into a crossing by mistake lose their wits to its irresistible splendor but my people, we prosper where others wither.”

He took note of the way her back straightened when she spoke. Her posture took on an elegance he hadn’t seen in her before. He couldn’t help the smile that touched his lips. For all her charity and warmth she still held a small taste of that classic elven haughtiness. Interesting indeed.

Even more interesting still was the specific pride she took in her ability to survive what overs could not. He was not easily impressed but spirited Dafni had made quite the impression on him. She was tenacious and spirited. She would not surrender herself to their grim fate.

Another similarity.

He thought back to their first night in camp, to her girlish snickering at his unease about sleeping outdoors. She had called ‘N'Tel'Que'Tethira’, a city elf.

But, no sooner than the words left her did a modified expression fall across her pretty round face. Her next sentence had been a string of apologies and assurance she felt no superiority to her city-dwelling cousins.

Astarion had gathered the fondness she felt for the elves was not limited to her own people but rather all varieties of elves. He’d overhead her with Gale, insisting she was no scholar yet there seemed to be no question of elven lore or history she could not summon at the drop of a pin. He’d not given much thought to his own elveness in quite some time. On the list of things, Astarion was, elf did not fall very high on the ranking of importance. Yet Dafni, from the moment she set eyes on him, saw kin and ally. He’d even seen her extend this esteem to Shadowheart.

Pride in her culture and people. He’d found another piece of her puzzle. A bit obvious but important nonetheless.

“I was born in the Faerie reflection of the Moonshaes, on the Isle of Gwynneth.” Dafni continued, “In a village called PeleiraI. It was an oasis created by the primal elves who first came to the feywilds after being cast out by Corellon.”

Astarion nodded along as she spoke. He recalled the images that had flashed through his mind upon their first meeting. Tucked away in a forest of mythical beauty, her ‘village’ had been a far cry from the thatched huts and dirt floors the word brought to mind. He’d seen spires and structures of flawless marble reflecting a breathtaking, sunset of burnt orange and vivid violet. The ethereal structures scattered among the woodland didn’t detract from the wild nature of the glen but enhanced it. Appearing as if they had been grown from the earth just the same as the imposing trees that sheltered them.

“I saw the fleeting image of a settlement when our minds touched. It looked like something out of a fairytale. I’ve never seen anything like it.” He affected his voice, coloring it with wistfulness and awe, “I can only imagine the adventures you got up to there.”

“I did a lot of nothing most days.” She snorted, “Read. Practice medicine or magic. Explore the forest. Pester my older sisters. Maybe a hunt with visiting Seelie knights if I was lucky. I was never really allowed out without my sisters or some sort of escort.” Dafni scoffed the heel of her boot hitting the tree behind her with a soft, repetitive thump. “My mother, Thesmia is our clan’s leader. She’s a well-respected wizard and historian of a sort. I think she knew I was curious about what was on the other side of the mirror so to speak. Gwyneth is littered with fey crossings and she didn’t want me wandering off to the material all alone.”

She was the sheltered daughter of a noble (or close to it)? Right within his bailiwick! Her story wasn’t an unfamiliar one. Many of his marks in the city had been young lords and ladies smothered by the expectation and duty. All itching for the taste of freedom they were certain they’d find in Astarion’s honeyed words and dark charms.

This revelation did not yield new information so much as clarify an impression he already had. He’d seen more than her childhood home that day on the beach. The worried face of an otherworldly elven woman and bone aching wanderlust still burned through him when he played the memories over in his head.

“Is that why you left to live with the wood elves?” He asked, tilting his head to the side, “To see this side of the mirror?”

“You remembered?” The flush returned to her cheeks as she fidgeted with the string of her bow.

Astarion smiled his most beguiling smile, “I told you I thought you were intriguing, did I not?”

“I suppose you did!” She hummed, “Well to answer your question, yes. In apart anyways-'' She shrugged squeezing her biceps, “I wanted to explore, I was never going to know myself in Thesmia’s shadow. She was very...resistant to the idea. She’d seen how cruel people could be. That was part of why she made a home for us in PeleiraI. If she had it her way I would have spent the rest of my days in tucked away safe in her tower.” Dafni paused for a beat, her hands anxiously toying with the edge of her sleeve, “Please don’t misunderstand me. I love my mother dearly. She can just be a bit…”

“Overbearing?” He suggested.

“Yes.” Dafni giggled, releasing the worried fabric from her fingertips, “I know she wanted what was best for me. We just didn’t agree on what that was. I wanted to live my life and she wanted me to live hers.”

“I can sympathize to an extent.” He said, his mouth turning down into a scowl.

“You had a loving but smothering ancient being as a mother?” She tittered, playfully bumping her shoulder against his.

“No.” His tone came out a bit sharper than he’d intended. He ran his hand through his hair composing himself before he continued, “But, I understand the feeling that your life isn’t really your own.”

It was a risk to offer such information up. One he maybe shouldn’t have taken but, something about her vulnerability made him feel a little less guarded. A skill that could prove dangerous. At least his slip up hadn’t been for not. Her heart had slowed to a steady thrum. The jittery shuffling of her feet had stopped.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Dafni responded, placing a hesitant hand on his arm. He had expected her to pry. She was painfully curious and astonishingly open with her own feelings. Yet, she seemed to sense pressing the matter would upset him. Instead, she moved on. Her voice coming out small and far away, “I think she wanted me to be more like her. Refined. Intelligent. Graceful.” She sighed pressing her back to the mossy tree trunk, “Sometimes I worry I might have been a bit of a disappointment.”

Ah-

There it was. The piece he’d been hoping to find. She wanted reassurance. Validation. To be valued and appreciated by her own merits.

“I don’t know your mother or her mind but, for what it’s worth, I think you are quite remarkable.”

“Really?” Her voice quivered as she looked up at him with sparkling doe eyes.

“If not for the tadpole’s intervention you may well have, how did you put it, cut my smug head right off my shoulders?” He snickered toying absentmindedly with the pommel of his dagger, “Or made a respectable attempt at any rate. I’m not often bested by my quarries.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, I’m glad I didn’t.” Dafni leaned in close, the sweet scent of her dizzying his senses. Her breath tickling his ear as she whispered, “Your head is far too lovely to be parted from your shoulders.”

“Why, Daffodil! I’m flattered!” He stated a pleased grin plastered across his face, “Not surprised but, flattered. You did strike me as a woman of taste.”

“Are you always this cocky?” She chided in a teasing tone.

“Probably.”

“Hmm. Why am I not surprised” Dafni had tried to sound vexed but the edges of her voice teemed with amusement. Her big, topaz eyes gleaming with joviality, “Fair is fair. Tell me about your life before the tadpoles?”

He felt a slight unease creep into his chest in response to her innocent inquiry. He’d played fast and loose with the truth countless times with his marks but Dafni was different. She was observant, always picking up on the little subtleties of people's deminers. He would do better to stick to omissions rather than out and out mistruths. He brought his hand to the back of his neck giving the tender mussels a gentle rub.

“Oh, what is there to tell.” He put on a dispassionate expression. Careful to sound cool and nonchalant. “I was a magistrate- it’s all rather tedious.”

“Really? I can’t picture you as a bureaucrat.”

“And why not?” He gasped clutching his hand over his chest.

“Well for starters, you despise rules even more than I do. You like to stir up trouble. And your sense of morality- How do I put this, seems a bit...crooked? No offense.” She explained, indicating her points on the tips of her fingers.

“Oh, none taken!” Astarion gave her a peal of hearty laughter, shaking his head, “Daffodil, I hate to be the one to tell you there is a great deal of dubious morality in government.”

Her expression soured, her lower lip quivering ever so slightly as she stuck it out, “Well, I still can’t picture it. You are far too much fun for such a stuffy job.”

“People have many sides, dear.” He shrugged glancing over at her with a playful look, “But thank you.”

#Dafni of Gwynneth #astarion #elf writes #bg3 fic

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heizerux · 5 years

Text

AHHHHHH SNAP! Ya’ll Already Know What Time It Is. . .

That’s right. Another lengthy post no one asked for in which I both analyze and give thoughts on the recently released ML episode. . . This time it’s Miraculer (is in español castellano? Is that right? Idk I just know it’s the Spain Spanish and that Spanish LB just happens to be mi favorita!!! lol.)

Anywhoosies, let’s buzz right on!

So we continue to see Chloe STILL trying to get Ladybug’s attention so she can become Queen Bee. NOTE: She hasn’t been causing akumas this time around, instead she’s been waiting (not patiently but alas she’s not being as bad in that department).

So it seems that it wasn’t just Chat Noir but the whole Miraculous Team that came to terms that it’s best they cut Chloe out.

I do wanna point out the GROWTH in Chat Noir here. You guys recall the Chat Noir that acted out because he couldn’t know Ladybug’s secrets and wanted to know her identity but couldn’t?

Well, I’m proud of my boy now because here he mentions clear understanding that being a superhero requires you keep secrets, which is why he is FULLY on board with dropping Chloe out if it’s in the best interest to keep them all safe. S1 Chat Noir wasn’t that mature.

*head pat for Chat* he’s a good kitty, that one.

Next up after Ladybug decides to put it off for after school (I’m assuming the first battle took place during their 2 hour lunch break), we catch up with Gabriel and Natalie’s plans.

(Btw Nathalie, you sure seem VERY consumed by the plan than before. . .

You okay there?)

Note: To me this hints that the previous holder also became addicted to the use of the damaged miraculous and landed herself in a coma. Not implying that Emílie was evil although it would make for good drama but it is an interesting observation . . That’s my theory for now.

We get to see just how Gabriel is working with Lila and it’s about as I expected it’d go. They secretly meet and Lila reports on the school’s happenings around Adrien to make it seem like Gabriel is looking out for his sins safety (I mean he kind of is. . but he truly isn’t :( ). Here she mentions Chloe’s “pathetic attempts” at trying to get Ladybugs attention which only confirms his plans are working. I’m still disgusted by Lila but what’s new, amiright?

Lunch breaks ends (I’m assuming) and Lila is dispatched to plant the seed of Hawkmoth’s plan. Adrien is still patient as ever and Marinette is an absolute GEM with her transparent feelings. I love it.

Enter The Queen

If you had any questions about how Chloe feels about Lila, here are your answers to those questions: Chloe doesn’t care who Lila is. She isn’t relevant to her. Boom lol.

The only reason she bothered with her is because Lila told her the “secret call that will DEFINETLY get Ladybug to show up every time. It always works when I do it.” Marinette tries to tell her to steer clear of Lila but of course she’s too riled about Ladybug avoiding her that she storms away. So now leaves the pending task of telling Chloe the bad news.

“Marinette already spoke to Chloe. Now LADYBUG has to speak to her. Chloe only listens to Ladybug.” —Tikki

*Gabnath Evil shenanigans later*

Ladybug finally tries to find the time to talk to Chloe right after school, but of course the “sentimonster” (I’m still not with the term. It’s weird but whatever, it’s the official translation I guess.) happens.

The Queen and Her Dedicated “Knight”

So in this part Chloe tries again to call Ladybug so she can be Queen Bee and to sum it up: Chloe shoos Sabrina to grab the costumes, it doesn’t work, she tries Lila’s method only to prove LB still doesn’t show. Chloe is hurt, Sabrina tried to confort her resulting in Chloe lashing out with “You’re not my best friend! Only Ladybug is my best friend! You’re NOTHING compared to her!”

Hawkmoth attempts to akumatize Chloe only to fail.

CONFIRMED ML LORE: Akuma’s can indeed be fought off. You just can’t let your negativity overcome you.

So then he tries for Sabrina and turns her into Miraculer

Side Note: Okay, I’m giving a personal headcanon and you can try to change my mind but it’s pretty solid right now.

Sabrina is IN LOVE with Chloe. She would do anything to make her happy and when Chloe is hurt, so is she.

Now if only Chloe realizes the amazing girl Sabrina is and cleans up her attitude, this friendship/relationship can be pure. Anyways, that’s that. Moving on.

I really like Sabrina’s akuma this time around. The design is nice, the powers proved to be quite dangerous. . . Sabrina is getting the power she deserves.

CONFIRMED ML LORE: The use of Cataclysm on another person won’t “Thanos” them. . . But it does severely weaken your body. (my take is that it slowly deteriorates your body from the inside like a disease would Black Plague from within, anyone?. Which is why Chat is so vulnerable after being hit with it.)

If you’ve ever wondered WHY we keep catching Alya and Nino on the bridge after school so often this season, here’s your answer:

THEY TRAIN IN THEIR SPARE TIME!!!!

Nino: We sure are getting better!

YES! YES YOU ARE! 💖💕😩💕💖

omg they’re couple goals. I can’t even rn. Andre probably thinks they picked up parkour for fun or something lol.

The rest of the episode plays out as a normal fight and let me sum it up for you:

Ladybug rounds up the miraculous team while Chat Noir distracts Mayura and Miraculer, they get Chloe to work imo tricking Miraculer to return her powers, Mayura pulls a fast one and steals the Bee Miraculous, but Chat Noir is faster and takes it back. Queen Bee chases after Mayura only to be told “But if you join us, you could be Queen Bee for as long as you’d like.” Unfortunately for her, Queen Bee can’t be bought with bribery. Bb almost had her miraculous but Mayura slips out. The Dream Team helps LB contain Miraculer and Ladybug finally breaks the bad news to the Queen.

Ladybug: I’m afraid you can’t be Queen Bee anymore. Hawkmoth knows your real identity. It’s too dangerous.

Chloe was upset, but she still understands the consequences and gives her back “el prodigio”.

Chloe: I understand. But! I’m sure you’ll still need my help. I’m sure I’ll be Queen Bee again someday. I’ll always be Queen Bee. . .

Symbolism aside, Dream Team OUT and so leaves Sabrina and Chloe.

Sabrina: You won’t want to play with me anymore. . .

Chloe: Of course I still do. *stares down at picture* . . . But I just don’t want to be Ladybug anymore. Keep the costume if you want to.

The Queen is spreading her own wings. . .

More Gabnath future shenanigans are implied and Chloe confronts Lila for being a liar.

Lila: But when you tried it, she was there . . . wasn’t she?

Oh Lila you sly lil bi—

Chloe walks off not being able to counter that and Marinette mentions she hopes she didn’t hurt her, since she’s been trying really hard, but Tikki ends the episode with “Its for her own good. That way you can also keep her as well as Ladybug and Chat Noir safe as superheroes. It’s what being a hero is all about.”

To do what you can to keep everyone safe. . .

Conclusion: This was definitely one of the good episodes in the season. It gave us some answers to lore questions we’ve had in fandom, showed us Chloe is indeed slightly changing for the better, insight on Hawkmoth and Mayura working together, have Sabrina justice as an akuma, and ended with an important message about what being a hero is really about and the sacrifices it requires.

I saw 9.5 of 10 was a rating given by @gale-of-the-nomads for this episode on their review post, and I agree. It was a solid 9.5 and it’s a rating I would also rate it.

It was a very good episode. THIS is the kind of stuff I’d like to see. Clear development into something bigger (but alas, patience is freaking key with this show 😞)

I’ll end this post on this note:

This episode may or may not set us up for what we’ll see in the season finale (in regards to Hawkmoth trying to use the Bourgeois against Ladybug). He is clearly targeting Chloe, and now we officially know why.

Just a final observation.

(The keep reading feature needs to come to mobile)

#miraculer #ml season 3 #ml spoilers #ml season 3 spoilers #chloe bourgeois #miraculous ladybug and chat noir #miraculous ladybug #ml #ml meta #ml discourse #no ml salt #i really enjoyed this episode #long post #ml review

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theonyxpath · 4 years

Link

LESS THAN THREE DAYS LEFT FOR THE V5 CULTS OF THE BLOOD GODS KICKSTARTER!

It is, in fact, doing fantastic, with over 2200 backers so far. The comments section, knock wood, has been overwhelmingly positive and energized – which really encourages our team to pop in and answer questions and chat a bit.

So, come over and check it out and as a backer you can check out the text that we’ve released to backers so far. Which is most of it. If you disagree with those 2200 other backers and dislike it, you can bail out before the KS is over. No harm, no foul.

We want our backers to be into the project, and totally understand when some folks don’t dig it. Not every project appeals to every potential backer. It’s why we set up our KSs this way, now. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/200664283/cults-of-the-blood-gods-for-vampire-the-masquerade-5th-ed

Most of last week was spent at Mid Winter Convention in a gathering of almost the entire Monday Meeting crew plus dozens of freelancers. And a wonderful group of friends and fans, too. We started with:

THE SUMMIT

This was a day long – well half a day, it took us 12 hours – meeting where we took a look back at 2019, and then mostly looked at our plans for ongoing projects and how we could evolve our processes.

Then we spent the second half of the day looking at how we wanted Onyx Path to grow throughout 2020. What works for us and so should be nurtured and fed with love and effort and money.

If we felt something was no longer working, we didn’t just trash it, we looked at ways to change it or replace it so that our original goal for it was more likely to be met.

It was loud and long and lively, and ultimately we filled three walls with Post-Its filled with our ideas. We’re already working on some of the changes, with more to come of our efforts all through 2020 (and beyond).

Then it was time for dinner, and normally in Milwaukee we’d go to the traditional German restaurant Maders (a tradition going all the way back to when White Wolf ate there during Gen-Con), but then this happened:

I cry at the door to Maders: temporarily closed for renovation.

So we all ate at a different restaurant, which was perfectly nice, but not steeped in tradition. Sob! Later that night, I joined with our amazing Onyx Pathcast hosts (Dixie, Matthew, and Eddy) for a very silly Pathcast recording that went live last Friday. You can find that on Podbean, or on your favorite podcast venue.

Matthew, Eddy, and Dixie “enjoying” their favorite Mario pastime!

From there on in, we were attending the convention. So:

THE MID WINTER CONVENTION

Here is a run-down with a whole lot of pics taken throughout, as were the earlier ones, by the multi-talented Meredith Gerber.

Eddy’s Developer Bootcamp.

Thursday was set-up for the booth and some professional seminars and panels designed to help freelancers and aspiring creators with tips on such things as running a Kickstarter (Mighty Matt McElroy, Meredith, and I were that panel), to networking, to Eddy’s Developer Bootcamp where he divides attendees into teams, has them come up with a game concept, and walks them through each stage of creation.

My favorite idea was a game where a cyber-pug is created in parts, with each cyber-part containing one bit of what I believe was an exploded pug’s body. I heard about it second-hand, so I might not be grasping the full nuanced concept.

Friday, for us, was important. This was the day of our Onyx Path Q&A Social, which is a small gathering in a boardroom at the hotel, with snacks and drinks. We’ve found that this works better for us than the traditional panel at this convention.

Onyx Path Q&A Social 2020

I explain some minor, inconsequential, point while the gang wait to announce new releases.

Matt reminds us to announce Trinity Continuum: Adventure!, TC: Assassins, They Came From Beyond the Grave!, and The Hedge for CtL2e.

Naeall Raemonn Pricae makes a point – potentially about Scion, Exalted Essence, or Trinity Continuum: Assassins. Or something that applies to all three at once.

Eddy also makes a point – in an elegant and thought-provoking manner.

That was our big group event, but individually everybody still had events they were a part of. In fact, right after the Q&A, Matthew demo’d They Came From Beneath the Sea!. Which I didn’t know about until I heard gales of laughter from the demo area and popped my head in to see what the jocularity was all about.

It turns out the group was menaced by Commie Seaweed!

But with a clever use of improvised Quip and Cinematics cards…

…the day is saved by, well, getting the sinister seaweed stoned!

Besides They Came From Beneath the Sea!, we had other games of ours being demoed throughout the convention, including Eddy playing Pugmire (big surprise, I know), and at least one more panel – which was for V5 Chicago By Night.

Incidentally, mentioning V5 reminds me that not only do we have the Cults KS finishing up, but our friends over at Modiphius still have the pre-order open for Fall of London for Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition! You can do that whole pre-order thing for the physical book over there on their website, and get a link for the PDF right away!

But, besides helping out our fellow V5 content creators with a plug, here are some pics of Eddy playing Pugmire, and then the V5 Chicago By Night creators at their panel:

Eddy demos Pugmire, the very best doggy game in the world!

The V5 Chicago By Night creators no doubt revealing some scary and mysterious bit of lore from the book!

The Chicago panelists and creators: Crystal Mazur, Matthew “The Gentleman Tongue” Dawkins, Mike Tomasek, and Eddy Webb.

And so, to end our little visual tour of our adventures at Mid Winter in Milwaukee, here is a gorgeous picture taken once again by Meredith Gerber, of Matthew and I in a moment of downtime in our habitual haunt, the Monarch Lounge in the hotel:

Lords of the Night, indeed!

Check us out next week, after we’ve fully recovered – we hope! We’ll have lots more talk about our:

Many Worlds, One Path!

BLURBS!

Kickstarter!

V5 Cults of the Blood Gods is in its last few days! Thanks to all of you, the kickstarter has passed $131,000 and 2240 backers, and has trumpeted forward passing through Stretch Goal after Stretch Goal right into the new year!

Next on Kickstarter, we are looking at Hunter: The Vigil 2nd Edition for Chronicles of Darkness!

Onyx Path Media!

This Friday’s Onyx Pathcast is an in-depth roundtable on the Trinity Continuum with Danielle Lauzon and Ian Watson from the MidWinter Convention in Milwaukee! Check it out direct on Podbean, or your favorite podcast venue! https://onyxpathcast.podbean.com/

An abbreviated profile of media this week, as Matthew has only just got back from the States and is a little tired.

We’ve a busy week ahead of us on Twitch with Vampire: The Masquerade, Chronicles of Darkness, Pugmire, Aberrant, Changeling: The Lost, Hunter: The Vigil, Changeling: The Dreaming, Scarred Lands and Blood City’s Chicago by Night!

As ever, tune in to twitch.tv/theonyxpath to watch these shows live and subscribe to the channel!

Our YouTube channel will start boosting its content again this week, with more Scion, Pugmire, Scarred Lands, Aberrant, Vampire and more!

Find our YouTube channel on youtube.com/user/theonyxpath and as with Twitch, click subscribe! An Onyx Path News is coming this week!

Here’s Occultists Anonymous‘ latest fantastic Mage: The Awakening shows:

Episode 72: From The Ashes Before heading to the Yucatan, Atratus visits the soul fragment of a mage in an Atlantean soul stone. The cabal then heads down to Mexico and begins to investigate the ancient pyramid.https://youtu.be/NylE4FsuYfs

Episode 73: This Isn’t Kansas The cabal investigates the portal atop the Pyramid of the Magician, for beyond it lies another world, and perhaps a clue to the grimoire they are searching for. Wyrd has spotted what seems to be a living Mayan civilization beyond the portal, but what really is out there?https://youtu.be/CETbEGEbrUU

The Story Told Podcast have recently interviewed Onyx Path mainstay Vera Vartanian on the subject of Exalted right here: http://thestorytold.libsyn.com/episode-44-exalted-dragon-blooded-great-houses-part-1-with-vera-vartanian

Red Moon Roleplaying have posted the final episode of The Sacrifice for V5 Chicago by Night, run by the excellent Klara Herbol, but as well, they’re still posting episodes of V5 Cults of the Blood Gods and Changeling: The Lost! Find their content on YouTube, Spotify, or redmoonroleplaying.com

Drop Matthew a message via the contact button on matthewdawkins.com if you have actual plays, reviews, or game overviews you want us to profile on the blog!

Please check any of these out and let us know if you find or produce any actual plays of our games!

Electronic Gaming!

As we find ways to enable our community to more easily play our games, the Onyx Dice Rolling App is live! Our dev team has been doing updates since we launched based on the excellent use-case comments by our community, and this thing is awesome! (Seriously, you need to roll 100 dice for Exalted? This app has you covered.)

On Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble).

If you enjoy these or any other of our books, please help us by writing reviews on the site of the sales venue from which you bought it. Reviews really, really help us get folks interested in our amazing fiction!

Our selection includes these latest fiction books:

Our Sales Partners!

We’re working with Studio2 to get Pugmire and Monarchies of Mau out into stores, as well as to individuals through their online store. You can pick up the traditionally printed main book, the screen, and the official Pugmire dice through our friends there! https://studio2publishing.com/search?q=pugmire

We’ve added Prince’s Gambit to our Studio2 catalog: https://studio2publishing.com/products/prince-s-gambit-card-game

Now, we’ve added Changeling: The Lost 2nd Edition products to Studio2‘s store! See them here: https://studio2publishing.com/collections/all-products/changeling-the-lost

Scarred Lands (Pathfinder) books are also on sale at Studio2, and they have the 5e version, supplements, and dice as well!: https://studio2publishing.com/collections/scarred-lands

Scion 2e books and other products are available now at Studio2: https://studio2publishing.com/blogs/new-releases/scion-second-edition-book-one-origin-now-available-at-your-local-retailer-or-online

Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/

And you can order Pugmire, Monarchies of Mau, Cavaliers of Mars, and Changeling: The Lost 2e at the same link! And NOW Scion Origin and Scion Hero are available to order!

One more week: DTRPG and its affiliated Community Content sites are running the New Year, New Game sale! A huge number of our PDFs are on sale from all of our game worlds, as well as a Big Scion 2e Bundle with 4 PDFs being offered for $13! https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/299474/NYNG-Scion-2E-BUNDLE

As always, you can find Onyx Path’s titles at DriveThruRPG.com!

On Sale This Week!

This Wednesday, we will be releasing the PDF and physical book PoD versions of M20 Book of the Fallen on DTRPG!

This book deals with extremely disturbing and mature topics as it examines evil within the World of Darkness, and in Mage: The Ascension, in particular. Please be aware of this before making your order.

Conventions!

More conventions will be listed for 2020 in the weeks to come-

And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM EDDY WEBB (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

Exalted Essay Collection (Exalted)

N!ternational Wrestling Entertainment (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Contagion Chronicle Ready-Made Characters (Chronicles of Darkness)

Trinity Continuum: Adventure! core (Trinity Continuum: Adventure!)

Duke Rollo fiction (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

TC: Aberrant Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

RUST (Working Title) (Scarred Lands)

Under Alien Suns (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Mission Statements (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Redlines

Kith and Kin (Changeling: The Lost 2e)

Dragon-Blooded Novella #2 (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Many-Faced Strangers – Lunars Companion (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Second Draft

M20 Victorian Mage (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Exigents (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Crucible of Legends (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Development

Heirs to the Shogunate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

TC: Aberrant Reference Screen (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Monsters of the Deep (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)

Scion: Demigod (Scion 2nd Edition)

Tales of Aquatic Terror (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)

Across the Eight Directions (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Contagion Chronicle: Global Outbreaks (Chronicles of Darkness)

Contagion Chronicle Jumpstart (Chronicles of Darkness)

Manuscript Approval

Scion: Dragon (Scion 2nd Edition)

Masks of the Mythos (Scion 2nd Edition)

Trinity Continuum Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum Core)

Player’s Guide to the Contagion Chronicle (Chronicles of Darkness)

Post-Approval Development

Scion LARP Rules (Scion)

Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition core rulebook (Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition)

Titanomachy (Scion 2nd Edition)

One Foot in the Grave Jumpstart (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2e)

Editing

Lunars: Fangs at the Gate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Geist 2e Fiction Anthology (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)

Dragon-Blooded Novella #1 (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Legendlore core book (Legendlore)

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

Mythical Denizens (Creatures of the World Bestiary) (Scion 2nd Edition)

Pirates of Pugmire KS-Added Adventure (Realms of Pugmire)

Yugman’s Guide to Ghelspad (Scarred Lands)

Trinity Continuum: Aberrant core (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Terra Firma (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Deviant: The Renegades (Deviant: The Renegades)

Lunars Novella (Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Buried Bones: Creating in the Realms of Pugmire (Realms of Pugmire)

Post-Editing Development

TC: Aeon Ready-Made Characters (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

City of the Towered Tombs (Cavaliers of Mars)

W20 Shattered Dreams Gift Cards (Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th)

TC: Aeon Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Vigil Watch (Scarred Lands)

Scion Companion: Mysteries of the World (Scion 2nd Edition)

Cults of the Blood Gods (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)

Wraith20 Fiction Anthology (Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition)

Hunter: The Vigil 2e core (Hunter: The Vigil 2nd Edition)

Let the Streets Run Red (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)

M20 The Technocracy Reloaded (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Indexing

ART DIRECTION FROM MIKE CHANEY!

In Art Direction

Contagion Chronicle – Last of finals coming in.

Trinity Continuum: Aberrant

Hunter: The Vigil 2e

Ex3 Lunars – Art is in.

TCfBtS!: Heroic Land Dwellers – LeBlanc working on finals.

Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed – Finals starting to come in this week.

Cults of the Blood God (KS)

Mummy 2

City of the Towered Tombs

Let the Streets Run Red – Art notes and contracts finishing going out this week.

CtL Oak Ash and Thorn – Figuring out art notes.

Scion Mythical Denizens – Need sketches for fulls.

Deviant

Yugman’s Guide to Ghelspad – Finals all coming in.

Vigil Watch – Need one more artist.

Legendlore (KS) – Starting to gather art needs for KS.

Technocracy Reloaded (KS) – Artwork for KS in progress.

Scion Companion – Working on art notes for that.

TC: Aeon Terra Firma

In Layout

Trinity Continuum Aeon: Distant Worlds

Pirates of Pugmire – With Aileen.

Wraith20 Anthology – First Proof.

Proofing

Dark Eras 2 – Backer PDF going out to backers this week.

Trinity Continuum Aeon Jumpstart

They Came from Beneath the Sea! – Backer PDF almost ready to send to backers.

VtR Spilled Blood – 2nd proof with dev.

Chicago Folio – First proof.

At Press

V5: Chicago – Shipping labels for backers being created, should start shipping rewards soon.

Geist 2e (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition) – Shipping to fulfillment shippers.

Geist 2e Screen – Being printed.

DR:E – Shipping to fulfillment shippers.

DRE Screen – Being printed.

DR:E Threat Guide – Helnau’s Guide to Wasteland Beasties

Memento Mori – Awaiting errata for input.

M20 Book of the Fallen – PDF and PoD version go live on Wednesday on DTRPG!

Today’s Reason to Celebrate!

Almost our entire Monday Meeting crew made it to Milwaukee and back safely, and had a great and productive time at our Summit and the convention. I got stuck for a while in Milwaukee’s airport with a delayed plane, and Ian had a bunch of flights cancelled out from under him, but we’re all home now. Which is, for us, a pretty great trip!

#Onyx Path Publishing

2 notes · View notes

nacrepearl · 5 years

Photo

This anniversary, I wanted to pay tribute to the show by redrawing my favorite SDCC poster. With a few changes. It’s been 3 years since this poster came out on the internet, but it’s the poster for the first SDCC I experienced in this fandom. Below the cut is me being sentimental because I really love this show and its impact on my life is greater than one would think.

March 26th, 2015. I decide to watch Steven Universe after seeing gifsets of the first Stevenbomb on my dash from lingering members of the people who worked on my previous hyperfixation Attack on Space (A spinoff AU from the parent series Attack on Titan, which my interest in was fading quickly). I opt to watch the episodes that are on demand because they’re easier to access. I watch Alone Together first, Full Disclosure second (actual quote from me, who hadn’t known about SU’s musical nature: “Since when is SU a musical?!”). I then spend the next week or two watching the episodes on demand, then going onto KissCartoon to watch the series in order, in its entirety. (Quote when watching S1E05 Frybo: “I’m glad I’m watching these now before this inevitably becomes my new hyperfixation.” I have second hand embarrassment moments from this episode to this day). My brother decides to watch with me occasionally.

Fast forward to the end of March. I’m caught up with the series (back then only up to Joy Ride, which aired the day I began this journey). My friend Zac and I are now both into the show, and the following week Attack the Light comes out the same day that Say Uncle airs. Say Uncle is the first episode I watch live. I download ATL and finish it within a week. The rest of the weekly episodes (you heard me: weekly) were to follow and I was excited to officially be involved in the fandom. The beginning of April, I found the comics and I got to issue #5, the one where Pearl sucks in a gem-embedded book into her own gem and becomes ill from it. that was the day that I realized Pearl was my favorite character. Hurt/comfort is my way to tell.

I carry on watching the episodes throughout the month, and then after Reformed airs, we are faced with a hiatus. back then, a month and a half was a long time. Then, I got into the Pearl theories. I was all over the so called “nacre theory” right up until the theory had been confirmed in Back to the Barn (I still am, though the term “nacre theory” takes on a whole new meaning that I’m not sure will see the light of day now that we know more about Homeworld). You should have seen me go ham reblogging things about Pearl being lower-class, a lowly technician (ha), a maintenance drone. And all Pearls looked exactly the same back then in the fanart.

May 26th they announced the second Stevenbomb, half the fandom combusted. So did I. Sworn to the Sword happened and I had more fuel for the NT. I woke up that Thursday morning to a gifset of Pearl and Rose’s fusion dance because We Need to Talk leaked and spontaneously combusted right there. Then they announced Week of Sardonyx and our naive selves said “another one?” I went camping that weekend, which was also the weekend of SDCC. I nearly had a heart attack from my over-excitement when I got home that Sunday.

Week of Sardonyx came and went, with even more fuel to the fire for the NT. Cartoon Network does their greatest fuckup of the year by accidentally putting all of the Summer of Steven episode titles a whole year before they air. They changed the release date for the weekly episodes from August 6th to September 10th, and then we were graced by small Peridot on September 24th.

Back to the Barn airs. I die.

Then we go into a very long hiatus until Stevenbomb 4, airing in January 2016. This marks the first epsiodes to be leaked with the traditional screenshots + 2 minute clip. This was our first look at both diamonds + their pearls, and people were reasonably excited. Then we entered what we thought was the longest hiatus in fandom history–and we got the In Too Deep special earlier than expected.

Following the special, they announced the Steven Nuke/Summer of Steven. 4 weeks of episodes every night from mid-July to mid-August. Mr. Greg was the first musical episode and the crew hyped it up so much and yet it still had a huge impact on those watching that night. It was nominated for an Emmy one year later in 2017. We got some of the most intense episodes of the show in that bomb, with Amethyst’s arc, Bismuth holding the first half-hour special, the revelation that Rose supposedly shattered Pink Diamond, and Centipeetle’s corruption being explained further. Following SOS, there were weekly episodes and then another short hiatus, until Gem Harvest’s release in November. A short hiatus and then Three Gems and a Baby aired in early December.

During 2016, I meet two of my best friends through the fandom - @always-make-it-gayer and @hackerperidot. Gale and J have been my friends since that summer and because of this fandom, I’ve been less lonely and have had a blast in the ever growing group chat we have (Reverse Garden of Eden). I love you guys, and of course everyone else in the chat.

Following 3GAAB, in early January 2017, the entirety of Stevenbomb 5 drops on the app. Pictures with the diamonds and the zoo and the famethyst were on the internet in seconds. I had been on holiday break from school, and the night this all dropped was the first school night when the break was over. I stayed up very late, watched the episodes when I woke up for school in the morning, and listened to What’s the Use of Feeling Blue on repeat in the cold, snowy weeks to come. This was also right around the time my mom bought a house and we were ready to move in.

I got another birthday episode–Rocknaldo, airing on February 24th. Could’ve been better. I’m not complaining though. SU was crucial during this time because I was feeling very depressed and closed off due to the move and missing the apartment. The New Crystal Gems was the last episode the apartment got to see, and I promised to show Pearl’s backstory when it eventually aired, but we moved too early for that to happen. I like to imagine it can see my journal entries (you can ask if you want, in short it’s a coping mechanism I developed). Thereafter, we had another hiatus leading up to the sixth Stevenbomb with Aquamarine and Topaz. That bomb ended with the saddest episode in the series, finalizing season 4. Then the Wanted event aired, and we got so much lore content and more hints to the Pink Diamond mystery.

There came the biggest hiatus in the fandom’s history to this day. We were so thirsty for content. It was dry as fuck and the only light in the dark was SDCC with the Lars of the Stars clip (which would then air months later) and the trailer for the first half of season 5′s kickoff bomb.

Gemcation airs, and everyone finally understands Pearl’s quirk with covering her mouth in discussions about the diamonds. We all were getting so antsy at this point to find out what was happening with Pink Diamond and the lore behind the show and by god where is White Diamond?

We get Stranded in January 2018, allowing us to spark the “diamonds get revealed in January” meme with the Pink Diamond face reveal. Of course, this is debunked by Legs From Here To Homeworld in July 2018.

We get more episodes in March, and then are plunged into the final reveal in May with the half hour event, Can’t Go Back and A Single Pale Rose. The fandom collectively freaked out with the revelation that Pearl and Rose were diamond and pearl and faked the shattering in an effort to end the war. The people who survived this saw the Heart of the Crystal Gems arc in July. This was the week that held the Rupphire wedding.

Reunited airs, and I am surrounded by 3 of my best friends ( @asassynerdnamedgabbs, @neroblackcat, and @hackerperidot who had been visiting New York from Australia that week ) so I hold myself back from reacting too much. I cried that night out of sheer joy that my favorite show was the first cartoon to show a lesbian wedding on national TV. Of course, we get the diamonds and then SDCC the following weeks, with Legs From Here to Homeworld. I am at my cousin’s graduation party the day of the panel and my phone is slowly losing battery percentage as I try to keep up with the tweets and posts about what was going on. It was a huge deal.

Now we arrive here. Nothing had been shown at last month’s NYCC which is unusual, but that’s okay. We are still on hiatus, and it is SU’s 5th anniversary of being on the air. I am patiently waiting for the show to come back, and I’ll have more memories to make with this fandom in the months to come.

Happy Anniversary, SU!

#lovelikeyou2018 #steven universe #reverse garden of eden #rae.png #raescribbles

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dareyoutoread-blog · 5 years

Text

So every week, I write a little “episode sum-up” for my Genesys RPG players. We’re currently in the midst of a little “Victorian horror” arc, and a couple weeks ago, I got a little carried away (compliments and apologies to Edgar Allan Poe):

The Gargoyle

Once upon a quest so dreary, while our warriors, strained and weary, Fought many a quaint and curious creature of Victorian lore While they escaped nearly napping, from the jukebox, merely wrapping For the spirit that was trapping, trapping all inside the doors Every visitor, (all shuddered,) trapping tight inside the doors ‘Twas the Sandman, in the store.

Now, distinctly please remember, though we are now in December That each disparate adventure has connected heretofore Though we started in October, and we rarely all are sober When the clues are all gone over - over what we’ve learned before All the useful facts and clues your Gamemasters have dropped before You will find, they add to more.

Let the foggy, fell, uncertain landscape of this world uncurtain Rolled back - pulled back like a rushing wave before the roar So that now, to still the beating of your hearts, you stand repeating “We’ve already been defeating villains others would abhor - Yes, been damning and defeating villains others would abhor - “What’s a few dread demons more?”

Add XP, you’ll all be stronger; hesitating then no longer, Forth, must you, to find the creepy castle on the moor; Mind the traps don’t catch you napping, charms and puzzles overlapping, Horrid creatures snarling, snapping - snapping at each thrice-locked door - Help is scarce; be sure you listen - when to open wide the door - Was that wind, or something more?

While the whistling wind is whipping, stand not long cavorting, quipping, Falt’ring, fearing fears no mortal ever feigned to fear before; But go quickly up the downstairs and pass swiftly by the dark heirs And look not upon the nightmares lurking in each darkened door This remember - not for anything look back - not at one door! There’s silence there, and nothing more.

Deep inside, the chamber reaching, ghouls and monsters snarling, screeching, Each of you a demon battling bigger than the ones before “Surely,” you’ll say, “surely entry is non gratis, “What else then can they throw at us? What new fright in store? “Let this fight be still a moment and we’ll see what’s still in store - ” Only beasts, and nothing more.

Crashing through the clash of creatures, then, with cranky, craggy features, In there bursts a burly Gargoyle of the bloody days of yore; Not the least obeisance owes he; not a moment stops or slows he; But, as if a secret knows he, traipses ‘cross the chamber floor - Traipses ‘cross the clashing creatures cluttered ‘cross the chamber floor - Traipses - sits - does nothing more.

Now this rocky rogue regarding all combatants, time retarding, Sitting, stone and stern and serious, ‘midst the bloody chamber floor Seems to have a solemn purpose; “So,” you say, “Why thus usurp us? “Ghastly grim and ghoulish Gargoyle bursting through this chamber door - Tell us what your mien and mission, what your message, we implore!” Quoth the Gargoyle “Evermore.”

Much you marvel this great grumpy rock to hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer puzzles each one strewn across the chamber floor; For all can not help but wonder why the fight was torn asunder By a Gargoyle bound to blunder gaily through the gales of gore - Bound to bound and blunder ‘sundering combatants among the gore, Just to grumble “Evermore.”

But the Gargoyle, sitting stonely on the marble floor, speaks only That one word, as if a mountain that one word is - no encore. Nothing farther then he grumbles - not a rocky shoulder rumbles - Till you scarcely more than mumble, “He has broken down the door - Now the creatures here will trap us, as they’ve tried to do before.” Then the Gargoyle: “Evermore.”

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, “Doubtless,” say you, “You have seen the monsters strewn upon the floor Trained to traffic in disaster by their devious beast-master Vlad, whose minions are far faster than his wit’s been heretofore - Could he be the mastermind behind the maze outside that door? Are we trapped here, evermore?”

Then the Gargoyle, barely turning, eyes you with his one eye burning, Turns to stone each heart inside your chests rather than reassure - Each believes from his beholding a new terror less embold’ning: There may be no exit from this exhumed house of horror From this maze-mired, monstered, misanthropic, mangled house of horror... Warned the Gargoyle: “Evermore.”

“How did we then come to be here - what was it we meant to see here?” Ask each one of you as realization dawns within your core - You remember stepping blindly through the maze’s dark and windy Twists and turnings, passing passageways and curling corridors, But what twisted, past-passed passageways and cryptic corridors Led you here...forevermore?

Now, you think, the air grows closer, your dilemma growing grosser - Strung by spellwork to a creepy castle moored upon the moor. “Rock,” you cry, “what friend hath sent thee? - was it Sentinels that rent thee From our ship and its enchanted chain and sent you to this door? Tell us how we might escape and are we bound inside these doors?” Quoth the Gargoyle, “Evermore.”

“Wizard!” cry you, “thing of evil! - villain, vampire, lich, or devil! - Whether magic-bound or whether cunning traps us in these doors, Yet we five remain undaunted, in this tower all enchanted - In this home by horror haunted - we will bow before no lore! Never - never shall we bow before some frightening piece of lore! Quoth the Gargoyle, “Evermore.”

“Listen!” cry you, “rocky stone-ears - we have told you we have no fears - Of the Hell that presses ‘round us; of its foul ambassadors - Tell us now, who seeks to keep us - what Death’s doppelganger reap us With the scythe and sickle of this keyless labyrinth of gore? Tell us what the villain’s name, that we may turn him into gore?” Quoth the Gargoyle, “Evermore.”

“Be that word a name or warning? This will shortly end in mourning Should you fail to give us counsel on the fiend we all deplore! Leave no clue to us unspoken as you left no door unbroken, Give us sigil, sign or token, as our pet and obligor! We compel you - we coerce you - you must tell us something more!” Quoth the Gargoyle, “Evermore.”

Now the Gargoyle, never grouching, still is crouching, still is crouching In the center of the crowded chamber on the marble floor Though the questers with their questions all still pester their stone bondsman, Not a one of them has thought to use their dice to help implore And without those dice, this wall of stone will never be implored - They shall ask him - evermore!

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talesofealdancynedom · 3 years

Photo

Dragon King on his kingdom’s tallest mountain, with his Queen Quellelthan; both in beast form. Note the shadow veil side of the Dragon Gate, at the peak.

Tale 17: Calliope Cwenfyre, Amadeus and Andromada Rosethorn (chapter 5 - No Debt Owed 5/5) part 3. Stories of True Love

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After a long international apprenticeship trip, Calliope, Andromeda and Amadeus, were happy to be back in their little home town. Amadeus dropped off Calliope personally, and gave his mage journal to Morgan. Morgan translated and archived everyone’s mage journals, if they couldn’t do it themselves, and posted them in an online database. Amadeus’s journals were a treat for everyone, because of the tapestry mixed media style of his illustrations. He was a fan of gold leaf and intricate details. He made those dragons, and Andromeda and Calliope, look like depictions of in ancient manuscripts. The nice ones.

“Quite the adventure you all had,” Morgan said, looking at each page as he scanned them into his computer. In the background, Calliope was telling her mother about their quest. Her mother Emilia, was now having regrets about asking how her daughter’s trip went; Calliope dumped so much information about the dragons and Andromeda, Emilia zoned out a few times. She was used to it from Morgan, but there is only so much lore a non-seer can take in. Emilia did like the part about the antique rooster Amadeus got in daze. Calliope then started showing off The Cup of Gales, as no study trip would be complete without her coming home with a new beverage container. Emilia, was relieved for once; it actually was a genuinely cool mythical vessel.

Amadeus watched Calliope provide story time for her mother, little brother and sister. Meanwhile, Morgan continued performing his favourite task; reading other people’s magic diaries, for historical and magical tidbits.

“Ah, yes. If Emilia is actually taking interest is any indicator; the trip was indeed, an experience…. In the end, me and my big girl brought Calli back safe and sound; as I promised.” Amadeus said.

“What promise?” Morgan asked. He had started working on the computer, but still mostly paying attention. Digitizing records was second nature after so many years. Morgan’s tone of voice was surprisingly casual, instead of inquisitive. Amadeus became incredibly confused.

“The one I made years ago? To protect you, and all our families, as a paladin? Remember? When I got enfayed and we became friends…”

“Wait…You don’t need an oath to do that Amadeus.” Morgan said. He stopped working and looked at Amadeus in bewilderment. “Enfeyment pacts are important, but I don’t think you agreed just to be a Warg; And I certainly didn’t ask or expect anything of you. If your protector mentality was souly out of obligation, you wouldn’t have worked so hard in spite of it; nor agreed to quickly.”

“It was a stressful situation. The Wolf King gave me a gift out of nowhere; and the second Wolf King again. Both times with the intention to help me uphold my oath to the people I care about….”

“Your personal oath. Which is why you’ve been doing a great job protecting everyone. Warg or not, it wouldn’t have made a difference. I think you’re just a really talented mage paladin, and a motivated caring person. But I’m glad you kept my girl out of trouble. She’s a bit like me…” Morgan laughed. “I can tell that’s why she’s your favourite out of my four children. Which is bad, because favouritism causes unfair bias.”

“Well, you may want to hold your tongue a second; in regards to ‘kept her out of trouble’. Calliope may have… May have lit the camp on fire from going dark, due to sleep deprivation, trouble working, and me setting her up with Andromeda. I got carried away. It almost cost the mission and that offensively quant tourist town.”

“Oh no… That’s not like you at all.” Morgan said. completely forgetting about the fire. “Is that why you have that kitchen rooster? If you need to talk….” He comforted.

“The thing is, you see, my daughter is my apprentice, so when I took the quest to care for Calliope, Andromeda came with me. I thought they would be happy to go as friends. Then I saw my girl light up, when she saw Calli was going to be on the team. Apparently, they’ve been crushing on each other since school. It was so sweet, I thought I’d help them along a little…” Amadeus confessed.

“That’s so cute! I guess Calliope really is bad at saying things. Like me. Emilia is the one who had to say ‘I love you’ first; because I was frozen every time I was in her presence. Calli comes by it honestly.” Morgan said. “Wait… You fixed the fire right?” Morgan said clicking the post button on the database. He was multitasking the whole conversation. Then Morgan then turned to Calliope;

“Amadeus says you and Ann are an item; That’s so cute sweety! I’m so proud of you for finding a true love! I hope you get a happily ever after together forever! Marrying your parent’s best friend’s child is like a time-honored tradition!” Morgan yelled across the room. Calliope stopped dead and blushed; she had forgotten if she was out of the closet or not. Morgan and Amadeus giggled from warm fuzzies; Like they were young boys again. Once again, even in endearment, Emilias palm slowly met her face.

“As you say, Calliope really is the most like me isn’t she. Not that each of the kids didn’t inherit something unfortunate from my side. Cadence is also a feinter, and Patrick is a Sisyphean task to slow down. I bet it was Callie’s looks, and career goals, that led you to give her special treatment. Even though my little boy adores you more?” Morgan chirped. Amadeus gave a nervous smile. Morgan’s innate intelligence was near omniscience. If anyone asked, it was because he was well read.

A week later, Amadeus was seeing off his daughter, by fixing the wrinkles in her shirt. She had a date tonight.

“Calliope had asked nicely for a recommendation from Professor Hara Fyrastan, to be a head seer of fey studies in the capital.” Amadeus said. Andromeda drooped a bit. “Don’t worry I put a recommendation for you to Melida Daigendun, so you can go with her. Though, I suspect home will call you both to your father’s posts. You’re still the only heir to Rosethorn manor, and Calliope loves Tiberius Gate too much to leave forever. We might also hold it against you if you never call or visit your famlies.” Amadeus said with cheer. “That aside, I know you will take good care of her for us.” Amadeus smiled. Andromeda felt mildly insulted; it felt like he was projecting his duty onto her. She gave him a look that could kill.

“Have you let go of your ‘sworn oath’ complex yet? Or am I to inherit that too? Based on your story about how you met Morgan, I’m guessing you keep following Calli because she’s not much different from him. That’s why you keep signing up to be a paladin whenever Morgan or his kids have an adventure.” Andromeda snapped.

“Or maybe I grew up since I was fourteen, and now I just care that everyone’s happy and safe. I would also like to inform you; the latter is actually what we call my job. Just like tending Rosethorn Manor” Amadeus laughed. “Maybe my oath complex includes everybody now; and is out of love instead of obligation. Oh my, I didn’t even notice…. I think I may genuinely want to protect people on their magical adventures, and my dream was to be a paladin this whole time.” Amadeus joked. Andromeda didn’t appreciate the sarcasm. She smiled to humor him.

“Calliope is going to take me to all sorts of lands, and we’re going to find all sorts of cups. Don’t worry dad, I won’t let anything happen to her. And I’ll be fine too. Also, my oath, will not be fulfilled until me and Calli have tried every bath bomb Aunt Reggie sent us… for some reason….” Andromeda said. “Also, thank you father. For forwarding my post, so I can be with her. That means a lot.”

“Don’t forget you two will come back here. Whether it’s for a wedding, or because you love this place, and miss us.”

“Only if she decides to come back with me. Because the place I love is right next to her. No offense; I love you and mom too…” Andromeda smiled. Calliope had just arrived at the doorway, looking over dressed, with tears in her eyes. She hugged Andromeda.

“I love you too. So many cups. So many Adventures. He’s right; we will have to crawl back eventually…we have property to inherit, and need somewhere to rest and tell our tales.” Calliope cried into Andromeda’s shirt. Crinkling all the smoothing Amadeus had done. Andromeda hugged back, and led Calliope off, arms locked. But she couldn’t wait for all of those things to happen. Amadeus couldn’t wait to hear about it when they come home safe and sound.

Then everyone remembered this was just a date, to visit the Dragon King and finish a research paper. Calliope had a magic string that allows mages to take common folk safely into the shadow veil; which Aunt Reggie had made years ago. Though Calli wanted to go alone, Andromeda insisted she meet the mighty force of magic that named her girlfriend. The Dragon King might also have tips on where to find more inanimate chickens she could send her father while she was away.

TABLE OF CONTENTS--->

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#art #tales of ealdan cynedom #story 17 #fantasy #short stories #calliope #andromeda #amadeus #morgan #emilia

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