#i've romanced lae'zel shadowheart and astarion so far | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

meanbossart · 2 months

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I've been loving the DU Drow as a companio asks, so I've got my own. I was wondering what kind of interactions he would have with the other companions.

More specifically, we know Astarion flirts with almost anyone (for his own reasons) and even sleeps with Bae'zel at the tiefling party if you turn him down as a player. So, since the Drow is in the group now, what would his interaction with Astarion be? Would Astarion assume him to be the strongest and best chance of survival if manipulated? Would Astarion try to sleep with the Drow the same way he would with Lae'zel?

(Regarding the companions in general) Oh I can easily see him and Shadowheart having some cute party banter, they'd poke light fun at each other and have a similarly "darkly dramatic" reaction to things. He'd easily be the most talkative with her, often initiating mundane conversations about stuff you find. I can see some dialogue between them triggering upon finding one of the many drink-stashes you come across where they discuss what they like best when it comes to wine - or what they think they like, at least, considering the state of their memories.

Gale would be eager to inquire him about drow and the underdark, and where he got his fighting prowess from, which would visibly annoy DU drow since he can't fucking remember anything LOL he'd comment about how he always thought male drow were supposed to be a little… Flimsier, prompting a response along the lines of "I suppose my mother must have fed me well. I do have quite the appetite for loud-mouths."

Gale's like :U my goodness. Point taken.

He might talk to Karlach about Avernus, being fond of the savage nature of it. He'd also ask her if "something's bothering her" and when she asks why he's asking, he comments on how she can never seem to be still for long LOL

If Jaheira joins the party later she takes an interest in him (I WONDER WHY) and they could also share a little friendly banter. DU drow ends up asking her things about Baldur's Gate and herself to fill the gaps in his memory, as well as her children. He expresses how, if he thought himself more fit for a father, he'd have some of his own. Jaheira tells him it's probably better this way.

The banter with Astarion would be pretty par for the course - a mix between being flirtatious in nature and a little passive-aggressive all at once. At some point he says he can't keep quiet about how he stinks of carrion - DU calmly tells him that it can't be helped, due to their circunstances, and that he has a pretty cadaveric perfume himself. Astarion gets offended and tells him he knows for a fact that he smells lovely - DU drow tells him those statements need not be mutually exclusive.

He'd also ask Wyll about Mizora and what it's like to be in her servitute, claiming that he "wouldn't mind doing her a few favors himself" and Wyll tries his darn best to brush that off.

Lae'zel picks on him about his, erm, unreliable state of mind and accuses DU drow of basically being a ticking-time-bomb. DU responds that he feels less like a bomb and more like a vent releasing a steady flow of noxious fumes - if that helps her sleep better at night.

He also snorts at Minthara's "jokes".

(Onto the second part of this already far-too-long reply:)

And I THINK SO, I think Astarion would take him for being more easily manipulated than Lae'zel and try his luck there instead.

Small detour: you know, I always thought it'd be neat if some of the companions formed relationships with each other if you didn't pursue them. We see friendships form but romances would be fun too - like Karlach and Shadowheart could get together if you didn't pair with either of them, and Ascended Astarion and Minthara if you happened to have that party configuration in act 3. I don't really see many of the others having that kind of chemistry, but I wouldn't want the whole camp to be in love with each other anyway lol just 1 or 2 other couples would make the party feel more autonomous.

So, in a world where that's a part of the game, I obviously would say they get together if you don't romance either (from a mechanic standpoint player still gets first dibs LOL) and that unlocks unique party banter and dialogue where you can ask them about it once per act and reveal the "status" of the relationship. In act 2 you get to comment about how they seem to "steal away" together often. Astarion implies they're obviously having sex, and that he's always wanted to "try a little drow - but a big one is even better". If you ask DU drow about it he keeps details and motivations to himself, but acknowledges that they have something going on. You can then tell him that you believe he's being used, and DU drow very nonchalantly says that "he's well aware", but that he isn't worried about it.

In Act 3, when you ask again, Astarion somewhat bashfully reveals that the drow grew on him, and if you press on about the topic he reveals that they haven't even had sex since act 1, they just do a lot of talking, as he sheepishly puts it. If you ask DU drow about it he's much more upfront in saying that they've become an item, and that he's very happy in Astarion's company.

#ask #companion DU drow #will start using that tag in case I ever wanna look back at these

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merrilldidnothingwrong · 8 months

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How the Companions Love

Greetings. I have returned, and I am inaugurating opening up asks to BG3 with a post about how the romance options love. Spoilers ahead. - Mod Alistair

Gale: Gale's love is bittersweet. He's loved before, and that love twisted in with his pride and desire for his lover's approval has ended with him here. With a bomb inside him, and getting a message from his once-lover that the only thing that will redeem him is sacrificing himself. He flirts and romances, but part of it is borne of him trying to recapture what he lost with his recklessness. Once he experienced magic with another, beheld the beauty of the world not alone, but side by side with the person who held his heart. Yet in a strange way, he's growing into a far greater love, whether Tav reciprocates his offer of romance, because he gains friendship where he once had none.

Astarion: Astarion loves cautiously. He shows lust easily enough, he's used to being seductive, making himself seem approachable and desirable. But love, emotional intimacy. He struggles, because it's a weakness, and he wants nothing more than to burn all weakness out so that he can never be enslaved again. Yet at the same time, the comfort of love calls to him, and carefully, fearfully, he reaches for it.

Wyll: Wyll loves hopefully. He flirts and acts like a suave hero, but at core, he hopes to find someone he can love who cares as deeply as he does. Who wants to help as much as he does. He tries to take charge and protect when he's unused to being among equals, and being cared for and protected in turn startles him. He hopes for love, but he doesn't expect to be loved back the way he loves.

Lae'zel: Lae'zel's love is uncertain. It's new ground to her, and she's already dealing with uncertainty as her world, both figuratively and literally, has been wrenched out from under her. Love is foreign to her, and she falls back on lust because it's what she knows. But slowly, she takes that step, revealing her emotional desires as she revealed her physical ones. And though she expresses it poorly, she grows to care for those around her, and to find love and kindness as she opens up, and learns more about the world she's in now.

Shadowheart: Shadowheart loves desperately. She yearns for it, and clings to it all the time, even when she feels she shouldn't. Her joy when she believes she's beloved by Shar burns bright. When she steps away from Shar, she falls back on the love and compassion she's experienced through her journey, building her foundation on it, where she once relied on Shar's teachings.

Karlach: Karlach loves passionately. She reaches for the first chance she's had to experience love, and she takes it. She fights to regain the ability to feel physical intimacy that was stolen from her, and drinks in the emotional intimacy she'd been missing for far too long. She relishes in compassion and love when she'd been unable to indulge in either for most of her life. Even when she makes peace with dying soon, because she never wishes to return to where she was enslaved, she devours as much love as she can, wishing to make up for the time she'd lost.

Halsin: Halsin loves freely. Both romantically and in general. He holds kindness, love, and joy close to his heart, and spreads them where he can. He seeks and offers freedom, and loves it for all it is. He's looked into the abyss, and chosen to turn around and embrace the world and people in it.

(I've got nothing for Minthara bc I play good characters. Add on if y'all want.)

Time and time again, the importance of love is repeated throughout Baldur's Gate 3. From the healthy to the toxic, we see love in numerous forms. And especially in our primary companions, we see this lesson over and over: when the world is beating you down, love will help you get back up. And though it's messy, and filled with arguments and disagreement, the group of people trying to find their freedom from a dark fate, and finding love and common ground together, is a deeply beautiful thing.

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #gale #wyll #astarion #lae'zel #shadowheart #halsin #karlach #bg3 spoilers

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swordcreature · 5 months

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hiiii its the same anon who requested positive tav snapping! you did such a good job I've re-read it like. 5 times already ♡♡♡

I have another request regarding the origin companions, if you're up to writing for them again. though non romamced this time.

how do you imagine they'd feel about a middle aged female elf tav who very clearly has maternal feelings for all of them? like she fully takes on the role as group mother. I think itd be 50/50 who accepts it and who fights it at first.

thank you so much if you decide to write this!! ♡♡♡

hi again sorry this took so long and thank you for sending another request!!!!!

i kind of struggled to write this because so far i've only ever written romanced characters but it was a nice change of pace

these are more like a small series of drabbles but i hope you like them!!!

Shadowheart, Astarion, Lae'zel, Wyll, Gale, & Karlach - Maternal Tav

This is not gender neutral per the request, uses she/her pronouns

How the companions react to a Maternal Tav

Astarion:

Astarion fights it at first, like he fights most feelings about him that aren’t sexual. To digest the fact that another person could care for him, consider his wellbeing, support him – it's nearly incomprehensible. Because that would mean that for the past 200 years, he was capable, deserving even, of being loved but no one bothered enough to do so. No one’s cared enough to care. So he pushes back, lashing out at Tav with a forked tongue that cuts like a blade. If there’s one thing he knows, it’s how to hurt people. If Tav wants to put a mirror to his face (metaphorically speaking of course) to show him that the lie he tells himself at night – that a monster like him isn’t worthy of love – isn’t true.... well, he’ll just have to break her down. But Tav is unrelenting, somehow always knowing when to catch Astarion with open arms and a shoulder to lean on. And eventually he slips up, allowing himself to indulge in Tav’s comforting presence after a particularly rough day. It’s the crack in the door that Tav needs to stick her foot in and break the damn thing down. Soon, Astarion is allowing himself to be tended to after fights, comforted after a nightmare – he even lets Tav embrace him tightly when the stress of their journey is too much for him to bear. It’s a strange sensation for him – another person wanting to share the weight he bares with nothing, not even a kiss, in return – but one that he ultimately comes to crave more fiercely than anything else in the world.

Gale:

Gale already has a mother, thank you very much, so why would he need someone looking after him like that? Of course, he hasn’t really enjoyed his mother’s presence since he obtained the orb, but he did have Tara. And so what if Tara wasn’t here right now? That still doesn’t mean he needs to indulge in the comforts of a maternal figure just because life is less than pleasant. Well, he does need someone to bring him magical items, so he allows Tav to take care of him in that regard. But that is it, he swears! Though there is something very endearing about the way she's willing to listen to him complain about his day despite going through the same exact hogwash herself. And he’d be remiss to pass up the opportunity to educate someone on the finer points of the Weave; Tav always seems to ask about it when he’s outside his tent plucking strands of the Weave like an instrument. Okay, fine, maybe it is nice to have someone who is there to give advice when needed and to compliment him when he’s feeling down! But he hardly needs such coddling, he’s a grown made for Hells’ sake. That’s what he tells himself, at least. The others just laugh and roll their eyes. Because if there’s one person who has taken to Tav’s maternal nurturing, it’s Gale.

Karlach:

Karlach thinks Tav is so awesome, she can hardly believe her luck. Fresh out of the Hells with a heart that is stable enough to survive the night and she’s met the nicest, kindest person in the entire Sword Coast? It’s a fuckin’ miracle! And it’s what Karlach desperately needs. After 10 long years of demons and devils and wretched souls, the comfort Tav offers is a balm on her scorching heart. It makes her feel alive again, like a real fucking person and not just a dispensable agent of some power-hungry bitch. Her life still isn’t her own, not really, at least until her heart is completely fixed, but Tav will be there the entire way. She knows that for a fact. And although the thought of returning to Avernus makes Karlach’s blood boil – or, rather, boil more than normal – the thought of having Tav by her side makes it almost worth considering. Not quite, but almost. When Dammon, the cute bastard, gives her the ability to touch again there is no one else in the entire universe that Karlach wants to hug more than Tav. A hug doesn’t begin to cover what she owes to her, but it’s a start. And after so many long, rough nights with no physical comfort, Tav’s arms are more than tempting to get lost in. Karlach squeezes her with as much force as Tav’s body will handle. She may have lost her parents when she was taken to the Hells, but she feels her mom’s spirit in Tav. She’s sure of it.

Lae’zel:

No one in their right mind would treat Lae’zel of Creche K’liir like a child if they wanted to keep their head on their body. And even though Tav does have an illithid tadpole lodged in her skull, she should know better than to be so patronizing. Lae’zel is more than capable of meeting all of her own needs, she does not need their leader for anything other than another body to wield another blade. Another means for safety. Though, Tav may be the only one in their group of infected to see the sense in seeking out the nearest creche for cleansing and so Lae’zel has to give her some credit for that. Perhaps she isn’t completely dull like the others. She fights rather well too. And Lae’zel does come to find other uses for Tav as their journey moves forward. Their leader is knowledgeable about this land in a way that Lae’zel is not, able to point out plants that cannot be eaten or animals not worth the effort to kill for food. One day, she even showed Lae’zel how to fashion a small sling to throw rocks from the leftovers of a boar carcass. The way Tav was determined to use every last piece of the animal, not letting any bit go to waste, reminded Lae’zel of her of her younger days being honed into the warrior she is today. A small part of her thinks she underestimated Tav and her eagerness to show what the others call affection. She might just have to try one of the older woman’s ‘hugs’ someday.

Shadowheart:

Shadowheart is more akin to a stone wall than a person when she first meets Tav. Not fully by choice either – there's nothing to tell Tav if she doesn’t remember anything herself. But it’s easy to see that even the things she does recall, she holds close to her chest. So Tav doesn’t pry; she doesn’t force Shadowheart to tell her anything she isn’t comfortable sharing. In fact, she shares her own secrets more readily, showing Shadowheart trust in hopes of earning it back. Faster than Tav ever dreamed, it begins to work. Small memories return to Shadowheart who then promptly confides in Tav, sharing bits and pieces of who she used to be, who she may still be. And Tav listens with open arms should Shadowheart need the embrace. She hardly ever does and Tav respects that, but the offer is always there. When Shar is feeling particularly petty and searing pain flashes in shades of purple against Shadowheart’s hand, Tav is there with a hand on her shoulder, offering a nod to let her know that she is not alone. It’s not much – and to be honest Shadowheart isn’t sure that she would tolerate much more – but it’s enough to make the loneliness she feels bearable. Shadowheart may never remember her whole life; parts may forever stay secret to herself let alone Tav. Still, she knows that whatever secrets she is willing to share will be handled with the care and love that she has been missing since she was a little girl.

Wyll:

Wyll never had a mother growing up and his father... well his father is a complicated subject. Which leaves his feelings about Tav a little muddied. He’s the Blade of Frontiers, a hero to folks all along the Sword Coast – he takes care of others, they don’t take care of him. It’s been a long time since he last took from someone instead of gave. It makes relating to Tav so easy: they’re both givers, both caretakers, both instinctually loving towards those around them. But it doesn’t make accepting Tav’s motherly affections any easier. To be fair it isn’t that Wyll doesn’t appreciate her – no, quite the opposite – he’s delighted to have someone so kindhearted to call a friend. He just finds it hard to let himself relax, to let someone else cut the firewood on a night where the wound on his shoulder hurts so bad he could cry, to let another person listen to and calm Gale’s worries about arriving in the city, to let Tav take on the burdens of the camp. Tav never gives up though – just another way they are kindred spirits. She takes care of Wyll’s chores before he even wakes up on days when he’s too sore to move properly, she mends his clothing when he tears a hole with his newly acquired claws. She even pretends to be thoroughly interested in his campfire stories, though he knows he’s probably told them all once or twice over at this point. Sometimes it all feels too self-indulgent, like he’s partaking in a too-big piece of dessert, but is he truly living a hero’s life if he doesn’t relent every once in a while?

#bg3 #bg3 astarion #bg3 gale #bg3 karlach #bg3 lae'zel #bg3 shadowheart #bg3 wyll #astarion #gale dekarios #karlach #lae'zel #shadowheart #wyll ravengard #bg3 tav #my writing #requests/suggestions #anon

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wizardsimper · 5 months

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I haven't got to the epilogue myself but from what I've seen ITS SO SWEET

Here are my favourite things so far

~ HUGS

~ Romanced Gale will boop your nose

~ TARA

~ God Gale has hubris turned up to 11 (also love his design)

~ Professor Gale threatening to blow himself up when his students misbehave

~ Shadowheart has 33? animals

~ Astarion seems genuinely happy

~ Also if you cast spirit guardians you can chase spawn Astarion which is pretty funny ngl

~ Literally Halsin's entire ending (and that sweet sweet character development)

~ The letters from other characters (Zevlor, Elminster, the emperor etc)

~ Also Halsin's lil dance (go white boy go)

~ Not sure if he needs to be romanced or not, but Haslin gifts you a wooden duck that he whittled

~ Lae'zel is off fighting Vlaakith

I haven't heard much about Karlach or Wyll, but patch 5 did introduce a new kiss animation for Wyll and it's beautiful

And that's just the stuff I've seen, I'm sure there's so much more and I'm actually really excited to finish the game now

#honestly the epilogue is *chefs kiss*#bg3 #bg3 spoilers #baldur's gate 3 #astarion #gale of waterdeep #halsin #shadowheart #lae'zel #wyll ravengard #karlach #gale dekarios #bg3 gale #bg3 astarion #bg3 wyll #bg3 halsin #bg3 karlach #bg3 lae'zel #bg3 shadowheart

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jubilantjubi · 7 months

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BG3 Party Members First Impressions

I have only played this game for like 5-ish hours, here's my first impressions of all the party members:

Lae'zel: Most of the things out of her mouth thus far have been threats of violence and racism. I really wanna show her more of the world and hope she has an Albi the Racist Dragon arc. She called my Tav and those in the grove a teeth-ling, I find this endearing.

Shadowheart: Seems nice, she seems to like that I saved her life, it's about all she says at this point. She's very mysterious and I don't know much about her yet, I think that's on purpose. I've been told by friends building a relationship with her (friendly or romantic) takes time, and so I will be patient.

Gale: I pulled a nerd out of a rock. He's my friend now. He approved when I stopped one of the tieflings from killing that goblin prisoner of war, I respect this. He eats magic items, which I feel like I should be annoyed by, but I'm the kind of player that hoards every magic item I find even if I will never use it because "what if I need it", so it'll force me to actually make choices.

Astarion: I might have more of an opinion on him cause the internet won't shut up about him. He's my guy and I love him. I also hate him. I want him to be a better person so we can hang out and drink (actual) wine. I would never romance him in a million years, even if you paid me. I think he needs a hug. I wanna dangle him out of a very high window by his ankles and shake him till all his money falls out. If anything happens to him I will cry. Respectfully, improve yourself worstie <3.

Wyll: A handsome man swooped into a fight in front of the settlement gates with a cool one-liner and brandishing a sword. He seems noble and cares about doing good. He was teaching kids how to sword-fight. He wants to help people in a really rough situation. He apologized when he was wrong about Karlach. I have a feeling if I ever do anything fucked up he'll call me out on it. I am currently heart eyes over this man. I am bisexual as hell.

Karlach: I literally just found her. Haven't even had time to put her in my party. But, a big strong fiery (literally) barbarian woman who is initially misunderstood but seems really energetic and sweet? Probably got anger issues? It seems like she feels everything she feels dialed up to 11 and I love that. She's so hot (literally), and I am currently heart eyes over this woman. I am bisexual as hell.

Hope that was entertaining for all you folks who have finished the game!

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #tav #lae'zel #shadowheart #gale #gale dekarios #oh #his last name is dekarios #huh #astarion #wyll #wyll ravengard #is that his last name?#Its gonna be super funny if its a different wyll #karlach #first impressions

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spyridonya · 8 months

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I'm seeing this complaint on Reddit, but I trust Tumblr more due to the demographics. Reddit has more straight cis men compared to Tumblr.

Were Gale and Halsin really more 'pushy' about romances compared to say, Karlach or Lae'zel?

Gale started the romantic conversations about the same time that Karlach straight up said she wanted to have sex with my Tav. At the next long rest, I saw that Lae'zel had a conversation option that could open a sexually charged conversation about her wanting to sleep with Tav. I've not gotten to Halsin as a companion, though I recognized the early flirt option with him and it's far less overt than with Lae'zel.

I've spent about as much time with Lae'zel, Karlach, and Gale when exploring. The companions I've spent the most time with have been Shadowheart and Astarion as the mainstays. I've spoken to Shadowheart during long rests about as much as the trio mentioned, yet she's not expressed interest or an option to start interest. Astarion has been spoken to the most of all mentioned, with the intention of perusing him. His romance conversations began a little after Gale, Karlarch, and Lae'zel's.

So here's what I'm wondering. People on reddit complain when Gale and Halsin are being 'horny' and 'pushy' as a bug when (for me) Karlarch and Lae'zel were roughly on par when they started their romance conversations and far more explicit? Please don't think I'm complaining about the ladies, Karlarch and Lae'zel are my top two choices for my second run! I'm just baffled and I'm not sure if I'm seeing a double standard 'problem' due to straight gamer guys being grossed out or if it was really was a bug.

#halsin #gale #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 spoilers

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song-writer-melo-wrath · 7 days

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Having one Tav who did an “evil” route among a bunch of others who did a “good” route is honestly…so hilarious. But oddly introspective as well.

Mythos: So I attacked the tieflings.

Perlif: What, to free Lae'zel? You seem smarter than that, getting out without fighting is easy if you say the right things.

Mythos: No, as in, the tiefling hide out.

Perlif: … Huh? Behemoth and Harper, both tieflings: What. Athmoth, the more morally grey of my Tavs: … Why, if I may ask?

Mythos: The other side seemed stronger, and knew more. Keeping the upper hand is important.

Athmoth: Hm.

Mythos: But I do wish Karlach hadn't left.

Behemoth, who romanced Karlach: I…you…

Mythos: And Wyll.

Harper, who romanced Wyll: OF COURSE HE LEFT??? YOU KILLED INNOCENT PEOPLE????

Mythos: More a shame too, Mizora seemed quite interesting.

[VARIOUS PROTESTS FROM THE “WOULD KILL FOR WYLL” COLLECTIVE]

Mythos: …and I never really got to meet Halsin. Outside of bear form, that is.

Perlif, out of shapeshifter solidarity: From what I'm hearing so far, he wouldn't have liked you anyway.

Athmoth, just trying to understand now: You whittled down your forces by choosing the supposed “strongest” side. It must have felt horrible.

Mythos: … A bit.

Harper: Good.

Mythos: Especially when Shadowheart left.

Athmoth: Athmoth, out of half-elf healer solidarity: What did you do.

[One recap involving kidnapping Isobel, helping Balthazaar take Aylin, and the Mind Blown achievement later]

Behemoth: … Alright.

Behemoth: I am constantly plagued by murderous urges, and still chose not to turn on the tieflings, or do any of…that.

Behemoth: Ath is a bit off sometimes, with all their ghosts, but still, they saved the tieflings as well.

Behemoth: What in the hells is your excuse.

Mythos: I've already told you. Even with all that happened, I still came out on top, didn't I?

Perlif: You are so…foresighted.

Mythos: You act as if I'm as bad as those chosen. I still tried to make those around me the best they could be, I just also wanted to keep them alive.

Harper: OH, BUT WYLL, HALSIN, AND KARLACH AREN'T KEPT ALIVE???

Perlif: You're no Orin or Gortash, but I could see you and Ketheric having tea together, had things turned out differently.

Mythos: Lae'zel is rebelling against Vlaakith. Gale is alive and well, and remarkable in his humanity. Astarion killed Cazador, and let the spawn go free. Minthara got her revenge.

Perlif, who romanced Gale: … Huh.

Mythos: And it's not as if my goal was world takeover. When the Absolute was conquered, we all came out safe and alive. That's what matters.

Athmoth: Bloodsong, the Ath timeline where they helped Astarion ascend, and chose to command the Absolute: Athmoth: Interesting.

Mythos: I wouldn't expect you to understand.

Athmoth: Maybe not understand, but…hm.

Behemoth: You and your morbid curiosity.

Perlif: Maybe if we'd all been there, we could have steered you differently. I suppose for now you're just alone, in your choices.

Mythos: A toast to choices then.

Athmoth: Like the one you took away from Shadowheart.

Mythos: … I sense there's a lot I'll never live down, with this group.

Harper: Mmmmmhm.

#athy rambles #mythos #the heartsong athmoth #behemoth #harper #perlif #bg3 #bg3 tav #bg3 oc #baldurs gate tav #baldurs gate 3 #my tav #bg3 spoilers #durge #bg3 durge #the dark urge #dark urge #bg3 dark urge

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araneapeixes · 6 months

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I love your Shadowheart art, I'd love to see your Tav. Do you have any headcanons with you Tav and the party? Romance/friends bffs etc?

Omg that's so sweet, I can't believe someone is interested in seeing my Tav 😭❤️ This is her, her name is Ren, pronouns she/they (in game I sometimes switch between she/her and they/them using the magic mirror basically lol)

They're a half-drow fighter with urchin background, basically a scrappy street kid who had to learn to survive. Her main drive is that she would do anything for her friends, and as someone who had never worshipped any gods or had reason to trust in figures of authority, she just wants everyone to understand that they are fine the way they are and don't need the approval of some god. She doesn't seek authority or power and thinks that doing so never ends up being like, good for you (holding Astarion and Gale by the scruff of their necks)

Before the events of the game they'd say 'yeah i basically just want to survive and not be bothered lol' but when put in a situation where they have the power to help someone less fortunate they will ALWAYS take the opportunity to do so - too much of life spent being the one less fortunate!

Despite being a half-drow they'd never actually seen the Underdark before the events of the game and never met their drow father either so all that ancestry has really been to them is the assumptions people make.. In her appearance I was going for like, softer features than most drow seem to have and kind, human, brown eyes<3 You can'r rly see it in the pictures but she also has the neck rose tattoo.

They're a bit on the quiet and pensieve side (especially for a fighter) but have a cheeky sense of humour and always stay positive!!

This is the only art I've really done of Ren so far lol

Sketched it out after the first Shadowheart romance scene so YEAH Shart romance obviously hehe Ren was immediately drawn to her because 1)hot goth girl hiiiii and 2)she could see the incongruity between what SH said she was and believed and her actual morals and behaviour. And Ren's calm, kind and unjudgemental presence made Shadowheart trust her very quickly. Basically an immediate attraction and fascination that quickly turned into a strong bond, ik that's not very unique or interesting sorry they're just in louve<3

as for the other party members she feels very close to Astarion (just drawn to edgy bitches with a dark past ig!!) and is basically trying to domesticate him and show him the joys of found family. Karlach is also a very easy natural friend for her as they're similar in many ways although Ren is much quieter and less intense lol but they're Best Bros and drink beer together and arm wrestle and laugh at stupid shit

also good buds with Gale despite his initial romantic intentions and she helps him with the cooking<3 She admires Lae'zel and feels for her struggle a lot but had a bit of a harder time with her at first because of the rough bossiness but they grew closer over time and respect each other greatly. and loves Wyll obviously who doesn't love Wyll but rolls her eyes at his dramatic heroism. Really vibes with Jaheira's sense of humour and thinks shes hot too

#thank u so much for asking I loved writing this out!!#anon #ask #bg3 #shadowheart #bg3 tav #ren #(this ones for me)#we lost halsin along the way im afraid bc i fucked it in the shadow lands and didnt do the thaniel quest:^)#i also have a faggy bitchy boy durge named Javi but i just started w him so hes not too fleshed out yet #but he is ging to romance astarion and i like to think of them and ren+shadowheart as a friend group<3 #i need to make more SHxTav headcanons and draw them with their 473769720 pets in their country cottage #BTW Ren's views of the characters do not necessarily reflect my own even if she is 80% self insert. for instance i fucking love lae'zel #just wanted to disclaim

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hnnny · 3 months

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I kind of really hate how a fair amount of the Baldur's Gate 3 fandom decided that rather than dislike characters they don't like in private and love the ones they do with respect for others, they decided that instead they were going to assume that people who like other characters than their faves are bad people or if they dislike certain characters then they're bad people, or if you romance one character, all of the others are dead to you, and basically the same fandom discourse that's been happening since the dawn of Internet culture and even before that.

I didn't like Lae'Zel at first, especially cause she hit on my character in a way I was uncomfortable with. That's a personal reason to dislike the character, but I also moved past it and now I like her plenty so far. She's pretty interesting. That being said, not everyone is going to be able to move on from that kind of thing and should be just as respected in that sense.

I thought I would really like Wyll, but as of right now I consider him to be my most boring companion and I'm a little sad about that. But I also know I've barely scratched the surface of his story, so I'm willing to bet there's plenty of time to find reason to like him. Even if I don't find him interesting by the end, that would be fine cause it doesn't matter. I respect those who adore the character and think he's the best one of the bunch.

And then there's Gale. I personally love the dude, but a lot of people are treating it like if you're against him, then you hate all people who are like him and find people annoying for no reason. On the other side, the people who genuinely hate him claim that everyone who loves him is just as problematic for other just as strange reasons. Now this applies to every character, but this doesn't mean I'm discouraging criticism towards how the character is written, whether in defense of, or against them. But it shouldn't be treated with a sense of black and white thinking. There's always plenty to love and plenty to hate about a character in the end.

The truth is, not every character is for everyone. Some are meant to be flawed in ways that are troublesome for most, like Astarion. Some are meant to come across as haughty until they perhaps start to humble themselves, like Shadowheart. Karlach is meant to be a lovable buff bimbo who's desperate for hugs, but yeah she falls into the stereotype of a dumb barbarian sometimes and not everyone loves that she's been diminished to that role.

They're all a good time for different reasons, and for some there are character traits that are just an absolute turn off for them, however personal those reasons may be.

The answer to all of this is to just respect that you're not going to love every character equally, and that others aren't going to either. If you come across hate discourse, the best solution is to block them and move on. If you really must get into it with them, carefully consider the motivations behind the person's post, and come at it with a neutral defense when it's only about someone disliking the character. Not a "you should love this character because I see past of their flaws" kind of argument, but a "sorry to hear you don't like the character. But you don't have to like them to respect others who do."

I've seen that there are some characters who are being targeted for problematic themes in their stories, but to that I say Baldur's Gate 3 has mature themes, and therefore highly nuanced characters. There's not always a right and wrong way to perceive a written character. And just as equally, those problematic themes might not have great handling either, and are also open to critique. Not in a "the game should never have covered this" kind of way, but a "they didn't handle it as well as they should" kind of way.

And just so you know, this isn't "you shouldn't critique the game" kind of post. This is just a plea to respectfully interact with one another and not treat every post about your fave as a "you HAVE to love/hate this character otherwise I don't respect you" kind of post.

#bg3 #baldurs gate 3 #i secretly hope this post gets no notes #i hate to be caught up in discourse lol #but here i am #and i shall not hide

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catt-nuevenor · 8 months

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How's BG3 been going? I wanted to see your option on the companions and story (if you've completed it yet lol). I have like 200+ hours in it so far and it's deff one of my new all time favs haha. Have you done a dark urge playthrough yet? I just finished mine it and it's really good—especially in the feels department. Anyways, I just wanted to ask one of my favorite writers opinions about my new favorite game! ❤️

Oh darling, beware the rabbit holes you stumble into. I could talk about Baldur's Gate for days upon days and still not be anywhere close to done.

Spoilers big and small, visual and text, for Baldur's Gate 3 and all previous games in the series. I have few opportunities to talk about the game so we're going all in here. You have been warned.

I've completed one playthrough and am act 2 deep into my second. First playthrough came out at 124 hours, trying to be relatively thorough, and I'd been an early access player so I always storm my way through act 1.

As for choices/options, let's do a quick rundown:

Umrae, Seldarine Drow, Monk of the Four Elements, Neutral Good

Saved the Tieflings in the grove

'Killed' Ethel

Zero interaction with the Zents

Killed a large portion of the Goblin camp

Destroyed the creepy book

Hung around far too long in the Underdark

Less so in the mountains

Did not complete Lae'zel's quest for Act 1 (I know, I know, I amended this playthrough 2)

Best friendship:

Romanced:

Least friendly companion... honestly a toss up early game between Astarion and Lae'zel. Long term definitely Lae'zel.

Dream visitor looked like this:

Main crew for acts 1 and 2:

Main crew for act 3:

First screenshot I figured out I could cut out the UI by pressing F10:

Quick run-through of other but not all important events:

Aylin and Isobel are my best girls, and nobody hurts my best girls.

Trusted Dream visitor about as far as I could throw them, and made that very clear at the end.

The underdark has a bunch of new residents and I feel like Umrae has some explaining to do when she gets home.

Nobody hurts Karlach and gets away with their skulls intact.

The hells have a new two person devil kicking team and a nice house to return to.

There's going to be a new bard's school in Baldur's Gate once someone cleans up the mess.

Shadowheart is going to have a house in the countryside with animals, flowers, a partner.

Lae'zel 'ascended'...

Gale is getting swimming and diving lessons.

And a quick smattering of my other favourite moments/screenshots from playthrough 1:

---

And this post is officially long enough. Let me know if you would like a similar one for playthrough 2, or more pics from 1.

As for Dark urge, I've tentatively done the set-up for that playthrough, and I think that will be playthrough 3. My character for that looks like this:

I really like how that shot came out...

Thank you so much for the excuse to share the pretty pictures and talk about the game.

P.S. And I just realised how I didn't really talk about the writing or characters in any of that... I'll do a second post that'll go more into the craft. Sorry, got carried away.

#asks #baldur's gate 3 #non story content #bg3 screenshots #bg3 #bg3 spoilers

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invinciblerodent · 1 month

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today I spent a good two hours or so on making everyone little personalized pouches of "sentimental" items :)

(I don't think this game was intended to be played the way I play it)

the first is Iona's, that's a bit of an.... eclectic collection: I like to decide on one or two things the PC might collect as I play them, for her it ended up being sentimental jewelry and love letters (Petyr collects poems and songs, and Arvid collected romance novels)

Astarion, I have carrying a few poetry books and "novel drafts" (the saucier and more embarrassing for its author, the better- I think he'd be far more interested in the handwritten, horrible, ridiculous porn than any of the legit, published smut we've found), some of the texts from Cazador's mansion, Chessa's practice sword, Mamzell Amira's hand mirror, and a vial of blood (as, like, a lover's favor bc it's the SENTIMENTAL pouch, we're SENTIMENTAL here)

Jaheira has her husband's letter (she's wearing his amulet), the Harper pin from her home, and a couple books on the Bhaalspawn crisis, the Harpers, the Guild, and Nine-Fingers- I like to think that she's kinda "all business" about it

Halsin has his own journal, the Shadow-druids' letter to Kagha, the carved staff we found on a dead druid in the Shadowlands, a book on illithid anatomy, and since I don't have his pipe in this playthrough, I just. let him have all the drugs we've found

Gale has every book I've kept on Karsus, the Weave, the different schools of magic, and all the other powerful and/or mysterious books I could find that aren't quest items (except for the Annals of Karsus)

Karlach has a little regiment of stuffies, a hand-drawn treasure map (Adventure! Yay, X marks the spot!), all our infernal stuff, and a book about pub crawls in the Gate

Shadowheart naturally has all the Dark Justiciar- and Selunite stuff we've found (a prayer book, the spear, Aylin's brooch she never asked for back, and a Selune idol I've been holding onto since act 1)- I sold the Sharran stuff and the Shar idol to the first merchant we found in act 3, might get her a diamond to put in there too

aaaand Wyll has his dad's diary and cudgel, a book (and some dirt) on patriar families, the toys from that one vault in the Counting House (which, I mean, might as well be his), and a dagger called "Worgfang" that gives advantage against goblins (because MAN he's bloodthirsty against goblins in act 1).

I haven't gotten Lae'zel back or gotten Minsc yet, but I've put aside all my gith-specific weapons and armor for Lae'zel :) (I dunno what I'm gonna give Minsc. Maybe he'll just get some cookies or something, I don't know)

Are these a useless waste of carryweight? absolutely. do I nevertheless find it very necessary and delightful? also yes.

#squirrel plays bg3 #oc: iona raedir #i really should go get lae'zel back #i'm so deeply overpowered now man; Iona solo'd two steel watchers in two turns #that's not supposed to be something a sorcerer can do #and also- did I go back to the printing press' basement specifically for the named pouches? yes #of course i did because i am -how you say- not normal

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shepherds-of-haven · 8 months

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Hope you’re enjoying BG3!! Out of curiosity, which bg3 character do you think the shepherds would romance ?

I am enjoying BG3! I've put roughly 100 hours into it and have really loved the experience--I'm into Act 3 now and I have some thoughts on the pacing and density of it, but I do overall love the game and would rate it extremely highly, probably among my top 15 games of all time (at least so far)!

Anyway, I avoided answering the same question here, but I guess I've played enough of the game to get a handle on things now! I always struggle with knowing who the characters would romance because I can't separate just identifying who "they're most similar to"/most compatible with versus who they would actually lust for/romance/pursue in a video game, lol! So I'll try my best, but take it with a huge grain of salt! 😂

Blade: ? I guess Shadowheart is the only one that makes sense for him! But realistically I think he'd just lurk with like Jaheira and not romance anyone lol

Trouble: Karlach or Wyll

Tallys: Shadowheart with a side of Halsin... she'd probably go for the drow twins as well lol

Shery: Karlach, maybe Lae'zel or Shadowheart on a second playthrough!

Riel: Gale, if anyone, which is probably doubtful! He's not playing games for the romance 😂

Chase: Astarion ? - there it is again, I feel like Chase IS like Astarion, but I don't know if the similarities would make him more inclined to romance him or actually make him the least inclined... I genuinely don't know if he'd be attracted to someone that's like a mirror image of him or repulsed LMAO

Red: Gale - again, I don't know if my brain is just like "they are the same" and that's why it sticks them together, or if he'd actually romance Gale more out of the others!

Ayla: Lae'zel

Briony: Wyll or Halsin (or both), though she'd probably be tempted by Karlach or Shadowheart on a second playthrough!

Lavinet: Astarion

Halek: Gale, Shadowheart, or Halsin

#Shepherds of Haven #all characters #baldur's gate #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #spoilers #baldur's gate 3 spoilers #bg3 spoilers #video games #video game #modern AU #AU

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unofficial-sean · 8 months

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One thing my travelling companion asked me during last week's sessions is: Rank the origin characters.

It was tough, and it gave me pause. In order of least liked to most liked, it was: Astarion, Wyll/Karlach, Gale, and Lae'zel/Shadowheart.

But why? So many people like Astarion, Wyll and Karlach are good, fun people, and Gale is quite charming. Shadowheart isn't hard to understand regarding her place at the top, but I think Lae'zel being my favorite has surprised everyone I've talked to. In terms of divisiveness, she's on par with Astarion.

It comes down to one word: Change. Spoilers beyond this point for Baldur's Gate 3 in it's entirety.

To see why Lae'zel and SH are so high on my list, let's see what everyone else got wrong.

Astarion is the most self-centered companion among them. Throughout my entire journey with him, we desired power for himself even at other's expense. It starts with the night he tries to bite you, to his desire to control the cult of the Absolute, to his maddened craze to carve the ritual symbol on his back onto Cazador.

I cannot stand this aspect, it goes against my altruistic playstyle. I've explored most dialogue options presented to me and even explored his romance through act 1. What he's had to endure is horrifying, make no doubt. He's just been given freedom and he's figuring out who he is, now. But it does not excuse his selfishness. The only way to talk him down from becoming the vampire ascendant is to succeed an insight check. If you don't help him, he dooms the vampire spawn to captivity and leaves the party. If you help him, he changes for the worse and becomes genuinely frightening. If you convince him to back down, he goes the rest of the game sounding disappointed, and why shouldn't he be? Astarion's character is selfish and power hungry, and he hates Cazador with every fiber of his being. He might start to figure out that he doesn't like being used if you have him bite that drow cultist in Moonrise, but that's about it. I have no doubt that there's more to him than I've seen, but even as his partner, the way he approaches the evolving situation we're in turns me away.

Karlach. Karlach is a fun character. I like her personality, she's never afraid to speak her mind, and she is just pleasant to interact with. But she never really changes throughout the game and feels stale. Not bad, but not great when compared to the others.

Wyll. Wyll is a sweet and well-meaning person, but his story doesn't evolve and change, much like Karlach's. You can break his pact when you get the chance, but later, Wyll has to make a choice: save himself or save his father. Before and after this, he's the same Wyll. The worst part, though, is that when he has to choose, the decision is left to the player. Wyll doesn't make any choices for himself as far as I've seen. He's a good one to bring with you on the adventure, but he's stagnant otherwise.

Gale. Gale is a charming companion and the Netherese orb makes for a nice bit of mystery. I wanted to learn about it and him. He does go through a change throughout the game. First, he's given a divine suicide mission from Mystra, and then he becomes obsessed with the Crown of Karsus. I tried to counsel him on the former, even bringing him with me to the mind flayer colony and letting him detonate (and feeling really dissatisfied with the credit roll I got afterwards), but the latter. . . It was frightening to see Gale go power mad. I could not talk him out of it. When I defeated the elder brain, I told Gale not to go after the Crown, and despite our deep connection from the romance, he waved me away all like that. It's really dissatisfying and left a bad taste in my mouth. Gale before this point is why he's this high on the list, but Gale afterwards would be down with Astarion.

Shadowheart. SH goes through one of the most dramatic changes in the game, and you don't have to pass a single check for it to happen. It also happens in act 2, relatively early. Simply by asking questions and standing by her side, she will decide her own fate. . . And forsake Shar. It was a powerful scene when she summoned the Spear of Night, raised it, and threw it into the chasm. I was expecting her to stab Dame Aylin, but no, she listened to her instead. That took a lot of strength and courage. Past this, she must put her memories together and figure out who she is. She changes her hair in act 3, and when you confront the Shar cell in the House of Grief, she finally gets to see her parents again. Here, though, you must decide the fate of her parents. A little disappointing, but everything else about her story felt satisfying. This was all without romance, too. She felt dynamic and difficult and earning her trust was rewarding.

Lae'zel. Lae'zel goes through an even more dramatic change. Her aggressive behavior probably turned people off from her early on, which is such a shame, because once you get to know her and take her with you on your journey, you get to see her grow and change for the better.

In romance, she goes from a set of midnight rendezvous, to expressing her love and adoration openly. In act 2, she wants to fight you, and when you lose (it's difficult to win a 1v1 with a Dex fighter as a druid), she sees that she wants to protect you. To be soft, later. Don't get me wrong, I like her dominant personality and desire, but to see her also open up to love is so huge. She lived her entire life raised to be a ruthless warrior; to one day be a Kith'rak with her own dragon mount in the astral plane. If you express curiosity, you will learn this, and gain her favor.

So it's even more dramatic when you find the creche. In the infirmary, you can learn that the machine absorbs the knowledge and memories from the host and then kills them. Now, this requires many very difficult checks. Here, I admit, I am a bit hypocritical. Regardless of if you persuade her or not, though, she still accuses the doctor of tampering instead of accepting that she is disposable to Vlaakith. It isn't relevant to her change whether or not you pass that check, only how much damage the machine does to her.

Next, you meet an Inquisitor and Vlaakith herself. You enter the astral prism, and you are given a choice: kill the guardian or spare them. Afterwards, if you let Lae'zel into your mind, she will see the truth of it. But her first instinct is to report to Vlaakith, anyways. Even when she is branded as Hshar'lak--a traitor--afterwards, her devotion to the only life she's ever known or come to expect still has a hold on her. It's not until Kith'rak Voss appears in camp that she begins to understand and change. It's extremely brave of her, and more powerful even than Shadowheart's moment in the same act; because after this, her own people start hunting her. And you don't have to pass any checks to reach this evolution of her character. Past this point, other than learning to open up, her mission is no longer to serve a queen, but to liberate her people.

In act 3, Vlaakith appears and gives her a second chance, and Lae'zel spits it back into her face. The queen's wrathful fit shook even me, but Lae'zel is steeled in her new path through life. It was amazing. I must admit, I did not advance her story past this. I didn't free Orpheus. But I will in my current playthrough.

I've made my case, and I hope at least some of you agreed. If you have more insight into the origins, then I'd love to hear them. I accept that I haven't seen everything.

The strongest characters undergo the most radical changes. It's what makes them interesting. Change is growth.

#bg3 #Baldur's Gate 3 #lae'zel #Shadowheart #wyll #karlach #gale #spoilers #Astarion

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