sanguineserrations

[sanguineserrations]

Gale Dekarios, extended.

[sanguineserrations]

I'm judging you.

And you have the nerve to act surprised?

When I was a literal magistrate?

Really?

There's a reddit thread on the BG3 sub where the user u/InklingRain posted a spreadsheet they made with all the companion approvals. Super useful in general both for playing the game and for fic, so I thought I'd post it on tumblr and play around a little!

There's a top row with the average approval by companion, but I didn't find that very useful, so I changed it to the count of approvals (i.e. count of approvals & disapproval total, how often a companion had a reaction to something). We all know Astarion gives a lot of disapprovals here and there, but they're only -1 at a time, so no big deal, right?

No. Minsc has the least at only 45 reactions, Halsin at 95, Minthara at 145, and of the main companions, Gale is pretty average at 198, Lae'zel at 224, and Shadowheart, rather opinionated at 258...

but that's nothing compared to Astarion's 406. That's almost 150 more than the next person!!! That's more than Minthara and Shadowheart combined! Babygirl really woke up one day and decided to get in a snit over everything that happens 😂

(Longer post about count of positive and negative opinions, sum of approvals and disapprovals, and some major outliers below. Picture with values at the very end.)

But that's a bit disingenuous. If we look at the ratio of positive to negative opinions (not taking value into account), Astarion's pretty average at 30% (negative count over sum count, so let's call that negativity). This is similar to Gale (31%), Karlach (30%), and Lae'zel (32%). In theory, getting Astarion's approval or disapproval is just as easy as any of theirs, with a 20% bias towards positive approvals. Later companions are weighted heavily towards the lower end of the spectrum, with Jaheira at 13% negativity and Minsc at 9%. As you only get them very late, it's pretty clear that the game gives you a lot of opportunities to get their approvals and thus open up more of their quests and dialogue.

However. We have an outlier. Wyll Ravenguard, clocking in at an indecent 38% negativity! Which really just goes to show, while Astarion is the most opinionated, Wyll has the most disapprovals, making him the judgiest companion of all 🤣

However, this really wouldn't be a good post if we didn't look at the value of approvals. Karlach, for instance, has the strongest disapproval value of -100 (given if you sleep with her and then call it a mistake). Ouch. This is clearly at outlier and doesn't say much about Karlach's changeability of opinion in general. If we look at the sum of positive and negative opinions, this is a very heavy swing, making up 100 points of her total 191 disapproval points possible to her 281 approvals total. Another outlier is Minsc, who currently possesses a 43% disapproval percentage (a heavy -50 disapproval given if you sacrifice him to Sarevok. Jaheira, by contrast, apparently doesn't give a damn, or her value might simply not be included in the dateset.)

Removing outliers is really a matter of opinion here, so I'll only remove the most extreme swings, such as the above mentioned disapprovals.

The otherwise strongest swings are Astarion (-15 for telling him it was a mistake preventing him from drinking Araj's blood, or saying you only wanted to sleep with him, not deal with his trauma) and Wyll (+20 for siding with Karlach during his confrontation with her, which really shows he didn't really want to kill her and is very grateful you stopped him). Halsin gives +40 for reuniting Oliver with Thaniel, which...lifting the shadow curse is sort of his life's mission, and a bit of a unique case, so while it makes sense, I think it's such a unique event that can't be topped by anything else and will remove it. Jaheira give +20 for extending the Emperor's protection to Minsc, and, for funsies, Minthara's heaviest disapproval is -5 for donating to Lolth at the Stormshore Tabernacle. (lol)

I only chose to remove the aforementioned Karlach, Minsc, and Halsin values, as they're all very large swings and rather character-defining or personal to the individuals mentioned, so I don't think it says much about them in a more general day-to-day sense.

Now, using the sums of our negative and positive values, Gale is our most Negative Nancy, clocking in at 37%, which goes to show that while he's pretty average for the amount of things he cares about, when he disapproves, it's a strong one. Next up is Astarion at 35%, and Wyll at 34%. Lowest are Jaheira and Minsc at 7% and 4% respectively, which makes an intuitive sort of sense: Jaheira is old and just over being upset by the players poor choices, and Minsc is an insanely positive person overall. The next most positive companion is Halsin at 13%, which also matches with his vibe pretty well, followed by Minthara at 17%, Karlach at 24%, Lae'zel at 26%, and Shadowheart at 28%.

Tl;dr: Astarion has many, many opinions, but Wyll is the most judgemental (most disapprovals compared to approvals possible). However, when it comes to the strength of those disapprovals, Gale reigns supreme, followed by Astarion.

If don't break Karlach's heart, help Halsin achieve his life's ambition, or sacrifice Minsc, then they're pretty positive overall. Later companions are heavily weighted to approve of your actions, and Minthara is comparatively judgemental, but overall far more easy to gain approval than disapproval from.

If you take the average of all these values and include the later companions to look at as a personality "baseline" of how judgy and how strong those disapprovals may be, then...the Act 1 companions are all dramatic af, which really should come to no ones' surprise, while Karlach is the most willing to give the benefit of the doubt imo.

#I'm judging you for that too #just so we're clear #-casts invisibility-

[sanguineserrations]

confession scenen breakup outcome

[sanguineserrations]

"Well, is it true Astarion?" Cazador's voice asked laced with threat, "Did you bring back someone important? You know how I hate questions."

"Well, I... Not especially important. Just some... some fisherman." Astarion mumbled nervously.

"Then why did your sister seem convinced he was? Or should I ask her?" the master countered, staring at Dalyria to demand answers.

"A woman, friend of his, she was asking about him. She noticed him missing." Dalyria responded, ready to say anything to save her own skin. "She was asking a lot of questions, acting pretty nervous. Seemed like she knew something more than she was letting on."

"Is that all." Cazador scoffed, sitting back on his throne. "As if she's anything to worry about. All you need do is slit her throat and she'd never ask a question more."

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air, Astarion not wanting to challenge his master, but knowing greater problems would arise if he said nothing. "If... I may sir. That woman... She's a barmaid at the Three Snakes, owner I believe?" He kept his gaze low, not daring to make eye contact. "If she went missing there'd be a lot more questions about her than her missing friend."

"Did I ask you, boy?!" the vampire threatened his spawn with such voracity Astarion snapped to attention with a flurry of apologies as if he'd been bitten. "Hmm, more questions will not do. Though perhaps, with the assets she would bring, she might prove worthy as a new spawn. With her tavern she could bring in quite a number of marks- thousands, easily." the elder vampire grinned as a new plan fell into place. "Perhaps I should pay her a visit this evening."

"Well, perhaps but... it would surprise me for you to want to turn someone into a spawn who is... ah..." Astarion stopped mid sentence, pierced by his master's gaze.

"Yes master." Cazador mocked, "Let me get out of your throne master. Now sit, sit." he continued, standing and gesturing for Astarion to sit. The spawn realized all too late he should have held his tongue, and stood fearfully, not wanting to move. A red glow appeared around his body, forcing him to sit on the chair, his Master willing him to sit there. "There now, is that what you wanted?"

Every possible answer was a trap. "I... My want is your will." the spawn bowed his head in submission.

"Very well. That leaves just one matter left." Szarr continued calmly as he leaned in toward Astarion and calmly commanded, "You will not struggle, you remain still. You will not cry out in pain. And you will not beg for help." he chuckled darkly, "Not that anyone would ever help you."

Cazador reached forward and grabbed the spawn by the hair of his scalp, wrenching him closer as he lunged for his neck. Astarion gasped as he felt his master's dagger-like fangs pierce his neck. A dark red glow filled the space between the spawn's open teeth, gagging what would have been screams into ragged gasps. As his master violently fed on him, his fingers clawed into the arms of the chair, and his feet writhed as they fought invisible tethers. Petras would have to do the screaming for both of them, as the most Astarion could release were struggling gasps as Cazador drained the lifeblood out of him. The convulsions in his limbs grew weaker, until the spawn went completely limp, yet his sire continued to greedily drink from him. It felt like an eternity before Cazador finally stood, a trail of blood dribbling down his chin as Astarion's lifeless body fell forward, to the floor.

"Absolute swill. But given the circumstances, it will have to do." he commented dryly, "As for you, Darlyria, make sure you have all three marks by tomorrow morning. We'll have no more empty hands going forward." He dabbed the blood away from his lips with a red handkerchief, pleased with himself.

"Three, sir?" she asked, shocked, her eyes never leaving the lifeless corpse of her brother.

"Yes, of course, one for each of you." he said calmly in a matter of fact tone. "Wasn't it you who betrayed Petras, ready to set his head on a platter to save your own? And was it not you who was only too eager to flay Astarion to save your own hide just now?" he asked with the airs of a wise father about to teach his child a lesson. "Had you helped them, instead, make wiser choices at the time they'd be here to help you now. But in letting your siblings fall to their own folly, you are now left to carry their burdens on your own."

With a loud crack from below, Petras let out an even more agonized scream and pitiful whimpers after. "You'd best hope we can heal him good as new when this is all over." Cazador cautioned, and noticed her terrified gaze still not leaving Astarion. "No, he's not dead, if that's what you're wondering. Not so far as vampire spawn go, anyway. He's in a sort of...stasis, similar to a coma. Vampires and their spawn can enter them when we would otherwise die, and survive for days or even centuries until blood of the living on our lips again revives us. But how long to leave him in this state? Perhaps... a tenday will suffice. Gheris, take him below, to the spawn dormitory."

One of the darker werewolves stepped forward and obediently slung the lifeless spawn over his shoulder, padding off toward the stairway.

"I really shouldn't be spoiling you, but go on then." Cazador told her, carelessly gesturing to his gift. He watched as she bowed her head to him, then fell to her knees in front of one of the still writhing rats. She bit into it as it screeched and began thrashing about with renewed energy. She quickly drained it of its life, then looked up to her master for approval.

"Good. Now you've quite a lot of work ahead of you. Best you get started now." he commanded before striding off, followed by the other four wolves. Dalyria had a hopeless look in her eyes as she watched him leave. She had been anticipating rest, but there was no rest for the wicked it would seem. Hunting in the daylight was risky, so she would need to stick to the places she could teleport to. With a few magical gestures and a red glow, she was gone.

Lorelei was now alone in the ballroom, save for the remaining rat that was not long for this world.

Lorelei couldn't see Astarion or Dalyria's face as they spoke. But the dry resolution in their voices told her that this dialogue was one that was well-rehearsed. And that's how the conversation felt: Rehearsed.

Until the dark-haired man decided that wasn't good enough. Spawn he called them. Spawn. Like vampires? It immediately clicked: The eyes. The complexion. Hell, now that she thought about it, the teeth. And if Astarion and his comrades were spawn then the dark-haired man was...

Lorelei had to pull back the bizarre desire to laugh. She was fucked. Absolutely fucked.

She took a trembling breath and refocused her eyes ahead as the spawn dropped to their knees. Dalyria stayed rigid with terror. But Astarion- his shoulders dropped just as quickly as the words started to fall from his lips. His soothing, sincere tone was practiced at shaping itself to another's desire. In a strange way, Lorelei realized, it reminded her of the way he spoke at the tavern quite frequently. Charming and malleable.

"But first, what have you brought for me this evening?" the vampire said, jolting Lorelei to the present. "Are they waiting in the bedrooms below?"

If they knew there was a person under the table, armed with only a handful of basic spells and a fully stocked circulatory system, their attention would quickly turn a direction she didn't like. And, oh gods, if they brought him people then Tiedan... Tiedan was probably not alive any longer.

She needed to leave. Now. Surely telling the Flaming Fist that a group of vampires were in the palace and a man disappeared here would be enough for them to investigate? At the very least, she would help no one as a bloodless corpse tossed into the Chionthar.

Petras, whose screams and whimpers continued to serve as a horrifying backdrop to the scene, had opened the ballroom door when he left, and the werewolves were still roaming to and fro tending to lights and curtains.

Lorelei scrambled as soundlessly as she could from under the table. She padded cautiously towards the door, doing her best to ignore the discussion behind her.

She would get out of the ballroom. Walk through the hall. Unlock the front door. Stand in the sun where this whole lot would turn to ash before they could touch her. Easy.

She had gotten to the ballroom door when Dalyria exclaimed anxiously, "A... Astarion brought back a mark... last night... a mark that someone noticed went missing."

Lorelei lurched to a standstill. They were talking about her.

The terror that turned in her now became an animal thing. The type that made drowning people scratch would-be saviours and those who were hiding scream loud enough to be found.

Rather than run as her legs demanded, she skirted behind the open door, clenching her jaw around a stupid sob. She needed to focus. What were they going to do about her?

#closed rp #bg3 #The Three Snakes Tavern #Astarion the Thrall #glib-and-glamoured #rp #cazador szarr #dalyria #Gheris Hhune #tw #violence #abuse #death #murder #blood #spoilers

[sanguineserrations]

– how many times have u watched the video from Neil Newbon where he said with Astarion’s accent “it’s Britney, bitch’??

- yes.

source: inst: teamneilnewbon

[sanguineserrations]

Suck me dry fang daddy!

Fang... daddy? Araj, is that you?

There's a little thing called consent. You do not have it. Among other things. Many other things. Not that I'd expect a drow like you to understand, so allow me put it plainly.

No.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #astarion #astarion ancunin #ask blog #sanguine astarion #Astarion Speaks #//In drow society males are considered lesser than females #//and things only get worse from there with how the males are (mis)treated

[sanguineserrations]

#vampire #vampires #just vampire things #memes #videos #You see all the things I have to put up with? This barely scratches the top of the list #Youtube

[sanguineserrations]

Gold, Blood and Darkness

[sanguineserrations]

Kindness? When did that happen?

All I remember is repeatedly being sent on lookout duty. Even when things seemed absolutely safe.

Tav was really paranoid I think. At least he picked the one best are spotting things if anything had ever really been there. Gale always in lala land and Karlach dancing onto the mines. Lae'zel might spot them but she'd try to fight them because she doesn't know how to disarm them. And Shadowheart, she'd just pray to her goddess to save us.

As if that ever helped anyone.

friendly reminder that astarion fell for kindness. he started genuinely caring because of kindness. because the "fierce leader" of their group helped people, helped him. it wasn't power, it wasn't authority, it wasn't seduction, it wasn't a promise of revenge - it was kindness, selflessness, companionship. it felt wrong and it felt strange but that's what got him to fall in love (or the closest thing to it). his "nice, simple plan" of seduction and manipulation fell apart because someone was good, because someone protected and accepted him. i think that says a lot about him.

[sanguineserrations]

use your brain, Gale 🧠

#Kitty!

[sanguineserrations]

Kept thinking about this line the last few weeks every time it was sunny out lol 🌩️🌨️🌦️🌪️⛄

[Video description: a line art only animation of Gale of Waterdeep. He looks up at the sunny sky and happily says "lovely day, this!" Then he looks suspicious and continues "for now..." After a moment clouds come rolling in, a strong wind starts blowing and heavy rain comes pouring down. At the top is written: "western Europeans in spring:" /End video description.]

#//That's how it is where I am #//I could see a bright summer day hail snow then back to a bright summer day between dawn and dusk

[sanguineserrations]

I'm going to spend the morning staring directly into the sun

Just because I can

Anyone care to join me?

#rp #astarion #bg3 #shenanigans #Astarion speaks #open to any rp blogs #open to everyone #sanguine astarion

[sanguineserrations]

this is like his most innocent urge girl leave him alone

#its important to support your friends

[sanguineserrations]

Had to draw my actual playthrough-experience After walking into the most awkward scenario known to man, Astarion decided that THIS would be the PERFECT OCCASSION to ask Tav out and it honestly made me question what this man was into...

OH also say hi to my Forest-Elf-Druid-Tav Elea. She- She's green.

#pfffffff #please help my AU brother #and me #as I die (again) of laughter

[sanguineserrations]

companion of the week.

Astarion has negative gold stars

#Well maybe if you kept your vampire companion well fed he wouldn't need to seek out sustinance on his own #You only have your self to blame really

[sanguineserrations]

[sanguineserrations]

I realized I never put my video shitposts here

#//why is he giggling in bed????