#and because wyll is wyll and because what matters to him most are his beliefs he is easily convinced to not kill karlach. he doesnt want to

[prettyboykatsuki]

i have many many many critiques about wylls story, most of them being about the fact it's just so lackluster in game when compared to other companions which is a shame. because wyll to me is and has the potential to be an even more emotionally compelling companion. and he was early access!! he was so gritty in ea please bring him back larian i beg of thee. the way he was rewritten has stripped him of so much nuance and depth. wyll to me is such a wonderful character to me because of what he represents, which is heroism so down to his core he never gives up on it even when he ought to

his goodwill and nobility are ceaseless. at the center of his story is betrayal trauma, his agency over himself vanished into thin air. mizora turns him into a monster and there is no turning back. he has become the thing he's despised, the things he's hunted for his entire life. and we know so little about that canonically because of the way his story is set up but its hinted time and time again that he struggles with his reality deeply and even that cannot make him turn away from the city he loves so much.

if larian would go back to clean up and fix his story (which im truly praying to god they do) i want them to touch on what wyll must be going through as he continues to try to ground himself and deal with his newfound reality. i want them to touch on the abandonment he experiences because of his father and the inevitable burden his title as blade and hero has on him. because these things obviously compel him, they're hinted at all the time but they were completely stripped of him in final release and its fucking disheartening... larian please im begging you. thats the love of my life. please.

but for now i will do it with fanfiction and gather enough wyll fans to make a fuss about it . peace and love

#aristotle.txt #wyll ravengard #bg3 #i love wyll so desperately. which makes sense as a deku lover certainly. #but i love him even more because his story is narratively interesting #here is a classically heroic noble making a devils pact to save his city #who is only rewarded for doing this by being banished from the city hes sworn to protect. by his father no less. #he spends seven years away from home and makes a name for himself as a fucking folk hero #he never returns. he doesn't explain himself. he decides that the least he can do is give his life to the sword coast #and then wyll meets karlach. a devil hes supposed to kill except shes not #and because wyll is wyll and because what matters to him most are his beliefs he is easily convinced to not kill karlach. he doesnt want to #kill karlach. so he doesn't. and he pays the price for it. his entire existence is uprooted and he is turned permanently into a partial #devil #hes become his own prey. he spends the game clearly sorrowful in the mourning process. and the game just refuses to touch on this set up #as a WRITER it boggles my mind why wyll does not get that attention from larian because the concept of a hero balancing the weight of his #own pain and sorrow against his beliefs is moving. being able to open up that path with tav narratively that allows wyll to be #selfish and heartbroken. to not be blade or sword. just wyll. what a beautifully interesting storyline would that have made #i have delusion in my heart. i hope they fix it. i want them to fix it so badly because i fucking adore wyll in every way. #and i want the game to represent who he is as much as i feel for him. he is an origin companion and deserves it. #bg3 spoilers

[traceofexistence]

my bg3 characters hot takes:

Shadowheart: racist right out of the pod. she's a zealot of her goddess, and she's ready to kill you if you as must deny her whatever she wants. she's like in her 50s and should know better than to be a karen every chance she can

Lae'zel: a strategist, tactician, who knows what she does, and takes leadership whether you like it or not. her tongue is sharp, because she was raised in a cult and all she knows in her 20 something years of life is how to worship a fake goddess, who lies and eats her most decorated warriors to maintain her immortality. her whole story revolves around her relearning life, breaking out of the cult, and changing her ways.

Astarion: is a charlatan, mega manipulator, blood sucking, asshole, who just care just about himself, and maybe your tav if you romance him.

Gale: typical cis white guy insecurity, a goddess fucked him, and that was not enough for him, he had to prove whatever, that his goddess didnt ask for, only to result angering said goddess who made him a time bomb. he's is a good guy, in general but hollyshit the white guy insecurity is so insufferable.

Wyll: with the burden of being the son of his father, at 17 he was met with an impossible situation in hand, and a a Devil coarse him to sign a contract. he ended up being a slave to said devil ever since. he sold his soul to save his city, and he pays the price everyday. generally good guy, worth helping him breaking free from the pact.

Karlach: born best girl. manipulated, and sold to be a slave for 10 years, now a fugitive, but also with a terminal illness given to her by her slaver. contrary to popular belief she doesn't have anger issues. on the contrary, every possible bad thing has happened to her, and yet she doesn't blow up at tav nor anyone for that matter. she gets angry yes, but to the goons send to get her back info slavery, and the asshole who she trusted and he sold her.

even if you push her about something, she doesnt get angry she tries her best to make the least angry choice possible.

she's also very horny, and sex talks on the random lol, even Lae is not that horny all the time.

Halsin: generally good fella, free spirited, and driven by guilt to better the world. and right the wrongs.

#karlach #lae'zel #gale #wyll #halsin

[victorgrwrites]

WHY I Don't Like Wyll

Alright. I've been chewing on this basically since I played BG3. And I think it's time I put it into as clear words as I can, and give an explanation as methodically as I can.

I don't like Wyll as a character.

And that's because: The character arc makes zero sense.

Let me explain.

For a vast majority of the companions, they have a "good" arc that involves removing themselves from an abusive situation where they have little agency, and then bringing themselves into a situation where they have more agency and freedom.

We have Astarion, he is abused and controlled by Cazador. He learns that freedom is what grants freedom, and not power. So then he denies the power and breaks the cycle of abuse.

We have Lae'zel, she is controlled and manipulated by Vlaakith. She learns the truth, and eventually came to accept the truth even though it was a difficult thing. So then she stands by that truth and fights against the person and society that manipulated her. We have Gale, he was groomed and is manipulated by Mystra. He learns his own self worth in the end. So then he cuts ties with Mystra and lives the kind of life he himself values.

And we have Wyll, who was manipulated by a devil and completely rejected by his father when he should have been offered support. He learns that his character and actions are what matter most, that he has value regardless of his appearance and past mistakes.

So then he sells his soul... to save the parent who denied him... But if he does that, then he goes off to be the Blade of Frontiers, and continues to be manipulated... by the same devil...

Or! Or, he frees himself from the devil he was manipulated by! And... becomes a politician... Like the parent who denied him... Because his father was just such an important man and positive influence on the city...

Alright. So maybe Wyll's arc isn't about freeing yourself from abuse and manipulation, maybe it's something else.

If we consider the Blade of Frontiers ending to be the good ending, then we get there by being self-sacrificing. We can keep the contract (or break it, but it's easier to achieve if we keep it), and save the man who rejected him when he was young, and go off with Karlach to the Hells or continue saving people.

In that case, his is more of a classic, heroic, self-sacrificing arc.

...Which is weird since that's what started all of his troubles to begin with.

This very young man happened to be witness to a city-ending threat suddenly mounting on the outskirts of Baldur's Gate. Immediate, and deadly, no time to ask for help or sound an alarm.

A young man, and a devil. A devil who convinces him that he is the only one who can stop this threat, and she has the means to do so. And all evidence of this threat is entirely erased after Wyll had "handled" it.

...Damn, that really sounds like he got tricked into his self-sacrifice, huh? Just like... when... maybe... the same devil tells him that his father will die if he doesn't sell his soul...

Wyll's story demands that the audience accept that the thing that caused the problem is the solution, after priming us with several other characters that the thing that caused the problem SHOULD NOT be the solution.

Astarion should not become Cazador, and we should fight that notion every step of the way. Lae'zel should not cling to her false beliefs, even when it is the harder path. Gale should not allow Mystra to dictate his value, and we need to remind him of that every single time.

Wyll should not sacrifice himself to a devil, and should not sacrifice himself to a man who did not see his value, and we should remind him of that every step of the way.

Except, apparently, we shouldn't.

Anyway, thanks for coming to my TED talk. I'll answer questions, sure.

#I'm not gonna put this in the Wyll tag #bg3

[blackjackkent]

Unsurprisingly (I guess) we don't have the option to tell anyone in camp about our weird nighttime visitor. We do have a couple of other somewhat interesting little chats to clean up, though.

----

Rakha asks Wyll how it feels to be a devil. It's a matter-of-fact question as much as anything else - curious whether it affects his abilities, what exactly Mizora did to him - but he seems pleased that she asked, a slight smile touching his face for a brief moment.

"It's said that anyone who bathes in the River of Blood emerges as one born anew. It's a lot like that, I imagine. I feel the weight of these horns on my head, curling upwards like a mammoth's tusks. I feel these ridges snaking down my back." His lips twitch, his eyes narrowing in a flash of humor. "Not to mention a few bumps and prongs in unmentionable places."

Rakha raises an eyebrow uncertainly.

He clears his throat. "But... I haven't seen my reflection just yet." His smile fades and he looks at her with sudden, unexpected intensity. "Be my mirror," he says softly. "What do you see?"

She blinks, surprised. That he wants her opinion is surprising. That she wants to give it is equally so. She finds that there is something familiar in what he describes - how he has been saddled with a darkness that he did not ask for, a piece of himself that he has no control over.

Like her, in this moment, he seeks to know who he is.

She has no deep answer to offer. She says what she sees as the plain truth - he has not changed. In the same way that her own brutality and the Urge's darkness stand separate in her head, so Wyll's personality - the bewildering altruism that he has already shown her multiple times - bears no connection to the monstrous form he has been saddled with.

"I see the Blade of Frontiers," she says calmly. "No more. And no less."

He relaxes visibly, and this time he really does smile, and looks at her with a new sort of respect and more than a little gratitude.

"It's because you know the heart lurking under the horns," he murmurs. His shoulders square and his back straightens, his jaw lifting with a new confidence. "The people will see a curiosity," he says thoughtfully. "Maybe even a beast hungry for their souls. But I will slay their monsters, keep them safe. And one day they *will* see the Blade of Frontiers again."

He is so earnest, so certain of the rightness of his intentions. It draws a stark contrast to the strange, creeping, skeletal creature who visited her last night, who spoke excitedly of the blood on her hands.

-----

Since it's now morning, Rakha asks Shadowheart again about her Shar worship. Shadowheart's still pretty reticent about it, but Rakha talked her into giving some more information.

"I am indeed a disciple of Shar, Mistress of the Night and Lady of Loss. I assume you've heard of her?"

"Remind me," Rakha says, deeply dry, because of course she hasn't.

Shadowheart's description is surprisingly intriguing. "Most fear the dark, like children, because in darkness they see their fears reflected. But Shar teaches us to step beyond fear. Beyond loss. In darkness we do not hide - we act. Pain, hope, the promise of better days - all of these are heavy cloaks that bend our backs and burden our hearts. We shed those cloaks. Before Shar we stand gloriously naked, beyond the vanities of mortals."

Rakha takes this in thoughtfully. It is her first real exposure to the concept of religious philosophy (besides Lae'zel's oblique references to Vlaakith and, of course, whatever is going on with the Absolute). What Shadowheart describes is an approach to life where there is no hope but also no fear, something that steps beyond raw emotion. A stark contrast to Rakha's experience of life since she woke up, which has been all rage and blood.

Shadowheart seemed surprised, too, when Rakha expressed no obvious fear of her - that Rakha in fact stated, quite matter-of-factly, that she held no judgement of Shadowheart's beliefs one way or the other.

"Curious. Most are afraid of my Lady," she says, squinting at Rakha pensively. "I think I did well by joining you. Most agreeable company."

(A/N: Leaving aside all the murder, one assumes. XD This is a whole string of oddly nice conversations for Rakha, which is kind of pleasing to see directly on the heels of the business with Sceleritas. The contrast is pretty dramatic.)

-----

Rakha talks with Lae'zel a bit as well. I think she tends to drift to Lae'zel's corner of camp whenever she's not actively occupied with something; Lae'zel has a stabilizing effect on her, and though she doesn't actually explain what happened with Sceleritas, she is sure the gith can tell that something is bothering her.

Rakha has a dialogue option with Lae'zel - "I didn't kill Alfira, no matter what you might think." I don't think this is exactly what Rakha says here, to be honest - she really hasn't at any point made the assertion (to herself or anyone else) that she didn't kill Alfira. But perhaps she does reiterate to Lae'zel that there is something strange going on, that some power she doesn't understand is influencing her, watching her, using her.

And I really, really like Lae'zel's response, as it sums up a lot of how I see their relationship right now.

"I'll tell you what I think anyway," she says, flat and calm and serious. "I won't miss Alfira. But I won't stand for chaos. Govern your hunger, before it governs you."

#bjk plays bg3 durge #rakha the dark urge #this was a surprisingly wholesome series of conversations #for rakha anyway

[wildskissed]

Eve's Thoughts on the Companions

LAE'ZEL: Eve thinks Lae'zel is very interesting. She's intense, and she is singularly minded, but she seems to be just about the most loyal person that Eve's met in a long time. They have to band together out of necessity, but even with her gruff demeanor, Eve trusts her judgement in battle situations. She certainly tells her to chill though on multiple occasions when things can be solved with respect and communication over fighting. At the same time, once she learns more about Vlaakith, Eve finds herself liking Lae'zel even more. She's been trying so hard to live a life that her Queen would be proud of, but in this whole endeavor, Lae'zel is also finding herself while not compromising her beliefs. It's that kind of strength, Eve is drawn to in people, and she just wants Lae'zel to be happy.

SHADOWHEART: Eve adores Shadowheart, but she also goes back and forth between trusting her judgment. Because she makes it very clear in the beginning that this is out of necessity, Eve does have a wall up, but eventually, she grows to want to protect this young woman from herself. She doesn't believe in shaming anyone for their religion, but very much doesn't believe in Shar either. Eve LOATHES the Shadowlands. She very much tries not to talk about Shar as much as she can, because when it comes to this, she wants to protect Shadowheart from this, what she believes to be, a horrible influence, and it isn't until she can see the cracks in Shadowheart learning it for herself that she will push against it. She knows from personal experience that you can't force someone to see the light, and she knows there is a chance that she herself is wrong. All that matters to her in the end, is that Shadowheart is happy.

ASTARION: Eve appreciates that Astarion is a chaotic kindred spirit, but he's definitely far more chaotic than she is in most instances. She vividly remembers him pulling out a knife on her--of which she threatened to make him eat it--but even then, she understood. She tries very hard to try to get him to see that being kind doesn't hurt them in any way, but the more he opens up, the more she gets why he gets so bratty about that to begin with. It also makes it easier for her to open up to him later, because in being vulnerable herself, she hopes he realizes she's being genuine about wanting what's best for him. Once again, another person she would love to save from themselves, as she's very anti-ascension, but very pro-Astarion.

GALE: This one I think is the most complex (aside from Minthara), just because her initial reaction to him isn't entirely positive. Eve grew up in a time of war, where the only outside experience she has with human mages, is as enemies. They sided with the Fey'ri that tried to destroy her circle and her family, and the man that tried to rip her throat out. So, she finds this wizard stuck in a portal and while the magic and his knowledge intrigues her, she's not sure she can trust him. However, he is nothing like she expected, so while she started with banter and pointing out at every turn that she is in fact made of magic so how dare he talk down to her about the Weave, she is drawn to his knowledge and his passion for magic. She loves that she can talk to him about books and the weave, and that even though his arrogance rivals her own, he's a gentle soul that cooks for them, and genuinely cares. She also finds herself endeared to him the moment she realizes that the feeling of dread she has around him is in fact the orb, and she hates that it brings him such pain. Karsus is actually something they could talk about, as she's been in the tainted part of the High Forest that holds his body from his fall, and she does know a little about that. She just wants him safe and Mystra-free.

WYLL: Honestly, Wyll endeared himself to Eve pretty quick. Not only was he the fabled Blade of Frontiers, fighting off goblins to help the Tieflings, but Eve found herself more interested in the fact that he is so good with the Tiefling kids. Being someone that loves kids and animals as it is, she's so happy to meet a kindred spirit. He's got layers just like she does, was also raised with proper etiquette, and she bonds with him almost immediately. She's quick to believe his plight, just because she already feels like they have things in common.

KARLACH: Since she met Wyll first, she at first thought of Karlach as someone other than who she was, but even upon the first meeting, that idea of her was completely turned upside down. She was nothing like the vision of her that Wyll had in his head, and it almost immediately made her do a double take. It was clear, that Wyll was being deceived, and it makes Eve feel really bad about thinking the worst of her before they met. Talking to her sets them straight, and Eve is quick to believe her, not only because she likes to give people the benefit of the doubt, but because Karlach seems so very genuine. The more they get to know each other, the more Eve feels like they're the moms of their merry little band of misfits, and she loves how caring Karlach is, and how beautiful she is inside and out.

HALSIN: As an archdruid, Halsin reminds Eve a little bit of her father, who is also an archdruid. He's also big like her dad, and a calm, happy-go-lucky wood elf, so she's immediately drawn into a comfortability with him. The more she gets to know him, the more she enjoys his company, but she's not as anti-city as him at all. Eve loves the city. She understands where Halsin is coming from, but she isn't really in agreement, as much as she likes nature herself. She's also not big on the casual sleeping around thing, so they differ in that respect as well. Not saying she would never do it, it's just not her philosophy. Regardless of all of that, Eve adores Halsin and respects him very, very much.

JAHEIRA: As a 'former' druid, Eve does look up to Jaheira a lot. She has a lot of experience, and a lot of knowledge to pass down, but Eve is meeting her in her Sorceress era, so she's probably not as excited as she would have been prior to realizing who she is at her core. She is younger than Jaheira, but because she's definitely older than almost everyone she's travelling with (she's only younger than Halsin and Astarion), she's not a fan of being called 'Cub'. However, she will steal that and calls the others similarly, and Jaheira has a lot of her RESPECT.

MINSC: Honestly, Eve has NEVER met a funnier person than Minsc, and she absolutely adores Boo. She thinks that he's big, goofy and super sweet, and she would protect him with her life. She also probably 'sweet summer child's him a lot, if I'm being completely honest, but other than that, I don't see them butting heads TOO much. At the same time, I can see them bickering over all sorts of things, but I think they both mean it playfully.

MINTHARA: This one is so hard to even answer because honestly...being an Elf, Minthara addresses you as 'Fairy' in the most derogatory tone I have ever heard in my entire life and she got murdered. I haven't done a playthrough yet where I've had Minthara, but Eve does not like her right away, and something tells me they'd have a hard time getting along, but that doesn't mean they would stay enemies in an RP universe. I can absolutely see them eventually getting along in an RP setting, especially given what I have seen of Minthara's story. I think that it would be so much fun to explore, just because they are pitted against each other right off the bat, but something tells me that digging deeper they would both understand each other better in the end.

#goes without saying this is based on her game interactions #paired with the way i have her background set up #obviously this differs with canon characters i RP with #i was just thinking about this so i wrote it down #and man did it get long lol #i just have thoughts #╰•★ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ'ꜱ ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛʏ ɪɴ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ★ [headcanon] #╰•★ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ᴛᴜʀɴ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɴᴏᴡ ɪ'ᴍ ʜᴀᴜɴᴛᴇᴅ★ [queue]

[hungerofhadarr]

💤💘🤔 for whoever you want... :3

MWAH … long bc I think I will do all 6 for u :3

💤 SLEEPING SIGN — is your oc a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper? how are their sleeping habits?

Lucian is the heaviest sleeper of the group, and ends up sleeping in often . NEEDS his beauty sleep or he will throw a fit . Does sleep rather still at least

Omen and Zerxes are the second heaviest , but Omen rests very little so it’ s more his body just finally giving in while Zerxes sleeps deep and sleeps little . His internal clock always gets him up at the same time . Omen wakes up with a start most nights , and usually after a bout of sleepwalking .

Seoras and Giilvas sleep lightish . Giilvas is used to having to walk up suddenly and to react quickly , but he can be lulled into a deeper rest if he feels comfortable . He also moves a lot and does mumble in his sleep . Seoras is just a light sleeper by nature … used to having to wake up to something happening outside or waking up because of his nightmares … he tries to force a deeper sleep , but it doesn’ t really work …

Danior . Well ! He can lay there like he is asleep , if that helps …

💘 HEART WITH ARROW — what and/or who do(es) your oc consider the most important to them?

Zerxes answered here !

Omen has that fanatical drive for his oath , all aspects and teaching of the Ancient Ones are what he chases after the most . As long as he can still embody it , then not all is lost .. nothing else matter only Oath

Would it be cheating for Giilvas to say Wyll … Giilvas can’ t exactly name anything that is super important , even if he knows what he wants to do and what things he wants to help or stop , but Wyll is both a) real and b) helped him grow into something better , the same way he’ s helped him ..

Seoras considers cooperation and , at least , mutual trust the most important thing . You can’ t get anything done without cooperation and you can’ t cooperate if you don’ t trust the other to do what they need to do . As long as those two things are upheld , then anything can be done .

Danior … hm . He tries to not really have any strong ideas in case it conflicts with whatever The Being has planned for him or anything it may want , but he does strive for ideals of peace and to stop repeats of history . If he can , he’ ll find a way to stop a repeat of Netheril , or the ruin of a home . He believes in peace and he will kill for it

Lucian holds the friends who first taught him to play the flute and the belief he can have a free future the closest … the friends helped him find a talent that has helped him through life and gave him a feeling of being Someone . And the belief that he can get out of his pact to be able to be himself fully again … yeah . Keeps him going

🤔 THINKING FACE — what are some of your oc's quirks/mannerisms?

Giilvas answered here !

Zerxes touches the skin around his eye a lot , usually testing how sensitive it is . He also checks/picks at his nails during conversation . If he’ s standing around for whatever reason , he uses his tail to draw/trace lines into the floor , or just to touch things behind him . Ofc he rereads the book of rites he keeps on him a lot to pass the time , and he clicks his tongue a lot

Omen uses Drow Handsign , even when he knows no one understands , to help him formulate his thoughts better . He picks a lot at his skin , so he needs to wear layers + gloves to prevent it . Also the chronic chewing on lips and fingertips . He messes with his hair a lot , twirling it and whatnot . Very slow talker

Danior speaks very little , and will make his response short and sweet . He cracks his knuckles a lot , it’ s a self soothing thing . He touches , picks at his teeth a lot , usually his canines , and grinds his teeth . Lips and insides of his cheeks are always bitten . Practices parrying and striking with his sword a lot , or the motions at least

Seoras picks at the callouses on his hands a lot . He whistles and hums a lot during chores or on walks . Stutters semi frequently . Prefers to travel at the back of the party rather than the front . Likes to pick and name flowers , and will explain what they can be used for if anyone is listening . Bites his tongue when nervous

Lucian clears his throat a lot , and has a habit of crossing his legs when sitting or standing . Tail regularly used when gesturing or to get someone’ s attention . Frequent um & ah user , but never falls back on them while preforming . Snaps fingers when thinking or looking for something . Bites thumbnail when stressed . Also retraces tattoos / fiddles with piercings when standing around

#bg3 #bg3 tav #bg3 durge #giilvas #zerxes #seoras #danior #lucian #omen #LONG POST #< 33

[the-apocryphal-one]

Apo Plays BG3 EA Part Six: Companion Thoughts

So I guess I’m pretty much finished with EA, three playthroughs has been fun (especially Isaniel’s), but it’s gotten to the point where I’m getting tired of doing the same content over and over. Which means it’s time to stop either until full release or a major update.

I’m probably gonna procrastinate on a proper review like forever, but I did post my thoughts on the companions in a reddit thread and decided to just copy + paste them here.

(unmarked spoilers ahead)

-

For Gale and Wyll, I don't think their motivations can easily be summed up in just one word. Like yes, there are selfish undertones to why they do what they do--but at the same time, there's layers. Wyll wants to be perceived as a hero, but he takes time to teach little kids to swordfight. He hates the goblins for what they've done (the war party that torched that town and stole his eye) and wants to protect people from them, but also wants vengeance. He's a mix of selfishness, appearance and genuine altruism, imo.

Likewise, Gale simps for Mystra, but will go for you, which isn't exactly faithful (I've heard--can't confirm--but I've heard that he'll try to persuade you to cheat on your LI with him, if you got the Weave scene but didn't pick him at the party, which is Not Cool). He regrets his past actions and wants to make sure no one else is hurt by them, so he's willing to go off and die alone. But he doesn't want to just lay down and give up, he wants to find a cure. So he'll consume magical artifact and not stand up for his principles when it matters the most (not turning on you if you attack the tieflings). I think he's a man who talks a lot about the value of life, protecting kids, helping others, and believes it, but is being held back by fear from committing.

Astarion is definitely the most relatable of the companions right now, imo, just because his reactions are exactly the kind of stuff you'd see from an abuse victim. Flinching away from genuine vulnerability (the shoulder pat), trying to mask his pain at what he went through (look at how often he talks about what Cazador did like it's a joke), and showing genuine terror at the thought of going back? All super humanizing and compelling. Then he turns around and laughs at people being hurt or hurting animals and it's awful, unjustified--but it makes sense because sadly, abuse victims can become cruel themselves as a way to cope. But then he goes and approves of helping Karlach, so maybe he's not beyond hope? You could take out the fantasy stuff and plop him in the real world and he would still fit, is what I'm saying.

Lae is full of herself, but the way the other gith treat her really gives me the impression she's a young teen trying too hard to impress the adults. Like with that context, the scenes where she talks about how she's definitely going to have a silver sword and ride a red dragon one day, or where she talks about proving her loyalty to Vlaakith, come off less as sure arrogance but more as a kid talking about what they want to be when they grow up. Which, along with her complete inexperience with the Material Plane, is kind of adorable. But I definitely think she's been indoctrinated by her culture to not question anything and just lay down her life for Vlaakith, which is not so adorable.

SH's super secrecy frustrates me as a player, but as a roleplayer it's great and fitting for her deity worship. I think there are a lot of hints lying around that she's not who she thinks she is, with the missing memories, magic stirring up around Selune, and her own (to her admitted surprise) compassion for the tieflings. I feel like I don't have as much to say about her as I do the others? Maybe because there's a lot missing from her past, but what is there is very consistent with her secretive personality.

-

tl;dr the “evil” companions’ worldviews stem from past evils done to them--abuse, indoctrination, or cult brainwashing--and hopefully you can help them heal from that, thus bringing about a redemption arc; the “good” companions aren’t entirely altruistic, but struggle with human flaws that hinder their better natures; and all of the companions so far have been nuanced, consistent, and interesting.

EDIT: I should clarify Gale’s unfaithfulness isn’t because he’s with Mystra (he isn’t, and he even says he’s not sure how to feel about her), but because he still has some hang-ups from that relationship and thus can’t give full emotional fidelity right now.

EDIT #2: I should also clarify that I have no delusions that Astarion was a good person pre-turning. I would be more surprised if he was than if he wasn’t. I just think he may not have been as bad as he is now and that many of his beliefs have been predominately shaped by his experiences with Cazador.

#baldur's gate 3 #baldur's gate 3 spoilers #astarion #shadowheart #gale #wyll #lae'zel #meta #my meta