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shadowheartwhisperer · 17 days

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I don't know if anyone else does this, but I wanted to share my particular cope with my bg3 hyoerfixation.

Below the "read more" is the roadmap for my playthrough with my resisted durge Dinah, romancing Shadowheart (for the 40th time, I am not being hyperbolic).

Dinah Restart Roadmap

Notes -

Don't learn about Halsin, at all

Get Zorru then save Sazza and follow gut lead then kill leaders after gut confrontation

Agree to kill leaders because you need time to find Iron for Karlach upgrade

After leaders don't attend party, go to creche instead

Nautiloid

- fail to open Shadowheart's pod (time to save scum)

Beach

- talk to Shadowheart, don't join up

- fight brains

- kill mindflayer

- see Gale but leave without interacting

- rest (urge)

Day 2

- enter ruins - beach side

- get Withers

- find bandits - run for it

- grove fight

- don't talk to Zevlor

- recruit Shadowheart

- rest - how do you feel?

Day 3

- back to ruins

- get Lae'zel

- clear ruins

- rest - hand hurt

Day 4

- get Wyll

- save Mirkon

- play with Alfira

- talk to Arabella's parents

- save Arabella

- find lead on Kagha

- meet Mol - agree to steal idol

- zorru

- save Sazza

- rest - playing with artifact + last night in camp

Day 5

- Investigate Kagha - mud mephits

- go backwards through blighted village (we got lost)

- cross bridge, fight hyenas

- meet paladins

- Recruit Karlach

- expose Kagha

- knock out Alfira

- rest - Quill

Day 6

- inquisition

- Gith Convoy (fail, Shadowheart escapes and resurrects everyone)

- kill Paladins

- steal idol

- talk to Dammon

- rest - Mizora

Day 7 (don't find metal)

- get Gale

- get Astarion

- Owlbear cave

- Scratch

- Smuggler's ring

- Wakeens rest

- kill all gnolls

- meet the zhent

- open barn

- save Barcus

- Necromancers Basement

- Spiders (if we have the stamina) through well

- rest - Astarion bite

Day 8

- Andrik and Brynna

- talk to Zevlor

- goblin camp - courtyard stuff

- goblin indoor stuff

- get brand

- get kidnapped by Gut

- kill Gut

- save Volo

- Ask Shadowheart thoughts on parasite

- rest - Dream Visitor

Day 9

- talk about dream (Shadowheart gets ersatz eye while talking)

- chicken chasing

- poison Goblins

- knock out Minthara

- Kill Ragzlin

- pick off straggler goblins

- rest - ?

Day 10

- return to Zevlor - lie and agree to party

- fix Karlach's heart

- fight Gith convoy

- to Crèche, no party

- rest -

Day 11

- buy what we want from Esther then kill her

- Kobolds

- Gremishka

- Open door to monastery

- place 3 weapons

- rest - owl bear cub

Day 12

- place last weapon

- Enter Crèche

- Do Crèche stuff

- get Lae'zel's son

- Zaith'isk

- Captain

- inquisitor

- prism

- rest - owl bear cub 2

Day 13

- blood of Lathander

- fight our way out of Crèche

- Give Gale last treat

- back to first area

- rest - Voss

Day 14

- bah at redcaps

- auntie Ethel

- Gale gets eye

- into Ethel's lair

- take deal and Mayrina CON +1

- resurrect Connor

- meet Gandrel

- get crossbow

- to grove

- meet Halsin

- get Sorrow

- rest - Lae'zel and Shadowheart confrontation

Day 15

- open Selûnite way to Underdark

- spectator

- bulette

- boooal

- arcane tower - except last floor

- rest - ?

Day 16

- top floor arcane tower

- Duergar on beach

- myconid colony

- Omeluum

- find Baelin

- Filro

- back to colony

- rest - ?

Day 17

- to Grymforge - use brand

- architect dude

- rothe

- get Shar idol

- conspire with duergar

- return Sargent's boots

- talk to gnomes

- fight merregon

- fight ooze

- find Philomen

- kill dudes by water

- Poison slavers

- talk to spiders

- kill myrmath

- rest - ?

Day 18

- Nere

- get monk necklace

- turn in head

- last minute shopping

- rest - ?

Day 19

- take elevator to Shadowlands

- send Elmister to camp

- talk to crew

- learn about Shar worship

- save Harpers

- meet He who was

- talk to Elminster

- talk to everyone

- start long rest - Mizora

- ask about Shar Worship

- rest - dream visitor

Day 20

- test dark Justiciar Convo

- to last light

- get Karlach upgrade

- talk to Mattis

- talk to Florrick

- talk to Cerys

- talk to Alfira

- talk to Barcus

- talk to His Majesty

- talk to Raphael, no Astarion

- talk to Mol

- shop

- talk to Rolan

- talk to Jaheira

- talk to Isobel

- fight Marcus

- start long rest

- ask to get to know Shadowheart

- rest - Sceleritas

Day 21

- Mother Superior?

- memory?

- shitload of shopping

- Harper ambush

- save Rolan

- back to last light, check on Rolan

- talk to Bex

- talk to Shadowheart about hand hurt?

- rest - dance with Wyll?

Day 22

- Gerringothe Thorm

- finish off patrol

- moonrise

- trial

- Dungeons

- save gnomes, teiflings & Minthara

- tell Isobel you won't hurt her

- recruit Minthara

- talk to everyone

- start long rest

- missed our chance?

- rest - Gale?

Day 23

- blood merchant

- gnoll Control

- talk to Z'rell

- explore Balthazar's room

- explore moonrise

- meet absolute

- rest - blood merchant talk

Day 24

- Back to first area

- get noblestalk

- go past poison geysers area

- get mithril

- fight grym

- forge stuff... Dunno what

- rest - drinks with m'lady

Day 25

- maybe don't talk to her right away

- any other cleanup stuff that could be in first area

- back to Shadowlands

- Thisobald

- get ledger

- town square fight

- find Arabella

- start long rest

- dtr with Shadowheart

- rest - ?

Day 26

- back to he who was

- fight trees

- play hide and seek

- shopping

- rest - ?

Day 27

- find Arabella's parents

- Malus Thorm

- morgue

- Kua toa

- up the hill to Raphael

- tell Arabella bad news

- rest - ?

Day 28

- wake art cullagh

- defend portal for Halsin

- shop!

- clear moonrise docks

- enter mausoleum

- talk to Arabella - cooled off?

- rest - ?

Day 29

- Enter temple of Shar

- first trial

- wall of bone and blade

- learn about trials

- to camp - talk about being in temple

- Meet Balthazar - agree to work with him for now

- kill Yurgir

- lick spider/start rat fight

- finish rat fight

- rest - stupid Raphael

Day 30

- last minute shopping

- town square trials

- Shar Olympics

- pray before Shadowfell

- last, last minute shopping

- questioning faith Convo, pretty please?

- enter Shadowfell

- kill Balthazar

- save Nightsong

- talk to camp

- to last light by way of shadowed battlefield

- talk to Isobel

- assault on moonrise

- Ketheric first defeat

- dtr with Shadowheart part 2

- rest - urge

Day 31

- illithid colony - Shadowheart, Wyll & Jaheira?

- get Us

- save Zevlor

- mizora

- get Wyll's sword

- remember to fucking talk to companions!

- check Durge pod

- Kressa

- big room full of dudes

- Brain machine

- kill Ketheric

- talk to everyone in moonrise

- leave moonrise

- rest - Shadowheart truth (no talk before sleep)

Day 32

- take Halsin to Oliver

- break curse

- Selûnite Resistance quest

- ritual circle

- last minute shopping

- gith patrol

- double, triple, check done with everything

- leave act 2

- chat around camp

- smooch lady many times

- rest - fucking stupid emperor

Day 33

- talk to everyone

- enter Rivington - Shadowheart, Jaheira, and Minthara

- swap Shadowheart for Wyll

- meet Ferg - bound weapon buy all shit

- swap in Astarion

- Talk to strange ox (w/Astarion and Minthara)

- meet gur

- back to main team (Shadowheart, Lae'zel, Karlach)

- help refugees in house

- enter circus, don't talk to dryad, maybe dribbles (save scum to learn if it effects love test)

- genie

- get trident

- meet necromancer lady

- steal hat

- go to open hand temple

- agree to solve murder

- help monk

- fight doppelgangers in cave

- exit to beach

- find dying guy/Orin

- fight guild and stone Lord dudes

- rest - Vlaakith

Day 34

- meet Ferg w/Shadowheart

- break into toymaker's basement

- Wyrm's Crossing

- meet gnomes

- take Astarion to meet siblings

- shakedown toymaker

- talk to stupid fucking elephant

- Voss

- tell Raphael to fuck off

- circle back to learn about bear bombs

- Harper ambush

- Wyrm's Rock

- learn Bhaalspawn heritage

- steal flaming fist uniform

- coronation

- rest - mizora (sandcastles?)

Day 35

- lower city

- talk to Jaheira

- find guild

- talk to nine fingers

- counting house

- get Minsc through back entrance

- back to guild, deal with Zhent

- rest - Minsc and Jaheira watch me sleep?

Day 36

- follow up on murders

- elf song

- rats in basement

- stupid emperor dumb shit

- save lady at wine tasting

- find bodies

- talk to lady at salty mermaid

- save Figaro

- meet Araj

- stop the presses

- rest - ?

Day 37

- hag survivors

- follow up with Vanra's mom

- salty mermaid, Ethel

- fight redcaps

- fight masked people

- fight Ethel, save Vanra

- follow up with Vanra

- follow up with Mayrina

- rest

(Should have had either kidnapping or Astarion family reunion at this point maybe both)

Day 38 (swap to immediately after kidnapping, if needed)

- Get elf song room

- go to coffin makers place, whatever

- unholy assassin

- buy all good stuff

- kill Saravok anyway

- snoop to learn about Orin

- go to sewers

- fight dumbshit sorcerer

- buy sweet druid robes

- open way to Bhaal's temple

- rest - ?

Day 39

- Bhaal trial

- find brain rats

- chat with Sceleritas

- go to Orin's room

- chat with her mother

- confront Orin

- kill Orin

- huzzah!

- rest - ?

Day 40

- find grave, leave night orchid

- find grafitti

- house of grief maybe?

- prepare to cry maybe?

- if we have stamina - fight poltergeists

- rest - cry my eyes out

Day 41

- go to hell

- house of hope

- kill Raphael, the bastard

- steal Voss' Silver Sword for me

- get Lae'zel's silver sword

- find mummy lord

- find zombie

- track down organs

- kill mummy lord

- return to Oskar

- tell Jannath she can do better

- rest - ?

Day 42 -

- Save Volo

- break into foundry

- talk to blind dude

- wavemother, agree to kill monster

- to society of brilliance

- talk to Blurg

- Jaheira's house

- sorcerers sundries

- fucking Aradin

- Laroakan

- Vault

- stupid Gale

- meet Mystra

- shopping, stalk up for iron throne

- Worg warehouse

- rest - ?

Day 43

- Iron Throne

- get Wavemother dress

- how are we feeling? If all good start ansur

- love test first

- do all trials

- rest - ?

Day 44

- fight ansur

- feeling ok? Start Cazador's Manor

- clear upper level

- rest - ?

Day 45

- talk to skull

- kill Cazador

- prepare to cry

- not too beat? Fireworks!

- rest - ?

Day 46

- *sigh Gortash

- lead out to roof? Stand in one place, ranged only? Either way, try not to set off traps

- talk to other 2 first, then karlach

- cry

- talk to companions again

- cry

- talk to Karlach again

- cry

- anything to clean up?

- rest - ?

Day 47

- anything you've forgotten?

- did you steal the tithes?

- did you find dribbles?

- mindflayer in windmill?

- dryad sex worker?

- adventurer's dad?

- double, triple, quadruple check

- rest - ?

Day 48

- brain rats

- fight brain

- win!

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 shadowheart #shadowheart #bg3 durge #durge #baldur's gate shadowheart #baldurs gate 3 #BG3 roadmap for Dinah #baldurs gate shadowheart #baldurs gate durge #baldur's gate durge

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gith-egg · 7 months

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I still have no finished art of my lil gith dude but I want to share him with yall so fuck it I'm making a post about him anyway

Drik ▪︎ Githyanki ▪︎ Ranger

Pronouns: He/They

Age: 22

Height: 6'0 / 184cm

Build: Scrawny, even by Gith standards

Alignment: Chaotic Tired™

Weapon: Heavy crossbow that looks comically way too big for him to use (and almost is)

Companion: Barley, his "cat"*

*half-undead half-gremishka half-cat

Long backstory below cut

In a crèche nestled deep in the Sunset Mountains, a young githyanki was condemned to death. Barely into its fourth year of living, the child had been frail and sickly almost from the start, and would not have been coddled even this long were it not for a particularly lenient custodian. It had become clear the child would not be fit to work, much less fight; to cull it now was as much mercy as it was pragmatism.

And then the child disappeared.

The ability to skim the boundary of the Astral Plane to achieve feats of great mobility is hallmark of githyanki warriors. This is a skill honed through years of disciplined training. Little wonder, then, that the toddler accidentally accomplishing it for the first time in the sheer panic of impending slaughter did so directly into a freezing river.

Perhaps a greater miracle that a dwarven merchant caravan was passing close enough for the sorry thing to be retrieved still alive. With no common language and no knowledge of the nearby crèche, the traders did the only thing they could and took the child along with them.

By the time they reached the next destination on their route - the city of Scornubel - it had become plainly apparent this would not be a permanent addition to their family. Even if the open road had been a suitable stage to raise a young one, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 one ate enough for three and kept getting into places that should have been impossible. Everyone knew the stories of "lost" fey children finding their way under a friendly roof and effecting utter chaos. The child had to go.

Conveniently the issue proceeded to solve itself: the child, again, disappeared.

* * * * *

Almost a decade later, a headstrong adolescent prepared to seek his independence. He was weary of life in this city - tired of the hostile gazes and quickened strides he was met with on a good day, while the others his age found work and opportunities. Drik (as his caretaker had dubbed him: a bug, a meager and invasive crawling thing, how astute) was keenly aware he was not welcome here.

Aishnak, the designator in question, seemed to regard this as a matter of little importance. The kindly old baker assured him there was no need to attain a job or an apprenticeship as there would always be space at his table. This was patently untrue - it seemed like every other week a new orphan showed up on his doorstep - and also, beside the point. Drik did not want to stay in a city that did not want him.

Just give it a few more years, said the old man, you'll find your niche. Just be patient. You're not ready to fend for yourself yet, you're still a kid, the wilderness is no place for one so young, you take the safety of civilisation for granted. Drik had heard it all. He'd also been training with a crossbow for a whole year now, and he knew how to butcher an animal and how to cook and follow a map and, not to be vain, but he was really very good at staying hidden when he didn't want to be found. Better than anyone else he knew. He was ready, and he wouldn't hear otherwise.

Within a week he was back at Aishnak's door. In Drik's defense, which he was very ready to give, this was not because he lacked the skill to keep himself alive. It was because he'd been careless with the life of another.

A feral cat, shot for dinner without difficulty. A litter newly born, discovered after the fact. A heart much less hardened than he'd given himself credit for. Now here he stood with an armful of kittens and a faceful of tears, begging relief from consequences like the child he was.

Aishnak had the grace to refrain from stating the obvious. He promised the kittens would be cared for - save one, as he picked out the runt, the tiny creature already limp and unresponsive. Keeping it with the others will make them ill, he explained; there's naught to do but bury it.

Drik understood. It was a miracle any of them had survived, being so small and left untended. He asked to take the dying kitten back, put it to rest himself. It was only right. Aishnak let him go.

He bundled it against his chest, walked it all the way back out to the place he'd found it, the nest its mother had made in the remains of an old farm shed. He dug a hole, deep enough so that only the worms and plant roots would have the body. He held the sad little scrap of meat in his hands, over its grave. And he cried. He cried and cried and he curled up on the dirt and cradled the thing he'd come here to dispose of and he couldn't do it.

Of course, there was really no alternative, and eventually he had no tears left in him to shed. He had no choice but to pick himself up and finish his work. It was then that he became aware of two things: firstly, that standing up was proving difficult, which was frustrating but not especially out of the ordinary. Secondly, and much more unexpected, the lump of fluff enclosed in his hands was wiggling and making quite a bit of noise.

Drik chanced a peek at the dead kitten and immediately confirmed it was not, in fact, dead, by the metric of it being able to prise its way past his fingers and stumble mewling across his thorax. He didn't have a chance to consider what to do about this though because the next thing he did was fall unconscious.

* * * * *

Another decade come and gone. Lounging in a forest clearing, Drik admired his most recent prize in the morning sunlight: a lavishly jewelled pendant, sparkling not just with the lustre of the gold and stones but with the unmistakeable radiance of magic. Barley corroborated his assessment with greedy scrutiny from where she perched atop his knees. The traveller they'd filched it from hadn't seemed anyone special at a glance, but that just went to show the folly of judging books by their covers.

Offering Barley a quick mental apology - for disturbing her seat and for denying her custody of this latest find, to both of which she shot back a tepid psychic grumble - Drik rolled to his feet and pocketed the necklace. It'd be worth a small fortune, to the right buyer. He was due for a visit home.

#oc: drik #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #githyanki #bg3 tav

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chronurgy · 4 months

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commentary ask game! From your most recent fic which I loved: The tailor had done nothing to soothe his shaken nerves. Celia and her assistants had been on them the instant they stepped through the doorway, faster than a swarm of gremishkas on an abandoned spellbook. The whole visit had been nothing but a whirlwind of activity, with Celia and her innumerable assistants rushing back and forth carrying stacks of clothing and bolts of cloth, calling out questions and numbers and suggestions of all sorts to one another. Wyll could see why this establishment was considered one of the best in Baldur’s Gate – even the assistants had a good eye for colors and patterns, and with their assistance he’d quickly found a lovely ensemble. The cuts and cloths were beautiful, to be sure, and the fashions not so dissimilar to what he had worn before – before everything. But for all the nostalgia the experience had plied him with, it was not the same. He was not the same. The part of himself that he had cultivated over his years of adventure, the part that ran the sums again and again, the part that knew the price of a day’s bread, a room at a shabby inn, a farmer’s tools that would need replacing after being broken in a monster’s attack – it whispered to him about all the useful and practical things that might be bought with this sum, of all the good that might be done with it, this chunk of Gortash’s blood money. The rents that could be paid on just his share alone. But they’d be among the upper echelons of the Gate’s society at this ball and, as his father (for all his distain at such fripperies) had always said, appearances were as important there as was armor in battle. It rankled him still to politely take such princely gifts that were so clearly stained with blood, all for the purpose of playing politics. Politics – the practice of shaking hands with monsters, which was exactly what he would be doing in these beautiful, bloodstained rags. How he longed instead to slay them instead of playing nice.

Thanks for the ask!

So first things first, this was actually my second go at the tailor scene. I threw out the original version about 2 minutes after I finished writing it because I realized it was far too long and pulled way too far out of the flow of the fic without enhancing the themes. I was sad to toss it, but it was the right choice because this is much better

"Faster than a swarm of gremishkas on an abandoned spellbook" - I did a little research for this line because Wyll was a monster hunter and I wanted him to use expressions involving monsters to showcase that part of his life. When I found out that gremishkas swarm and are attracted to magic items I knew they'd work perfectly for this

"the fashions not so dissimilar to what he had worn before – before everything" - for all wyll's poise, his exile is still hard for him. It's something that pains him a great deal to this day, and that's why he can't even say the words here

As for where this section fits into the whole - Wyll is kinda living through the back half of a coming of age story in act 3. He's coming home after his heroic acts and looking around and realizing that his time away has fundamentally changed him. He's different now and he can't look at things the same way anymore. Wyll's struggle with returning home is the second major conflict in the piece and it's on show here (the first being his conflict over Vesper's loyalties). He's facing it here from an internal source when he can't stop thinking about the cost of his clothes. As a child he loved balls, loved dancing, and must have loved the beautiful outfits. But he isn't a child any longer, and he can't live in a sheltered child's world where pretty clothes just happen. His love for balls is now tempered with the cold reality of the world he lives in. It's changed, he's changed, and it can never ever go back to the way it was. There's also hints of what I'll call a minor conflict, which is Wyll the aristocrat vs Wyll the man of the people (which is more hinted at than elaborated on but it's worth mentioning).

I also just figured that wyll's a pretty caring person, of course when he went put into the world and saw how the other half lived he'd feel for them. How could he not? Especially if he struggled with money himself for awhile after his exile, which I assume he had to. He was making his living as a monster hunter, and that wouldn't necessarily be lucrative

Also Wyll had to cite his father here. So much of his interpretation of the Gate's society has to come through the lens of his father. His father (who is only ever referred to as his father in this piece) is this looming presence through the story, integral to everything that's happening even in his absence.

"Politics – the practice of shaking hands with monsters, which was exactly what he would be doing in these beautiful, bloodstained rags. How he longed instead to slay them instead of playing nice" - this was inspired by Wyll's "but a Duke shakes hands with more monsters than he slays" which has been running through my head nonstop since he said it. Duke is a political job! The monsters that the Duke is shaking hands with are people! So from that I pulled that Wyll must have an intense hatred of politics - and that feeds into some of his feelings here (that same line also comes into play with the way Wyll talks about gortash elsewhere in this piece)

#Thanks again for the ask this was lots of fun!#my writing

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f0xx0rzz · 1 month

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dndsona?

not sure if youre asking what that is or if you want more info but

tldr a dndsona is a reimagining of yourself/your persona in the dungeons and dragons universe. usually idealized obvs

mine is Fawkes, a tiefling ranger, werewolf ofc. heres the heroforge mini cuz i havent finished a ref yet

their fur/hair is black at the roots and lightens to grey at the tips and they dye their hair for funsies and to match their companions fur. in their werewolf form they still have hooves and horns! really gotta draw that

theyre nomadic, living mostly off the land but stopping at populated places often to trade. theyre chaotic good and often check out quest boards or whatever to help people out.

they also have a tendency to throw caution to the wind and do unsafe stuff cuz they figure theyll be fine dw about it. when in a group, their party members often have to stop them from doing stupid things like going to pet the gremishka (rip my bg3 party, at least my bfs tav is a paladin). they do have dubious morals tho, will absolutely steal things, isnt against justifiable murder (killing slavers), and is overall just kind of a freak. theyre friendly tho! just like a really weird but nice stray dog.

oh man i gotta take a screenie of them in bg3 to share.

#dndsona

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nothisis-ridiculous · 5 months

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XIII

Set years after the end of Baldur's Gate 3, Astarion and Tav mmet by chance after years apart. This story follows their meetings every year, on the anniversary of the start of their adventures.

I--- (AO3)

"Hells, a sweet white?"

Tav's pale eyes reflected the firelight of the golden candelabra that sat on the center of the table as they shot up, "you could order your own wine."

"What," the pale elf clucked, boldly taking the seat despite not being formally invited; who would deny his company, "no excitement in seeing a dear old friend after several years apart?"

A smile blossomed across her face, cheeks dusting with a blush that remained over the years, "I am happy to see you again, Astarion."

Astarion fought away the smile the corner of his mouth dared to start, replacing it with a dismayed frown, "I'm back around you for two seconds, and I already want to leave."

"Never change, Asty."

The spawn tsked.

"You almost conjured Lae'zel there," she retorted with a raised eyebrow, the broad smile plastering her face as the elf leaned back in her seat, "I could give you some pointers."

"I forgot how funny you were," the vampire's lips thinned with a harmless snarl, revealing a hint of fang, "mentioning our former compatriots in attempted ceremorphosis, how is life with the 'God of Ambition'?"

The plastered smile remained, but her shoulders collapsed amid her hand striking out to gather the wine glass back to her side of the table and to her waiting lips, "ambitious. Not that I mind the impromptu catch-up, but why are you here?"

After the obligatory eye roll, his hand pressed to his chest, the brown doublet that had seen many better days, "I'm beginning to suspect that you don't enjoy seeing me after all," he continued before Blaire's consoling could interrupt his speech, "but, I thought to myself, I only knew one creature insane enough to saunter though Baldur's Gate with a fully grown owlbear and leave it outside the tavern like a good little guard dog. And if I were wrong -well, I would insist on introducing them to another like-minded individual."

"Hmm," Tav breathed into her wine, "I didn't take you for the matchmaking sort-- they also wouldn't let me bring him in."

"Ah, even the privileges of hero-ship can't grant one everything. Statues that stand the test of time, all par for the course, but animal companions are where the line is drawn."

"No, it's simple discrimination," she explained between another sip of wine, "displacer beats, pseudodragons, gremishkas, those are all fine. Common trivial beasts, but you try to sneak one superbly mannered owl bear into a tavern and they threaten to kick you out."

"Hardly befitting the respect due to the 'Hero of Baldur's Gate,'" but calling this establishment a tavern was an insult; it stunk of money and overpriced vintages. The smells of the kitchen barely managed to intrude on the odor of the lavish potpourri and scented candle wax that littered the establishment. The patrons are the brand of people who begged to have their coin purses cut. Nicking one of the forks alone could pay for an entire modest outfit, he wouldn't, not while Blaire watched. One he thought he would enjoy in a previous life, but he felt out of place in practice. Besides, the burrowed minutes he had left in this place before discovery did not bode well for him, "But now that I know Faerun only has room enough for one owlbear fanatic, I should leave you to your... date?"

The warmth of her very living hand halted his flourish from the table, her gentle but desperate pressure keeping him from taking the first step away. She hung over the table, her knotted and freckled forehead pleading that he might stay. As Astarion's questioning gaze lingered, only deviating for a moment to glance down at her exquisite cleavage and the siren call of her neck beneath obsidian hair, did she release him with a furious blush. Planting herself back gracefully into the seat as if she never moved to begin with, her face masking at least the movement of embarrassment.

"It's a table for one," she murmured.

He let the smile pull on his lips, "I could make it a table for two."

After all, there was a welcome familiarity to spending time with the bard that spearheaded the most interesting period in his long life. The silence that was a little novel turned to forgotten memories of the comfortable quiet between them, the squirreled away nights on the road they existed together without needing to say a word. He wouldn't admit their relationship had ever been an easy thing, but in silence, they could be themselves without putting on a mask. So he let it drag on in bliss, doing his best to observe the changes in his friend without seeming too forward. Little had changed on the surface, as the ageless quality of his former race tended to display until they moved far into the end of their millennia. She still wore the finest clothes, with the predictable corset, and still forsaking her abhorred dresses in favor of respectable pants. Something about her seemed to have faded past the diluted freckles and paler skin. But what could a vampire say about the lack of sunlight? Or the sapping of strength from the circumstances of life, he felt that own draw keenly. Part of this adventure into the topside of the city so he could forget the other spawn that awaited him in the city's underbelly. An endeavor aided by a sickening sentimentality; after all, it was the anniversary of that day all those years ago that would lead to the freedom he cherished and sometimes rued now.

Blaire broke first, "everything going alright down there?"

Astarion raised an eyebrow; as much as he enjoyed not succumbing to the silence first, that was his role, "You mean leading a group of bloodthirsty vampires? I couldn't imagine that going wrong."

"I'm-"

He waived her off before the guilt trip could manifest verbally, "You'd be a little proud of me and equally disappointed. You can't deal with the bloodthirsty without situations ending bloody at times," his mouth moved into a frown, "darling, I may rue your name from time to time," the elf recoiled, so he dropped his tone, "but I suppose this responsibility that given me purpose and some measure of atonement."

"You almost ended that without sarcasm."

"And you almost resisted looking like a kicked puppy," he abhorred that look, but he had already admitted enough feelings for the night.

"Bite me, Assty."

"Your order?" the server interrupted, prompting them to correct their conspiratorial leaning. They looked at Tav with a fixed boredness that looked somewhere on her forehead, giving Astarion the opportunity to provide his smarmiest expression that included a suggestive wiggle of his brow.

"I'll uh,- chicken?"

"Herbed, with dumplings, abyssal... raw?"

Blaire ducked with a plunging blush, pulling a hand through her shoulder-length hair, "The... abyssal."

The server turned from her, taking a long and appreciative look over her pale companion. Swallowing down the ugly ball of emotion in her throat, she continued, "with asparagus," Even if the effort was in vain.

Their voice took on a sultry note, hip curving out to let Astarion view them at a better angle, "and what would you like?"

"Something full-bodied," he snorted, making eye contact with his table mate, "and red."

The server remained for a long, very uncomfortable moment before Astarion motioned for them to leave.

"And the devil's deal cake," she spoke to the server's retreating form.

The vampire snorted, then slowly began to laugh. That obnoxious, unfettered laugh that dared the Gods to strike it down. The entire weight of her... longing, missing, yearning, aching, and whatever feeling she would hate to admit hit hard in that happy moment. It was rumored that a vampire could hear or sense any change in the heartbeat of a living creature; Tav prayed that it was just a rumor. She would never hear the end of it if he could hear the stuttering, bordering on stopping mess. Upon further thought, the spawn would have already used that stuttering, fluttering heart against her if he had any such knowledge. Astarion was far too prone to anything that flattered him, even more likely to act on that flattery if it meant embarrassing someone else. So, there was nothing to worry about, nothing.

"What," he pressed, with flaring nostrils, "what are you staring at?"

"You still sound like a prick," she murmured behind the hand that moved to cover her face.

"A dangerous, bloodthirsty prick," the man harrumphed.

Since the wine was the better option to lubricate her unpolished social skills, she brought that to her lips instead, "hmmm, three of the five best words to describe you."

"Do tell."

The smirk scrawled across her face.

"Blaire, darling," he intoned.

"We're ticking off patience."

"If you're going to tease me, I just won't give you the satisfaction of making me beg," his easy, or in her practiced experience fake smile returned, "Please."

It grew quiet again as Blaire's head turned to the window her table was saddled against, the cream gossamer curtains backlit by the light of the braziers that hung from a higher story. The view of what would be the Gray Harbor lost in the darkness of the long-ago set sun. The window reflected Blaire's blank expression, painting a picture reminiscent of his past. After all, a woman alone in a fit of melancholy was an easy target, the faint but unmistakable spark of despair a homing beacon to his trained senses. His fingers dug into the fine wood of the table.

Again, Blaire was the first to break the silence, "how many spawn are left?"

Astarion grimaced, "a couple thousand, if I had to guess. Not everyone liked the 'civilized' rules of the colony, some poor souls that gave up, others that broke the rules, so justice had to be served," he proffered a toothy grin, "others to the attention a large hive of vampire spawn created. Some lost to their own stupidity... I don't feel sorry for them."

The next long pause was created by the waiter dropping off a goblet of red liquid for the vampire; of course, the waiter stalled. Astarion returned the lack of attention given to his companion, his cold disregard for their existence ushering them away, "but I came to the surface to get away from that for the night; besides, I'm sure your adventures are much more interesting than my mundane problems."

"I suppose you'd remember the anniversary of our travels," she mumbled with a flickering frown.

The spawn paused before the glass touched his lips, "still such sentimentality," ending the statement with a gentle series of tsks.

Her opalescent eyes flared in the flickering firelight, the scant evidence she would ever show of being angry; gods this woman still needed to loosen up. In return his red eyes rolled, continuing the conversation before it could lead to more of her loudly silent disapproval, "what brings you to a place like this? With such... stellar service?" He would avoid verbally teasing her about scrounging in the mud for this conversation.

"A girl can adapt to fancy surroundings," Tav returned with a snort, "but I'm here as a favor to a friend. But their service could use a few pointers, that wine isn't what you ordered."

Impulsively, his tongue dipped into the 'wine,' "Organic," he mused, "sort of takes the fun out of it."

"Thought you, out of anyone, would have noticed the bleeding server," Tav teased.

"My friend, when you are as used to heroically controlling your hunger as I do," one delicate silvery eyebrow raised, "you begin to ignore the allure of blood." Truthfully, he was focused on one particular creature's blood, but it wouldn't do to give away those cards.

"Count out humble," Blaire returned brightly.

"Yes, Yes, humble is boring anyways," he tried not to seem greedy about gulping down his cup of wine, "since we're being particularly elusive, what will you tell me about your latest adventures?"

"Honestly, it's been 'mundane,'" she picked at her clothing, removing a strand of hair from her white shirt, "I spent some time in Baldur's Gate to help with the rebuilding after that... I've mostly been in Waterdeep, not doing much to entertain."

"That would explain why you've been a stranger," Astarion tutted from his glass.

"I'm not- I haven't-" She readjusted, sitting up straight, "well, that is a two-way street."

"How very Jaheira of you."

Blaire's shoulders fell, and her gaze fluttered away to something more interesting outside the darkened window, "I suppose walking into the vampire den would have been easier." Her remark was paced beat too slow, betraying the light spin she tried to put on it.

"You may not be surprised to find that your celebrity status reaches some dangerous and dark places," behind his smile, the fangs lengthened, "but going there would not have been your best idea."

A smile returned to her face, "I only make the soundest decisions."

Astarion let her have that one, albeit silently, and the excuse of her plate arriving left him with a gentler defeat. His gaze moved with feigned interest over her entree; two hundred years spent unable to eat food made particularly disgusting by retching when it crossed his mouth unconsciously caused his nose to scrunch in response. He avoided eye contact with the server, who had taken an obvious shine to him; he greedily stowed the compliment but wasn't interested in anything related to this person. The wine was a fine vintage, but he desired something more... familiar.

"I believe my friend ordered the side of asparagus," he mentioned blandly, keeping his gaze on Blaire, "not the green beans. I feel almost bad for taking the blood your brain so desperately needs."

Tav's head shook, "Astarion," she chided, "the green beans are fine."

"Dear, you wouldn't touch a green bean if it could resurrect your childhood pet," his finger pointed languidly to the plate, "take it back, and only return once you manage to get the order correct."

Thoroughly chastised, the server swiped up the plate, offering exuberant apologies to the table. Unable to look at the vampire, the server focused on the elf, who offered a comforting but tight smile.

"Astarion," she chided again the second the server disappeared from sight, "that wasn't necessary."

"Neither was that behavior," he returned flippantly. Perhaps the ogling had also touched a nerve, strange as it felt to reflect on now. In the den of spawn, he was nothing but the callous man keeping everyone together under the threat of a dagger between the ribs, well, or the proverbial chopping off of the head. Stake to the heart. Something. This flirtatious verging on sexualizing gaze was unwelcome, burdensome.

She sighed heavily, "surely there was a kinder way."

He shot back a smirk, tugging the knife from the cutlery napkin, "I could have threatened them."

"I appreciate your hesitation," she fought a smile but only half-heartedly.

"Well, enjoy your disgusting food," he mused, "one of us should."

She returned a tight smile as the correct plate with the vegetable side was placed before her. The server was different and waited patiently for her to make it through a few bites of her meal. All the while, the orcish server did their best to avoid even looking at the vampire spawn, fearing drawing his ire out of a misplaced look. Or, perhaps, was the hint of admiration slipped from the Orc's attempt at a professional demeanor that kept his gaze trained on the living elf.

"Is everything to your liking," the new server braved.

"It's wonderful, thank you," Blaire smiled at the kid warmly, too warmly.

The Orc's shoulders relaxed, "Please, if you need anything further, I would be happy to oblige."

Astarion felt the twinge of something rotten in his chest. Joy, Blaire had a fan.

"I'll let you know if I need anything-- past another round of drinks," she glanced to Astarion, "without the need to maim yourself."

The Orc bowed, pivoted, and moved for the establishment's interior, "yes, Sear."

"But I'm positively parched," Astarion whined a touch too loudly.

"Those eyes have never worked on me."

"It was a fair shot; the years change things," Astarion settled back with a grin, "what then brings you back to Baldur's Gate?"

"Ravengard wanted something," Tav picked at her food, "I've kind of been avoiding it."

Astarion's eyebrow raised, "am I sitting across from the future Duke Tav?"

Tav choked on her chicken, "don't you curse me with that."

"The city does have a history of electing adventurers."

"Astarion, no."

"I would know."

"Yes, yes, you're so old."

The spawn's brows furrowed, "that was uncouth."

"Sorry," she countered with a smile, "mature."

"You cruel beastie," he returned with a hiss.

Tav chuckled gently to savor the moment she chewed and swallowed another bite before assuaging his ego, "You look perfect as ever, don't you fear."

"I guess that will do," but his smile returned, taking another sip of questionable red liquid from the second goblet, "but they will at least run you through

parliament before assigning you Dukeal duties."

Tav shot him a curt glare, "you have far too much faith in me."

"No," but a gentler smile morphed on his face, "you do have a way with words, but you are a pushover, darling. The perfect pawn for political machinations."

Tav grimaced, glad she had a temporary excuse for her silence in more prolonged chewing, "I appreciate the candor," she really tried to take it in stride, but the forceful stabs into her vegetables proved otherwise.

"I told you as a friend- not to make you squirm as much as I may enjoy that in certain situations," he gently placed the cup down, "don't let the bastards use you, and always watch your back."

"If that's even what's happening," but as a Baldurian, it made sense. In the years of cleanup after the defeat of the Absolute, she saw no small amount of power afforded to her; Ravengard had asked her to stay then. Tav had refused, and each letter he had sent every year hence. "But I'm well aware of needing to watch my back."

"Do tell," he leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands, "you're finally giving me something juicy to stew over when I return home."

"Fucking Wulbren," she glanced at her plate, feeling off the food, "the gith, hells some Znetherim."

"You were too kind to kill him," he didn't need to add that he thought it was a mistake that she let him go.

"He remains slippery," Tav grinned sheepishly, "not out of lack of trying."

"Have we finally taken the first steps toward becoming a bloodthirsty killer?"

She huffed, "I did try to make him see sense the first time."

"Of course, your precious 'honour' comes before the sullying of your blade," he gently mocked, "it's nice to know that 'heroic' heart of yours is still causing you trouble."

"He did ruin that nice pair of boots I saved," she returned with a kernel of amusement.

His obnoxious, didn't-give-a-shit laughter filled the room again, "such a waste of a five-star meal; think of the magic-eating orphans!"

Blaire's smile reached the corner of her eyes for the first time that night; instead of joining in with even a polite chuckle, her chin tucked in, trying to obscure her expression behind a veil of hair, "though, I suppose those boots had seen far too many owners. It was a kinder retirement."

He didn't remark, preferring not to end this meeting on a more sour note. It was past time to return to his life. This hour, combined with travel, would see him back well into midday and to at least several incidents he would be obligated to correct. It was a terribly sentimental journey for the effort it required to see it out, but fulfilling in a way he refused to explore any further.

"By the way you haven't touched your plate; I assume you are finished?"

"The years really don't change much, do they," Blaire pushed the plate to the center of the table and gulped away the rest of the wine in her goblet, "I suppose we both have our lives to return to."

"As much as I would love to abscond my responsibilities for the next three centuries," he scoffed at the egregious amount of gold she threw casually on the table, "they can wait until the next Duke of Baldur's Gate is seen home safely."

Tav brightened, blushed, and gave another adamant shake of her head, "imagine what that might do for the future Duke's reputation."

It was unspoken that they had both decided to leave without the proper ceremony.

"I'm beautiful and would only imply you have excellent taste in bedfellows," he said proudly and with a flourishing bow as they exited the establishment.

"Two strikes against humble," she murmured in response, refusing to acknowledge a single jab.

He strode beside Blaire silently, and it settled heavily between them this time. She certainly acted more paranoid, with her eyes scanning the buildings and corners before they met them. Her fingertips grazed at the knives at her thigh, or was it something to distract her? His mouth refused to work simultaneously; anything he could say was not funny, witty, sarcastic, or relative enough to speak into the empty space between them. Part of him reasoned on savoring the moment with her; he was happy to be at her side again after so many long years. As much as this felt like home, something felt tainted with regard to his old companion, off-kilter. As usual, she was hiding something, but it was gnawing at a corner of his mind while simultaneously wrestling with his preferred attitude of feigned disinterest. Blaire was not his ward or lover to worry over.

"This is me," she interrupted all too soon, looking up at the Elfsong Tavern, because where else would she stay?

Astarion paused, giving her a thorough once-over. But she, in return, made no move forward, planted in her spot. She hesitated for several lengthening moments, drew a deep breath, and plowed ahead. Finding to his surprise, his hand lunged at her wrist to prevent her from leaving him for just another moment longer.

"Blaire," his pitch lowered, "I hate to impose, but something is upsetting you. I can-"

"It's nothing," she looked away, yanking her wrist free from his grasp.

"I have been wrong on occasion," he gave a curtsy and pivoted.

"Have you seen Gale?"

He glanced over his shoulder, plastering on a bored expression, "what would a God want with his least favorite spawn?"

Her mouth fell, "yeah."

"Though, I feel confident a rejection on a deity's offer of godly ascension would be akin to a breakup," Astarion's blasé response was unintentionally harsh.

"I suppose everyone heard that," Tav mumbled, her voice quieting.

"The gods and their theatrics, powerful and imposing isn't the same if one can't make a few mortals quake," he knew as the words leaked from his mouth that it wouldn't make Blaire feel in the slightest bit better. Yet they burst forth.

As predicted, her just-kicked puppy expression contorted across her features, arms simultaneously folding over her center to protect herself from the blow, "would explain why I haven't seen him since then," she bleated on without an ounce of conviction to her otherwise brave words, "awkward."

"So, we've been waiting around for...?"

"Well, again, thanks for the candor. I really needed that ground in," she bordered on that rare edge of anger, her backlit form turned sharply away.

Some almost rare inkling at the edge of his conscious snapped him out of the ugly jealousy that drove his unkind speeches; for the second time in a short minute, he chased after her. Soon, he found his arms wrapped around her, blocking up the entrance to the Elfsong. The vampire's heart stuttered with more unfamiliar and long-buried feelings. His greedy fingers worked into the silky strands of her inky hair, lending his strength even in the simple act of cradling the back of her head. Blaire's arms tightened, clinging to something solid beneath her.

Another moment that lasted hours, and at once too short a second before the flustered pair separated.

"Don't be a stranger, darling," it was his flimsy stab at an apology.

"Heh," Blaire brushed her hair back into place, "same time next year? For sentimentality's sake."

Astarion rolled his eyes, "fine, if you insist."

#baldur's gate 3 #astarion #fanfic #astarion x tav #ridi writes #xiii

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shadowkira · 6 months

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It's fun remembering that as someone with some level of artistic ability... If I want my Durge to have a Gremishka as a pet to terrorize my companions... I can literally just draw it.

What a concept.

Poor Karlach is going to be scared, Lae'zel and grem are going to terrorize each other and Shadowheart is the co-parent despite not dating Io.

#I haven't even decided how badly the rest of the camp would be getting terrorized but maybe we'll get there eventually.#Plot twist is that Karlach ends up getting along with them eventually but it takes a WHILE.#Shadowheart might get pulled into a polyam situation again because I'm weak.#This Tav was designed for Minthara but idk how she feels about cats let alone these gremlin critters #She's a sorcerer so... CHAOS. 😈

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thessalian · 9 months

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Faerun!Alisaie vs Sword-Dancing With Gith

Lae'zel: All right. We near the creche. We will go straight there; no dallying!

Alisaie: I'd promise you that, but I know what our lives are like. I'll get us there, but holy fuck, chill.

Lae'zel: Ugh. Very well. But I am not pleased with this.

Lady Esther: Hello? Oh. You travel with one of those savages that set up one of those ... creche ... things at the monastery. They got very upset when I tried to buy one of their eggs and--

Alisaie; Lae'zel: Excuse you?!?

Lady Esther: We just wanted to do a nature-vs-nurture experiment! We're sure that one of those creatures could actually be sociable if they were raised properly!

Alisaie; Lae'zel: ...............

Shadowheart: Should we tell this woman what that look means, from those two?

Gale: Hell no. She's earned this.

Lady Esther: So you're travelling with one of them and I'm sure you wouldn't mind stealing one of their eggs for--

Alisaie: Y'know ... I was going to just stab the everliving shit out of you for suggesting that a) kidnapping is okay and b) I might be willing to do it for your Society of Brilliance experiment bullshit. But then I thought to myself ... why should I get the pleasure of that when it's Lae'zel's people you're wronging? Lae'zel? All yours.

Lae'zel: Ha! Finally! *stabs the everliving shit out of Lady Esther*

Gale: Well, at least they're bonding.

Alisaie: Hey, Gale! I think this armour would do good things for you!

Gale: It's ... got a cropped top.

Alisaie: You've got the figure for it, and it's enchanted to help with your unwillingness to jump any gap ever.

Gale: You know ... in most of these stories, it's the women who are in the skimpy clothing and men are in the armour. Which ... is ... something I should not have said when I'm travelling with a party full of women but...

Alisaie: Look, we'd put you in armour too but your spells stop being castable when you're in it so let's not. And someone needs to be able to take a hit if you can't.

Gale: ...Fine, but you can't tell me you're not enjoying this.

Alisaie: Hey, I may not be planning to travel the landscape but that doesn't mean I can't admire the view from time to time. But honestly, maybe your ex'll enjoy the view enough to not let you kerblooey all over the literal landscape!

Gale: ...I'm not sure what kind of compliment that is, but I suppose I'll take it?

After some noodling around through the environs around the monastery, and using an old ferry, which was really fun

Alisaie: Hey, Lae'zel?

Lae'zel: Speak.

Alisaie: Now, it's obvious that your people don't like this Absolute or any of its cult.

Lae'zel: Obviously not!

Alisaie: But ... this artefact doesn't want to go with them either.

Lae'zel: We can cross that bridge when we come to it.

Alisaie: Maybe I should ask some questions of that gnome they killed--

Lae'zel: Or we could simply move on. Why we feel the need to search this building--

Gremishka: *screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*

Alisaie: How about killing things? Does 'killing things' work?

Lae'zel: ...Frustratingly, yes.

A bunch of dead magic-allergic rats later...

Lae'zel: And still we wander!

Alisaie: Look, it's not like your creche people left a sign! I'm trying to find a way in, but--

Kobolds: *are very very drunk*

Kobolds: *are going to try to kill the party anyway*

Gale: Drunk and flammable! It's a party!

Alisaie: Gale wait don't--

Gale: IGNIS!

Kobold: *explodes in a ball of fire that hurts the entire party*

Gale: ...I thought I was being facetious about the flammable...

Alisaie: Oh, fuck a bunch of this.

Gale: Wha--?

Alisaie: *Mobile Flourishes one kobold at range, which dies*

Gale: All right, but--

Alisaie: *Mobile Flourishes second kobold at range; this one lives*

Gale: Huh; you--

Alisaie: *teleports to prone kobold, stabs him to death, then Slashing Flourishes two more, taking them out*

Gale, Shadowheart, Lae'zel: ..............................

Shadowheart: What magical item gave her that much combat mobility, and where can I get one?

Lae'zel: ......I want her...

Shadowheart: Too bad; so sad. Now burn off some of that energy by killing something.

Stabnation: *ensues once again*

#Faerun!Alisaie #Thess liveblogs Baldur's Gate 3 #baldur's gate 3 spoilers

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flowersdaggersviolasandblood · 10 months

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Assassin with a Heart of Gold

Name: Admaer Daeneiros (He/Him)

Race: High Elf

Class: Rogue (Assassin)

Background: Criminal

WARNING, SPOILERS AHEAD

Going back to our Rogue, Admaer, last we saw him, he and the gang were on their way to enter the Githyanki Creche by breaking into the destroyed monastery. After some confusing platforming, we were able to enter the Creche and it functions much like how Emerald Grove and the Goblin Camp where it's practically a settlement in of itself, just this time, it's filled with Githyanki.

Thanks to use having Lae'zel in our Party, we were able to safely enter the Creche. From what could be perceived, it seems there's some mild unspoken divide. The entire Creche is hellbent on looking for the mysterious artifact that we carry, while some of the Gith are taking note of Moonrise Towers and the need to go there in search for the item or at least get rid of these enemies of their queen. While here, I spent ALL MY MONEY, just to get a cool looking shortsword. Best spending of my money!

While at the Creche, obviously, Admaer and the crew would want to find the individual who would remove the tadpole. While getting there, we went into the Infirmary where two children were bullying a captured Gremishka as they shoved it in a container and started shoving it around with their Mage Hand ability. Admaer attempted small talk as he was curious of what could've been making all those noise, only to get fucking shoved by those kids...Now a grown ass man would just take it in stride and walk away...Admaer is grown and he's an ass, so I ended up getting into a fight with the Gith in the room. Unfortunately...No children casualties.

Once we reached where we would be cured, we met the Gith who could assist us. Ghustil Stornugoss is a scientist who has been studying the Mindflayer tadpole and shows us to the Zaith'isk that should be able to extract the parasite. Admaer opted to have Lae'zel be the first to have this operation done to since he's a bit suspicious of the device and he hasn't forgotten that his dream Guardian mentioned that removing the tadpole could result in death. So he's merely observing to see what would happen. While on the device, Admaer felt what Lae'zel felt, terrible pain and the point of near death. No matter what save I decided, the DCs were too fucking high. Fortunately, our Guardian interfered and saved Lae'zel's life.

Despite her life nearly ending, Lae'zel believed that the Zaith'isk was tampered with and wanted to speak with an inquisitor about this possible manipulation. However, either I didn't explore thoroughly enough or I accidentally killed them in the other room, I just killed the other Gith warrior that got in the way of me meeting Ch'r'ai W'wargaz. He was apparently expecting our party and demanded that we hand over the object. Despite him explaining the Grand Design that the Mindflayers believed in and how this device could fight back the Illithids, Admaer was still resistant of handing over the object. This, of course, resulted in us fighting the present Githyanki. But after the fact, the most unexpected thing happened!

FUCKING VLAAKITH HERSELF APPEARS TO OUR CHARACTER AND PARTY. Upon her arrival, she demanded that we enter the mysterious item, now known as the Astral Prism, and destroy the creature that lives inside it. In exchange, Lae'zel will become ascended and be highly favored in her Queen's eyes. Now, initially, after accidentally solving a Lanthander puzzle that would lead us to the Blood of Lathander, I got the cutscene of Lae'zel mourning about having failed her Queen by not performing her deed. But we'll get back to this in a moment. I decided to save scum and see what was inside the prism. Which brought along another unexpected scene!

We're actually in the dream realm where we met our Guardian! After doing some minor looting, Admaer was able to speak face to face with his dream Guardian, Alex. Admaer mainly entered this space in hopes of gaining answers, especially since it would now in his hands for him to kill or spare this individuals who poses as Alex. The Guardian explains that the reason why the prism is sought after is because the Guardian stole some vital secrets from Vlaakith. So vital in fact that it could threaten her rule and bring Gith society to ruin. Despite Admaer trying to gain more info about this secret she told him that he's not ready for that kind of information. Regardless, Admaer spared her and concealed his conversation from Lae'zel.

This is the part where I got the scene again where Lae'zel mourned her failure to her Queen. However, she instead decides to twist this reality by believing that she is being tested and that there will be another opportunity for her to prove herself to her Queen. Something Admaer says she's reaching for the stars with.

Once that was done, I decided to do the sidequest to obtain the Blood of Lathander and I gotta love the trap and puzzle design of this section. It was very fun and the puzzle to get to the magical mace is perfectly balanced. Now, usually, Admaer probably would've have taken that mace. Especially with the security that was used to keep this item at bay and the constant warnings from the plaques. But we can say that Admaer got a bit cocky as he was easily able to by pass each magical door with no problem.

Fortunately, the Party was able to disable the device before catastrophe happened. Now, it seems like there's no other option but to Moonrise Towers.

#Baldur's Gate 3 #Baldur's Gate 3 Spoilers #BG3 Spoilers #TAV: Admaer Daeneiros

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thechaoticdruid · 4 months

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Thinking about making an in BG3 universe counterpart for Maddie The cat from my fanfic 'This Bites'.

But I don't want to make her a normal cat tho so..... What do you think?

#This Bites #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 fanfic #oc tav winnie #A familiar for my Tav #Winnifred the druid #druid Tav #human tav #A pet for my Tav

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rottenbrainstuff · 7 months

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BG3 playthrough: Githyanki creche

(Spoilers)

I only just realized it - this monastery is the one that you can accidentally explode and get Astarion throwing the temper tantrum about, can’t wait!

At the beginning of the game, I was totally fine with Shadowheart being a worshiper of Shar. Yeah fine, dark and forbidden gods, I’m down with that, goth girls, beauty in the darkness peace in the shadows all of that, 100% I am here for it. But as the game goes on and I read more things about what the Shar worshippers and dark justiciars actually do, hahahahahaaaa yanno I don’t think I’m so down with that anymore, actually. We will have to stage an intervention with this girl sometime soon here I think.

Everyone in the party: “oh yikes, be sure not to use magic on those gremishka!”

Me, blasting spells in anyways: “Maybe I LIKE the pretty panthers”

I’m sad you can’t talk to the kobolds though? They look hilarious. I forgot about the fire warning and had Lae’zel attack with her flaming sword and blew up the whole platform. Oops. Hilariously, even after I killed them all, I was still getting the drinking and burping ambient noises. It seems like the noises were spawning from *the wine barrels themselves* rather the kobolds that were supposed to be doing the drinking??? (or… hm. Were there kobolds INSIDE those barrels? Like the goblins at the siege? I popped all those barrels into my barrel stash, are they just going to sit there forever pickling in the firewine now?)

Eagles vs blue jay - I love little flavour things like this, the blue jay whining that the eagles took his nest… I just wish there was a way to go back and tell him that I’m not helping after all, because it’s clear that he didn’t build that giant nest on top of the roof, and he seems so blase about how he himself stole a nest from a different bird. I clearly just don’t understand bird morality at all, so I’m not going to even get involved. The eagles were quite funny.

YOUTH VARRL. Youth Varrl omg. This kid. What a sweetheart. I’m glad there were options where he doesn’t have to die: sometimes there aren’t ways to save NPCs (like that poor little gnome that got yeeted into the lava). God I wish I could bring him with me, what a funny little sweetheart that guy is. I wanted to read that Orpheus book (well, disc) he was talking about, and as a bard I got the option to say that if he gave it to me, I would write an amazing song about it. He got excited and said he would write his own song too, then started singing his own little theme song, aaah my god what a precious guy. I’ve already got Barcus hanging out at my camp, there’s room for one more! God I wish I could bring this kid with me. I can’t remember ever playing a game like this where I enjoyed the NPCs as much. I feel a bit bad taking his book because he liked it so much, but I wanted to read it and I didn’t see an option to like… “hey let me borrow that for a sec then give it back to you.” Initially I tried to buy it off him in a trade, paid him money, we’re all good, just like I do for lots of characters… and then I noticed the dialogue options were implying that I STOLE it?? Excuse me?? I gave him gold and he passed it over? Does the game consider all non-dialogue triggered trading to be stealing??? Cause I’ve been buying tons of books from people this way??? Oh well, the song option was hilarious so I went with that.

Yanno, I can’t help but feel like I’m playing this game wrong. Or at least very differently from everyone else. Yeah yeah I know, no wrong way to play, you play the way that makes you happy. But like. I dunno! I’m looking at my 8 gigs worth of save slots that I’ve organized like the gallery of an otome game, so that I can go back and rerun any important cut scene that I really liked at any time… I’m looking at my totally full map and journal and hearing everyone talk about how there’s so much replay value in the game cause they totally missed X or Y the first run and I’m like… can’t relate cause I have done all of that already. Thoroughly. I feel like maybe I should have been leaving things to do later. I feel like I was supposed to raise everyone’s approval slower, get through these areas faster. Oh well.

I think it would have been neat if the main story was actually a bit smaller, and more modular. I think it would have been interesting if certain choices actually locked you down certain paths and locked you out of some things, necessitating a replay if you want to see all of it. Like, you really do have to choose between the Underdark route and the mountain pass, and you can’t go back and do both. Or maybe, choosing to help the tieflings with their goblin issues means you run out of time to do things at the creche, something like that. I feel like maybe there was a plan at one point to do this, but in the end they chickened out and left everything open.

Up next - gotta figure out how my anti-authoritarian Tav is going to diplomatically deal with Vlaakith and not get his ass fried into drow crisps.

#bg3 #bg3 playthrough #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 spoilers

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juiceboxman · 3 years

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NEW D&D SOURCE BOOK OUT

Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft came out a few days ago. I bought it an read through it. The book expands stuff in the classic module the Curse of Strahd, a Gothic Horror centred campaign in which a party are pitted against a very powerful Vampire and other types of horrors in a cursed land.

Most of the book’s content details these things:

How to make a horror centred campaign

How to make scary encounters

How to scare your players while also not crossing personal boundaries

I have to commend the book on how informative it is on how to maintain a healthy playing environment. Such as having a thorough discussion with the players before you begin about what players are comfortable with and what they aren’t, so you have topics and themes in the story that you know not to touch upon as it may upset players and ruin the fun. The book also recommends that you avoid using players irl phobias in the game as it ruins gameplay experience as well. For more advice on how to run a healthy fun playing experience, I recommend checking out Dimension 20′s Adventuring Academy podcast. Its a great advice podcast on all things table top.

All the stuff in the Source Book is horror specific, so if you’re not into horror or any scary stuff in D&D, the book is not for you and that’s fine. For those that like horror, the book does a great job of helping set the tone for a horror game and how to build and maintain tension.

It also sets out a guide for how to adapt elements of Curse of Strahd into homebrew games. So say you love the vibe and mechanics in Curse of Strahd, but you don’t really care with the BBEG being a Vampire. The source book lists at least 16 adventures with varying genres of Horror with different creatures and encounters.

So in one adventure, you can play in this accursed desert where the BBEG is a powerful Mummy Lord. Or in another you can play in a strange carnival in which the BBEG is a Fey creature. There’s zombie outbreaks, mindflayers- everything you can imagine, you can create and play and the book will help you to do so.

The book polishes up some Unearthed Arcana stuff, namely three new playable races. Dhampir (a watered down vampire that you can play as a PC), Hexblood (a humanoid mutated by Hag magic) and Reborn (an undead or construct reincarnation) all of them are pretty interesting.

They also sort out two UA subclasses, namely College of Spirtits Bard and Warlock patron of Undead. he latter of which you can have someone like Strahd be your patron.

There’s also some new backgrounds that are interesting and a new Dark Gift feature that is also pretty cool. A character can choose to receive a Dark Gift from a Dark Lord, an example being Strahd, so that they get some benefits but also some negative impacts as well. It can make some very fun game play for those who are interested.

But, the main thing I buy source books for is the classic DM stuff. NEW MONSTERS! Here are some of my favourites.

Dullahan, a headless horseman. Very spooky and potentially lethal

Death Head, very interesting monster that can be flavoured to a DMs whims. ou can have a flying medusa head or a flying nothic head, or any type of flying head. The head is your oyster. They go well with the Dullahan and there is a specific adventure in the Source Book that includes both of them in case you wanna play a sleepy hollow esque game

Gallow Speaker. Picture a mix between an Oracle and a Spectre, you have one very creepy monster that can also make a very spooky NPC

Gremishka. A very creepy monstrous cat that is like the opposite of a familiar. In fact, its whole existence is just to be the bane of Spellcasters. Very creepy and has some interesting features, though I think you’d have to juice it up if your Wizard is higher than lvl 3.

Inquisitors. You have three separate Inquisitors whose whole lore mixes with Curse of Strahd but I won’t get into. There are; Inquisitor of the Mind Fire, Inquisitor of the Sword and Inquisitor of the Tome. If you like elements of the Githzarai but don’t know how implement them into your campaign, Inquisitors are a good alternative

Jiangshi. A very interesting undead. Basically a mix between a Ghoul and a Vampire, would make a very interesting monster for low level PCs

Loup Garou. An alpha werewolf. For werewolf fans like me, I imagine you’re disappointed that werewolves are only a CR 3. With Loup Garou though, you now have a werewolf with legendary actions. Very interesting monster and there is a very cool adventure in the source book that features the monster. It also has some very cool werefwolf mechanics if a PC gets infected with lycanthropy and also has a magic item linked to it thats pretty cool

Nechricor. Imagine if a Lich failed at Lichdom and accidentally turned themselves into an ooze; that’s Nechricor. I always love the tope of very powerful villains trapped in like a bottle or a knife or a statue, so a Nechricor is right up my alley

Nosferatu. Very much like a Vampire Spawn but a hell of a lot grosser. They have a feature where they can hurt people by projectile vomiting blood on them. Very nasty. If you wanna remove the romanticism from vampirism, Nosferatu are the way to go. Also if you wanna use vampires with lower level PCs, Nosferatu can be very good alternative

Vampire Mind Flayer. Enough said

And that’s most of my favourites. There’s plenty more, such as the Relentless Slasher- which is great if you wanna play a murder mystery campaign or a Friday the 13th one shot- very interesting monster.

There’s a lot of other monsters that are also really cool but I don’t really want to share them cause they’re so gross or creepy. There’s a monster called the Boneless which is literally just a bunch of skin that chokes people. There’s a bog star spawn monster that is just super gross and horrifying. There’s also a monster called a Carrionette, which is just a doll that can steal your soul- super creepy! The artists definitely outdid themselves on this source book.

If you wanna check the, out or get a hold of the stat block of these monsters above, check out Van Richtens Guide to Ravenloft

#Dungeons and Dragons #dimension 20 #naddpod #critical role #adventure zone

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