a writer who writes about taboo subjects doesn’t owe you any explanation as to why they write what they write

an artist who draws dark, macabre art doesn’t owe you any explanation as to why they draw what they draw

a writer who writes about taboo subjects doesn’t owe you any explanation as to why they write what they write

an artist who draws dark, macabre art doesn’t owe you any explanation as to why they draw what they draw

a writer who writes about taboo subjects doesn’t owe you any explanation as to why they write what they write

an artist who draws dark, macabre art doesn’t owe you any explanation as to why they draw what they draw

hope this helps 🥰

Oh my gods I was not expecting Wyll to take the lead! Go, Mr. Blade of Frontiers go!! Ah- they'd be so cute together!

Who should Torment romance??

Doing youtude live streams of this boy, Torment:

He is a Dark Urge playthrough and a tiefling fighter, who I think is pretty gay lol. So who should he romance???

Who should Torment romance??

Doing youtude live streams of this boy, Torment:

He is a Dark Urge playthrough and a tiefling fighter, who I think is pretty gay lol. So who should he romance???

Young Kyrell: Mummy! Mummy! Did you know dog spelled backwards is god?

Mum: That's right, dear. You're such a clever little kid.

Bhaal speaking through a dog... for some reason: Kill your parents Kyrell.

Young Kyrell: *gasps* I will god!

Kyrell actually doesn't murder thier adoptive parents until they are in their 20s.

Let's just say: Math skills aren't important in the Temple of Bhaal

Also Shadowheart is horrified at Kyrell’s logic

V'anilee does not care for Astarion's plans and manipulation

Astarion at the goblin party: So, what happens next?

V'anilee: We keep partying...?

Astarion: Don't pretend you don't understand, I meant sex.

V'anilee realizing he is flirting on her: Between us?? Nothing is going to happen.

Astarion: Ah, come on, I'm sure you felt something between us.

V'anilee: No, I didn't and it is not happening.

Astarion: Fine, I suppose I'll entertain myself then.

Barking up the wrong tree there my vampire spawn. V'anilee is a drow lesbian so you really didn't stand a chance. Still, I've never had him reject me yet.

Not a warlock, but my Durge is a paladin and was a paladin of Bhaal, obviously. Same thing happened after they rejected Bhaal, they made a new oath to Withers. So, they are basically a paladin of Withers/Jergal :3

Durge HCs (with appearances from Gortash)

Some hc rotating in my brain about my durge but I'm too lazy to write fics rn so this is my outlet

The Dark Urge and Gortash learned how to ballroom dance together. Gortash knew he was going to take over Baldur's Gate and figured he should know how to dance like the rich do (he's the kinda guy who believes in dressing for the job you want). So, he decides to teach himself and Durge too since he wants to rule with them. It was clumsy, messy, and got a little violent, bloody, and even erotic at times.

Gortash also made Durge do some other proper society training. Obviously, Durge wasn't built for proper society but Gortash dreamed of it and now thay dream included Durge. So, he made them also learn what fork to use for when (the beast and belle dinner scene frfr) and posture training. Durge hated this very much. They threatened Gortash life many times and many fork were stabbed into hands.

I refuse to believe that Gortash doesn't know how to lace his shirt. Therefore, I've decided that durge used to lace them that way because they were always dressed by their followers so they didn't know how. And now Gortash keeps it that way.

I 100% think that Gortash is obsessed with money and appearing rich. He buys gaudy expensive clothes but doesn't know how to wear them or the current trends because he didn't grow up rich. So, he looks kinda silly with his ugly red shoes and anxiety robe but no one dares make fun of him for it.

And because he cared about clothes and presentation he would buy Durge a lot of clothes that durge probably never wore.

Durge probably went to the shoe store Gortash's parents own when they were a kid before becoming the dark urge.

Orin and Durge are kinda like Zuko and Azula to me. Like even though they're both kinda fucked up inside and hate each other, they're still siblings. They probably had dumb arguments as teens like normal siblings but a little bloodier. And they probably braided each other hair and cared for one enough without admitted it was that. I wish so badly their could be an ending with Orin with a redeemed Durge like their was with Zuko and Azula.

Kinda fucked up but I wouldn't put it past them, Orin and Gortash hooked up after the Durge was taken. Buuut Orin would be shapeshifted into Durge for Gortash. Additionally, Orin used the Durge form to mess with Gortash just for fun.

Redeemed Durge HCs

The general public does not know about Durge being from Bhaal's temple and kinda being the cause of it all. Except for Duke Ravengard (if alive). Which makes it really awkward for a Durge romancing Wyll because his father is so clearly scared of Durge. They feel bad and they're trying to calm him but he's definitely resents them a little.

Durge probably killed Gortash's parents after the whole saving the world thing in the good ending. Like this might be a redeemed durge but they still killed them cause they still felt bad for Gortash and his parents sucked.

Durge made a memorial for Orin, Gortash, and Ketheric. Maybe they even added The Dark Urge too, just to remind themselves that's not who they are anymore.

If Durge is a warlock then original their patron is Bhaal but after they reject him Withers is their new patron.

Since they're kinda the hero of Baldur's Gate now, Durge was forced to do a bunch of public appearances and go to fancy parties and balls. Unfortunately, they've forgotten everything that Gortash taught them before about being in the upper crust so Durge is totally lost and feels like a rabid wolf in a bowtie. However, the gang helps them where they can. Primarily, Wyll and Astarion. Lae'zel offers advice but it's never any good...

Angst idea where documents and knowledge slip out on the actual involvement of Kyrell and the plot of the Absolute. And that one of the famed is reformed Bhaalspawn. Now, there are some bring to question if it is safe to let them and specifically their child, who could still be influenced by Bhaal, to live in the city. Or, on the extreme end, some question if the child should be left to love at all.

The dhampir Bhaalspawn

Kyrell: *knitting but looks up to see Sceleritas's hat flying* Ugh, if his hat is here that means the rest of him is here... wait, hats don't fly.

Astarion: *walks in only to suddenly have a hat on his head* Bloody hells, what is this– *is cut off by his 2 year old daughter turning back into humanoid form... on top of his head and giggling*

Kyrell: Explains the flying hat, but Elanor, you're supposed to be in bed.

Astarion: It takes me 200 years to learn how to turn into a bat, and my daughter can do it at barely 2 years old. *has to catch her from falling off his head*

Elanor: *chewing on the hat*

Sceleritas: Ah, there you are, young miss! No, no, no hats aren't for chewing! *hastily taking his hat back*

Kyrell: Nor are severed limbs.

Sceleritas: Cannibalism is just part of the process. A process you keep interfering with might I add.

Kyrell: Oh forgive me for fucking up Father's plans again 🙄.

Astarion: *smiling happily at his daughter and taking her back to bed*

Thinking about this post regarding Astarion being disconnected from Feywild magic, some aspects of the Reverie and the ability to reincarnate and recall his past lives.

An Elven Dark Urge would have the exact same problem on account of them being born entirely from Bhaal's flesh.

The Dark Urge has no past lives or Fey ancestry.

Astarion and The Dark Urge are just two monsters yearning for a connection to a world that they can never be a part of.

Meet V'anilee evil Durge run

Third BG3 run, and it is my second Durge run. We have this lovely... actually that's not a fitting description for her. Meet V'anilee!

She is a Lolth-sworn drow necromancer (Wizard but also multi-classing as a rogue) Dark Urge character. She is also a lesbian to prevent me from romancing Astarion. She also, in typical female drow style, just thinks she's better than every man alive.

Going to recruit Minthara through raiding the grove and hopefully romance her. If I don't romance her, I might go with Shadowheart.

I think ultimately Astarion and V'anilee will be the gay best friends who always have beef with each other but also stab anyone who insults the other (like that's their job and no one else's lol). Astarion has already killed her, and he got punched for it.

I can never imagine this guy as the big spoon 😅

He is the little spoon all the time in my head, and all my possible Tavs/Durges that romance him will reflect that lol

ASTARION BRAINROT !

don’t let that façade fool you, astarion loves being the little spoon.

it had crossed his mind one of the numerous nights he had spent in your tent — blending in with the shadows, as not to rouse suspicions from your other companions.

quite frankly, it was a fickle thing that he’d let them have their fun about, but kept hidden for your sake ( and his secretly ). he had gotten used to the routine of sliding under the thin sheet that shielded you from the rest of the world, pressing a light kiss between your brows.

he’d eye your form for a couple more seconds, watching your chest rise and fall before turning his back to you; and just like every night, you stir awake.

the mumble of his name falling from your lips never fails to make him sigh, despite not having to, and when you wrap your arms around his torso and press your cheek against his clothed back it’s heaven.

gods, it felt so sweet, so safe, so… much like home.

something he’s never really known before.

“can we stay like this?”

“we can.” your response is all but a whisper. “forever if you wanted to.”

ascended astarion and vampire spouses

so I've been reading the dnd 2e manual "Van Richten's Guide to Vampires" for fic/game inspiration, and there's this really interesting chapter on vampire brides and grooms. after reading it, it's very clear to me that Astarion didn't turn Tav into a typical spawn, but into a vampire spouse, which are two very different rituals with very different outcomes.

the typical vampire spawn creation process is exactly what Astarion describes happening to him: a painful death, a painful rebirth into undeath, fighting his way out of his own coffin, and Cazador's complete control over him. this is described pretty clearly in the guide to vampires:

According to most related tales, a vampire can create another simply by killing a mortal either with its life-energy draining power (draining all the character's experience leveIs) or by exhausting the mortal of his or her blood supply. If the victim's body is not properly destroyed, it arises as a vampire, under the control of the creature who killed it, on the second night following the burial. [...] Most vampires remember the instant of their death and the nature of their killer, and understand immediately their new nature. Certainly their new hunger gives them a good idea of what they have become. They must immediately free themselves from their grave. either by breaking it open from within or by assuming gaseous form and diffusing out.

so that's definitely what happened to Astarion, but that's not what happens to Tav. after ascended Astarion turns Tav into a vampire, they can ask him what happened, and he describes the following:

Astarion: You are so beautiful... And you will be beautiful forever. Thank you for trusting me. Player: What exactly happened? Astarion: You were drained dry, and at the height of your delirium, I granted you one drop of my own blood. Things will be a touch different for you than they were for me when I was a spawn. I'm imbibed with unfathomable new talents. I am fairly certain I can extend Mephistopheles' blessings unto you. Player: Does that mean I need not fear the sun? Astarion: You need not fear anything. You will be stronger, swifter, sharper, but you won't be different. You were already perfect before. It's hard to improve.

for reference, this is how the guide to vampires describes the ritual for vampire spouses:

To actually create the bride, the vampire bestows what is known as the "Dark Kiss". lt samples the blood of its mortal paramour—once, twice, thrice—draining her almost to the point of death. This process causes the subject no pain; in fact, it has been described as the most euphoric, ecstatic experience, in comparison to which all ether pleasures fade into insignificance. Just as the subject is about to slip into the terminal coma from which there is no awakening, the vampire opens a gash in its own flesh—often in its throat—and holds the subject's mouth to the wound, As the burning draught that is the vampire’s blood gushes into the subject's mouth, the primitive feeding instinct is triggered, and she sucks hungrily at the wound, enraptured. With the first taste of the blood, the subject is possessed of great and frenzied strength (Str 18, if the character’s Str isn't already higher), and will use it to prevent the vampire from separating her from the fountain of wonder that is its bleeding wound. lt is at this point that the creator-vampire's strength is most sorely tested. He is weakened by his own blood loss, and also by his own rapture as the "victim" of a dark kiss. Overcoming the sudden loss of strength and the inclinations of lust, the vampire must pull her away from its own throat, hopefully without harming her, before she has overfed. Should the subject be allowed to feed for too long (more than 2 rounds), she is driven totally and incurably insane, and will die in agony within 24 hours. Once the subject has stopped feeding, she falls into a coma that lasts minutes or hours (2dl2 turns), at the end of which time she dies. Several (1 d3) hours later, she arises as a Fledgling vampire—and her creator's bride.

this to me sounds like what Astarion describes. he drains Tav almost dry, and at the very last moment, gives them a single drop of his blood. (also interesting reading this guide, the single drop avoids the problem of the vampire spouse being driven ravenous with hunger for the vampire creator's blood and attacking them. did Astarion know this and give them one drop on purpose to avoid that and Tav potentially being driven mad by it? or was he being selfish and this is just a nice but unanticipated outcome?)

i kept reading and there's a lot more interesting information about vampire spouses, but the most interesting thing I found related to the game was this:

Although there are some folk tales that describe the bride of a vampire as its slave, in much the same way that offspring are slaves, a bride is free-willed from the moment of her creation. The creator vampire does have great influence over the bride. however although this control is totally nonmagical. When a vampire is created in the traditional manner—that is, when a victim's life energy is completely drained away—the new fledgling instinctively understands much about the vampiric way of unlife, and about its own strengths, weaknesses* and needs. Not so the bride.

so basically, the vampire spouse is not tied to the vampire creator in the same way as a spawn (i.e., not able to be fully controlled) but is still extremely reliant on the vampire creator to teach them how to live as a vampire. the guide goes on to describe that some vampire creators may lie to their vampire spouse about the control or powers they have, in order to exert more control over them.

interestingly, if you ask Astarion if he can compel you the way Cazador compelled him, he doesn't give a straight answer, he just says this:

Player: Cazador could compel you - can you compel me? Astarion: Why would I need to? You're going to be wonderfully obedient.

to me, all of this says that Astarion was telling the truth when he told Tav that they would be different from him as a spawn, and also in emphasizing that they are not a spawn but a consort. he didn't create a spawn, he created a vampire spouse. he married Tav, and because of this Tav also retains their free will.

of course, Astarion doesn't say this. if he knows, he withholds this information in much the way that this guide describes, as a way for the creator to maintain more control over their spouse. but still, extremely interesting implications for the ascended Astarion romance, imo.

other interesting facts about vampire spouses from the guide to vampires:

the married couple has telepathic communication that can span miles -- so Tav and Astarion can potentially have a telepathic bond even after the tadpoles are gone. (another note, this communication has to be consensual both ways for it to work, so you can't just dig around someone's mind if they don't want it.)

the vampire creator is extremely jealous and possessive. (yeah lol)

their life forces are linked, so one suffering a great deal is felt by the other.

the bond can be broken, but the ritual to do so has to be initiated by the creator. to break it, they both spill their blood on the ground and allow it to mix. this dissolves all aspects of the bond (i.e., telepathy and linked life forces), but the spouse stays a vampire.

Jaheira: You made it back in one piece and what of the devil Raphael?

Kyrell: I blew him up :3

Jaheira: ...Bhaal did not teach you that, did he? I can see it on your face.

Kyrell: ...yeah, the arson and pyromania are a me thing.

Orin-napping (aka kidnapping baby Orin) with Kyrell

Sarevok: Where in the hells is my granddaughter?

Kyrell: *sneaking out of the Temple of Bhaal with baby Orin in hand*

Sceleritas who was left to deal with the fall out and is tired of Kyrell's shit: My master has her and if you want her back I suggest you start running.

Kyrell shouting: You were supposed to distract him asshole! * breaks into a full run because the stairs will only take Sarevok so long to climb back up*

Batstarion Headcanons

Non-Ascended version

He enjoys his new abilities to the highest extent.

Being able to fly is the ultimate freedom, and being able to transform into a flying thing is the skill he never knew he wanted.

The problem is he is the most adorable little white bat the world has seen and also the size of a cat.

And you don't let him forget about it.

When he is in the bat form, you try to squeeze and rub him like a cat.

Also speaking to him with the stupid voice people use to talk to babies and pets.

He pretends it annoys him, but it doesn't.

Though Astarion gets annoyed when you wrap him in a piece of cloth, making him fold his wing around his body.

"Oh, we both know if you really didn't like it, you would transform back!"

When you travel, he sometimes sits on your shoulder, and you mock him for being a lazy vampire.

But he does it to transform back in the most unexpected moment and push you onto the ground with all his weight.

Traveling in the daylight is so much easier - he hides under your shirt like a cat, looking with his small red eyes on the world in the sun.

Time to time you give him your finger to drink blood - in the bat form, he doesn't need a lot, and you can both relax.

"Is it a cat you are carrying there?" "No, it's my ... pet bat!" "Aww, it's so adorable!"

And you keep rubbing the bat's head with your finger.

The moment he transforms back, he looks at you accusingly.

"Adorable? Really?"

"Not so much as in your regular form."

Sometimes you are so tired and stressed he can't console you - neither sweet words nor hugs help. Then, he transforms into the bat and just sits on your shoulder purring into your ear.

He also transforms when it's too much for him.

When he feels disgusted about his body and the cold grip of horror squeezes his undead heart, he turns into the bat mindlessly and tries to hide or fly away.

You often manage to let him hide in your clothes, hiding him from the world by your body and thin fabric.

Bonus (you and Astarion have a dhampir daughter):

She can polymorph into the bat from a very young age.

And you are in awe of how tiny little bats are (she can easily be put in a pocket of your shirt).

She also uses it as her stress-response.

The second she sees something scary, she transforms into a tiny vampire pup (also white in color) and hides in her father's sleeve or under his jacket.

"What scared you, princess?" he asks, touching the delicate wings.

*angry and scared squeaking*

Tag list @tragedybunny @caitlincat-95 @tallymonster @astarionsbeloved @lumienyx @fayeriess @elora-the-slutty-songstress @veillsar @astarion-imagine-archive @micropoe10 @starlight-ipomoea @herstxrgirl @theearthsfinalconfession @ashrio20 @not-so-lost-after-all @vixstarria @wintersire @marcynomercy

BG3 Spoilers for all the quests and big bosses of the game

So I've been reading people's thoughts on how while all of the villains in the game disliked/hated in some way, most have their odd charms that make people like them. All except Cazador, even though he isn't the most evil character in the game, for most of the fandom and how this might be tied to the way the fandom treats Astarion. And I do think that is part of it, but I think there is something else to it too.

So you are learning about Cazador through Astarion from Act 1. And he makes it very clear in Act 1 that if he could kill his master, he would. As a new player, it is pretty easy to then put Cazador on the "to be kill" list with little information on why he is so evil. Like, even if you just have Astarion as a companion and are playing a somewhat good character, you're likely to prepare to kill Cazador.

From here, you can learn more about him through Astarion, and that literally just adds reason to killing Cazador. You know he is not a good person and in a good aligned mind, killing him benefits more than just Astarion. It prevents Cazador from continuing to abuse people and make new spawn.

Now add on to the fact that Cazador is one of the only characters that you can give more than a "fuck you for treating my companion like shit" to. Cazador can be dealt with in the game and killed.

Look at Mizora, also learned about in Act 1, you get to actually meet her too, follows a similar path of learning more about her throughout the acts. Yet she isn't hated as much? Why? Because you can't get vengeance against her for trapping and manipulating 17 year old Wyll in a contract. You can't harm her. If you don't save her at Moonrise Towers, you are damning Wyll to the Hells. You have to play nice with her. You can hate her, sure. Even if you do free Wyll from his pact, you can't go stop Mizora from manipulating another poor soul into a contract.

Mystra? A literal goddess who the game does not let us touch. And keeps implying that if she dies, so does the weave. You don’t even get to sa fuck you to her face, you say it to Gale’s face and he's the one who's been told to kill himself. You also don't directly hear anything bad about her. Gale sugarcoats it for a long time.

Shar and Viconia? Well, again, much like Mystra, Shadowheart spents all of Act 1 and 2 praising them both. So neither are yet put in the "kill on sight" list because if you're a new player, you probably don't know if you can get Shadowheart to turn against them. One is again a goddess, who you can sort of say fuck you too, but she is petty enough where you may not want to. The other you only get implied information on what she may have done to your companion. So by Act 3 Viconia is probably on the list, but even I, my first play through, went in a bit blind to the abuse she put our cleric through. I learned for implications to that after I killed her.

Then there is Vlaakith, who again you know of in Act 1, but you aren't going to catch Lae'zel dead saying anything bad about her. You have to play your cards right when you do encounter her or else risk losing your companion. Which isn't too hard to do but is nerve-racking to do in a first play through... speaking from experience. Again the most you can do is say fuck you until you learn of Orpheus. Then it seems like you might be able to add her to the killing list, but then someone has to become a mindflayer and you don't get to see it happen.

Karlach has Zariel and Gortash. Zariel, you both hear is a terrible person and is a devil, so it goes without say. But it's pretty obvious that killing her is out of your league, and beyond that, Karlach wouldn't want to because that means going back to the Hells. Like I'm sure if she could she would, but maybe settling on a much of fuck yous and being out of Avernus is enough for now. Now Gortash, for one, you really only start learning about in Act 2. So you go into Act 3 knowing he is a part of the working of the Absolute and that he sold Karlach to Zariel. Not much else, but he automatically gets put on the list, assuming you don’t fall for his bargain. Act 3 is a bit disjointed with clear direction on how, where, and when you are supposed to learn ALL of the shit that man has done. I know I missed a lot and then kept learning things a bit out of order. Safe to say there are a lot of reasons you should kill him, but you're learning them from like 12 different sources and killing him can also just feel like necessity and getting Karlach vengeance is a bonus.

Ketheric isn't connected to any companion quests except maybe Minthara? Idk haven't played with her, so I can't speak to it. And Durge. Sure, you need to kill him to finish Halsin's quest, and obviously, Jaheira wants the man dead. But he is another one that the game just leads to you killing him. You need to kill him, whether you want to and go out of your way to kill him, doesn't really apply here.

Orin will only correlate with a Dark Urge quest. Otherwise, she is completely a needed kill to get her netherstone. Even a Durge run, we don't recall her betrayal until Act 3, and you don't directly learn more about said betrayal until fighting Orin. Like sure, as a player, if you read certain things, you can piece together that Durge was Bhaal's Chosen, but these can be missed, and your character won't know until Orin reveals it. That all aside, Orin isn't the really important villain of a Durge run. The important villain is Bhaal himself, and again, you can't actually touch him. You can reject him, but he kills you instead, and then bone grandpa brings you back. So again, falling in line with another character you can't get complete vengeance for because, well, a lot of these god-like beings....

So what we've got Cazador, Viconia, Gortash, and Orin? Two of which have to die? My point being that Cazador wasn't given a chance to be "liked villain". If you even slightly like Astarion/are just playing that good character, he is on the go out of our way to kill list before you know Ketheric is unkillable. From there, you probably aren’t going to want to hear him out because you've already committed to his death 15 hours into the game and it'll take you a good 70 more hours before you face him.

Again, I do, for the most part, think he doesn't make it as one of the many slightly likable big bosses because of Astarion fans just being... weird. And I love Astarion very much, but side-eye, and then scroll from a lot of his fan base. But also what I listed above is pretty close to how my first play through went. Cazador was the first on my list, and I tried to add the other characters that hurt my companions, but they kept getting taken off the list because I can't actually kill them in game -_-. Viconia was even killed before Cazador in the play through.

So yeah, I just wanted to offer a different perspective on the topic. Thanks for reading.