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my favorite place💜

#fan art #gale dekarios #dying to spend a warm quiet afternoon with him on that balcony...

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"I'm no goddess."

"Yes, you are. Trust me, I would know."

#*sigh* #pretty wizard is pretty #screenshots #gale dekarios

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Inspired by the super talented @memray who I saw draw Gale as Howl ♡ and the reason why I haven't been able to get this out of my head

#oh. oh no #oh gale as howl is too good i'm having some Feelings #i cannot write this au myself i don't have the time but somebody should #fan art #gale dekarios #aus #howl's moving castle

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it's cause you're always going down down down to that damn river

#i sure am lol #bg3

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I would spend hours letting him explain the most mundane and unimportant infomation just to watch him talk with his hands.

#big same #he could read the phone book to me and i'd just sit there staring at him dreamily #screenshots #gale dekarios

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💜 Gale Dekarios

#pretty wizard is pretty #his hair looks so soft... #screenshots #gale dekarios

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So… Gale nation, I heard you guys wanna lay in his tent while he looks at you longingly, right?

Enjoy.

#ooooh yes please #though i'd rather he get in the tent with me ;) #screenshots #gale dekarios

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astute observations with Gale of Waterdeep

#he totally would lmao #slightly snarky slightly breathless #gale dekarios #memes

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Anon who was pondering Gale’s orb here. Thank you for delivering with that post! Yeah, I can see him using charm, wit, and illusions to secure the book from some well-guarded location. It certainly would fit with him later requesting to retrieve the Annals of Karsus from Sorcerous Sundries and him acting like that isn’t a truly wild suggestion.

If you don’t mind additional questions: On a related note, I also wonder if the Act 1 quest to save the grove would be frustrating for him. I mean, at one point, he had enough magical power to steal some ancient artifact like the Netherese tome containing the orb. Now, he’s struggling to cast basic spells on a mission that would normally be a cake walk. I’m sure he’d find saving the tieflings rewarding, but personally, were I in such a situation, it would be tinged with some level bitterness.

Hello again, friendly Anon!

I am so glad you liked my essay/nerdgasm on Gale’s Orb Acquisition. I had lots of fun writing it and I also learned a lot in the process, so it was definitely a win-win 💜

With regards to your current question, it’s funny you should ask that, because I definitely asked myself the very same thing yesterday while I was researching Mystra’s Chosen and their powers (I am planning on writing a post about that when I have some time, btw, so watch this space!)

It’s a shame that so much of Gale’s Early Access content is no longer part of the game as we know it, because there once used to be a scene in Act 1 (commonly known as the Loss Scene) where his frustrations and regrets would be voiced out loud:

Just now, I was trying to cast a spell I once cast with ease, but I failed. You see, this fire — there was a time that I could make it come alive. That it would take the shape of a dragon and roar in delight. There was a time I could silence a Beholder with a word, and lift a tower from its foundations with a flourish. There was a time I was all but one with the Weave. But no more – a mere shadow of the wizard I used to be. Why? Because I’ve lost.

And then, a little later in that same scene, when asked how he can still do magic after being cast out by Mystra, Gale would say this:

The Weave is still here, all around us — inside of us too. As long as the goddess lives, magic is a tangible thing for those who know how to touch. I’ve studied magic for many years and in as many ways I am still a more than capable wizard. It’s just that I’m no longer able to perform those feats even archwizards would marvel at. To have one’s hand on the pulse of divinity.

Powerful words, huh?

Whereas now we are left to somewhat imagine what it once meant for Gale to be an Archwizard and a Chosen — the full extent of his abilities, the sort of things he could do — this scene tells us in detail. And not only does it tell us that he was good, it tells us that he was great, so great that even his fellow Archwizards would be impressed and befuddled by the sheer power, scope, and majesty of his magic.

And, if you look at his words in light of Gale’s Act 3 storyline, this scene delivers even more than that. It explains precisely why Gale would want to pursue godhood. Because not only does he (quite literally) know what it feels like to touch divinity, but he also knows what it feels like to have power beyond the limits of comprehension. And he wants it back.

I think this scene, and the knowledge it equips us with, makes it even more meaningful for Gale to eventually give up on that plan and be content with living a simple life with the people he loves (whether he is in a relationship or simply surrounded by friends).

Because it is not just the idea of godhood that he abandons, it is the very tangible feeling of holding such incredible power in the palm of his hand. It’s not just something he wishes to have, it’s something that he already had, in a way. Not a dream, but a memory.

Of course, godhood would improve and magnify Gale’s power, once he no longer had the need to abide by Mystra’s rules — but it’s not as if Gale the Archwizard didn’t have godlike powers already.

When the orb latched on to him, such powerful, dark, hungry magic should have killed him instantly. Instead, it feasted on Gale’s considerable talents, stripped him of the bulk of his powers, but still left him enough to carry on casting, re-learning, improving (not to mention conjuring elaborate illusions far beyond your average caster’s abilities, even diminished as he is). A lesser wizard would almost certainly have died.

But Gale is not just your standard wizard, and there’s nothing average about him.

#i think about this A Lot tbh #have a whole song on my gale playlist about it lol #but yeah i can only imagine the frustration and heartbreak and *fear* when he first realized what the orb had done to him #how that contributed to the depression #does it sting a little everytime he mentions his ''considerable skill'' when putting on his Gale of Waterdeep TM mask? #are those statements ever followed in his head with an ''or i used to be...''? #as the game goes on does he ever see a friend or love interest get hurt or downed in battle #and feel wracked with guilt that he couldn't stop it when once it would've taken mere moments to defeat these foes? #idk he's just lost so much but more than that so much of what he lost was a major part of himself and his identity #and he has to build it all back up from what pieces he has left #gale dekarios #meta #character analysis

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Y'all know those professors who you could email a question to at 1:30 AM and they would email you back like 10 minutes later because their sleep schedule was also a mess?

That's professor!Gale in a modern AU

#gale dekarios #professor gale #headcanons #aus #this post brought to you late at night for no particular reason lol #gotta love those moments of ''i know why I'M up this late but why are YOU up this late?! you should know better!''

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♻️

#memes #halsin #funny

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Me bringing a new idea to my WIP folder.

#mooooooood lmao #i have a single doc for writing down random fic ideas (general ideas. snippets of dialogue. etc) #that doc is currently 27 PAGES LONG #AND I HAVE OTHER DOCS IN THAT FOLDER TOO #i have a problem lmao #hopefully once this semester ends and i have more time and energy again i'll be able to finish more of them #personal

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the most important ingredients for a male character are

-beautiful, flowing hair

-the saddest most pathetic and downtrodden vibes you've ever seen in your life

hope that helps!

#gale vibes #i love my sad sad man with his beautiful hair and kicked puppy eyes

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Do all the other Gale fans have a hand/forearm thing? Any gifset where I see either makes me go completely feral.

#as with many things it was only mildly a thing for me before gale #now? yeah 100% makes me feral lol #galemancer things

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"Tressyms are exceptionally intuitive. And also, you wear your emotions like a very garish cravat."

(pretty Tara reference photos)

#tara bg3 #have i mentioned recently that i adore her? because i adore her #screenshots #gale dekarios

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gale & karlach

i think out of all the dynamics between the companions, i've come to enjoy gale and karlach the most over my time with the game. karlach especially bc she's the only one who genuinely seems to care about and for gale.

she repeatedly checks in on him after the orb reveal and doesn't turn it into a joke about slurping carrots, or sipping wine, or wanting him to be gone entirely from the group.

not only does she advocate for him to stay three times, depending on which dialogue path you pick:

gale's background story reveal & the reveal about the netherese orb

Karlach: Come on. We all have our secrets - and our risks. If Gale leaves, we might as well disband completely. - Karlach: Absolutely. We're all risky in our own ways. We stick together anyway. Right? - Karlach: If having dangerous, otherworldly objects stuck in your skin is wrong, then Gale and I both have to go. We're not really splitting up, are we?

but she's also the only one who repeatedly asks him throughout the game how he is doing, to make sure how he's faring, both in general and with his debilitating condition:

act 2 - shadow-cursed lands banter

Karlach: Doing all right, Gale? Gale: Oh, you know... Still alive and kicking, despite being surrounded on all sides by an endless manifestation of darkness and decay... devnote: Almost with a sigh. That's just how things are - Grim humour to it. Karlach: I feel it too. Here if you need a pick-me-up.

act 3 - after mystra stabilised the orb

Karlach: How's the orb treating you, Gale? Gale: Oh, quite well as a matter of fact. Since it was stabilised, it's been humming along nicely. Gale: I have noticed one adverse side-effect. I seem to be losing hair in some, er, unexpected places. Karlach: I can only imagine.

i think it really bears repeating/stressing that no other companion does this. not one checks in on gale like karlach does, after his affliction has become known to his companions - with the exception of the protag potentially.

karlach also arguably has the strongest reaction in response to mystra's demands in act 2, showing again her care for gale, as well as her protective side:

Karlach: Aw, was that Gale's granddad? Player: That was Elminster Aumar - the most famous wizard in the realms. Karlach: Huh. Doesn't ring a bell. But all right! Must've had something important to say to Gale, if he came all this way. Good news, I hope. Player: I don't think it was. It turns out Gale has an explosive bomb in his chest - and Mystra has asked him to use it to blow up the heart of the Absolute. Karlach: Whoa, now. He's got a... well, I guess that would explain a little, but... Mystra... I mean, this is a lot to take in. Karlach: What's he going to do? - Player - Option 1: I think he's going to follow through with it. Karlach: Fuck me. There's devotion, and then there's stupidity. If the god of magic can't handle this without sacrificing Gale, she's no god at all. - Player - Option 2: I don't think he'd do that to himself, even if Mystra commanded it. Karlach: Good. I'm one hundred percent sure there's another way to bring down this cult. No true god would ask such a thing from her faithful. That's for certain. Karlach: Poor Gale. He must be in bits after hearing that. I'll distract him. Tell him I haven't read a book since secondary school, watch his face melt off. - Player - Option 3: I'm not sure. I think he's of several minds. Karlach: Well, tell him to pick the right one. Better yet, I'll do it. Fucking wizards, man! They always need help picking the simple, obvious option. Karlach: If Mystra can't think of another way to stop the Absolute than sacrificing Gale, she's no god worth worshipping. I'll say that to Gale - in, you know, gentle terms. - Player - Option 4: You know that bomb in Gale's chest? Mystra has asked him to use it to explode the heart of the Absolute. Karlach: She what?! Is she mad?! - Player - Option 5: Don't worry about it. Karlach: Karlach doesn't worry, she acts. So if Gale needs me, now's the time to tell me.

i particularly like that last response bc it really echoes throughout her relationship with gale ("karlach doesn't worry, she acts. so if gale needs me, now's the time to tell me.").

their banters are often playful, but also genuine. both karlach and gale tease each other, they joke with each other, showing how comfortable they are with each other despite their many differences, but there are also moments of understanding and care between them, allowing them to emphasise with each other:

Karlach: Man, it's good to be home. First round on who? Gale: She who thirsts buys drinks the first. devnote: Like it's a well-known saying Karlach: You won't pin me down with a rhyme, wizard! devnote: Jockeying with Gale (prob supposed to be Joking with Gale) Gale: She who declines gets the worst of the wines.

Karlach: Just when I was getting used to the sky again... Gale: Fear not, Karlach. Sun, moon and stars will still be there waiting for us. devnote: Reassuring Karlach: Meanwhile, this place is pretty spectacular, isn't it? Gale: No book or painting could ever do its strange beauty justice. But perhaps our stories might, when we return to the surface. devnote: Agreeing with Karlach, enjoying the sense of wonder as you explore

Gale: I've always felt flames to be a rather perfect expression of love, Karlach. Gale: Passionate, primal, capable of bestowing the most life-affirming comfort, or inflicting the profoundest damage. devnote: Listing the qualities of fire, Romantic, indulging in the poetry of the image Karlach: That's... pretty nice. Never thought about it like that. But now I will.

Karlach: Wouldn't mind a dancing axe of my own. Gale: A simple movement charm wouldn't be too hard to apply to such an object. I could conjure one up for you if you like? Karlach: Yes! I like! Gale: Very wel then. Once the city is saved, Karlach's Kinetic Cleaver will be first on my list.

Karlach: So, Gale - got any book recommendations for me?devnote: With concern Gale: You can read?! devnote: Taking the piss - knows full well Karlach can read, and that she's always claimed not to enjoy it Karlach: Very funny. Yes - I can read. School put me off big boring tomes. Sometimes I wonder what I'm missing. devnote: Friendly rather than flirtatious Gale: Say no more - I'll find the perfect book for you. I might even lend it to you from my library in Waterdeep. devnote: Jumping on the opportunity to give a book recommendation (a favourite hobby) Karlach: Ooh! Something with magic, please. And no devils.

even at his most vulnerable moments, karlach is there to support him:

before the stormshore tabernacle audience with mystra

Karlach: You can do this, Gale. And I'll be right here when you're done.

she allows herself to be protective of him and get angry on his behalf not after when it comes to mystra, but also when he is potentially kidnapped by orin:

karlach's reaction to gale being kidnapped

Karlach: That bloody freak won't get away with this. That's my wizard she took. And we're going to get him back.

once again, it's a good callback to her previous line: "karlach doesn't worry, she acts. so if gale needs me, now's the time to tell me."

she's willing to be needed by him - and he does need her. whether that is as a friend, or (if you chose to play so during an origin pt) as a romantic partner. it's a lovely dynamic either way.

#long post #i honestly adore their dynamic it's so sweet and fun #bomb squad #gale dekarios #karlach cliffgate

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A Wizard and a Rogue walk into the Archive

#these two just have so much chaotic energy when actually working together lmao #and they're *compatently* chaotic which is the real problem. they don't just like getting into trouble - they're Good At It #absolute menaces the both of them #funny #fan art #gale dekarios #astarion