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galedekarios · 6 months

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good day! thank you for beautiful visuals and metas of Gale, its great to find fans who care about him so! You got me thinking - for a character so romantic, so delighted to be in love Gale knew little about it with Mystra. He spoke about being her lover like it was a highest honor, losing her favor, being cut off described as fate worse than Netherese Orb itself. Gale agrees to die for her forgiveness no questions asked. All this while he realises deep down even through it was voiced later - he was her plaything, another mortal falling under her spell, no love requited ever could be there, gods don't feel it. It's very sweet and a little heartbreaking, how open and smitten he can be if romanced, how happy he becomes loving and being loved in return.

thank you for your wonderful and very sweet message, anon. 🖤 i really do appreciate it.

yes, that is everything that i find very touching about gale's romancce.

to me, gale is someone who hasn't truly known what love is yet. he has known worship and obedience, wonder and pleasure. i think, considering how young he was when mystra came into his life, it's perhaps no surprise at all that once their relationship changed, he may have thought it was love between them. it was most certainly for him. in fact, i do remember a particular line from early access that always stuck with me and truly showed the imbalance at work here:

Player: What did Mystra’s attention feel like? Gale: Love.

and

Player: Teacher’s pet, was he? Gale: He fancied himself much more than that. He fancied himself favoured above all others. Perhaps it was not quite love, but you see, the wizard was but a very young man. It was most certainly love to him. Mystra showed him the secrets behind the veils. The gossamer veils first, draped across the Weave. The delicate veils next, draped across her body. ‘Chosen One’ she whispered, as she slipped them off completely.

and even now, in the full release version of the game, that sentiment still lingers. he wasn't just her chosen, he was her lover - and we learn throughout the game what love truly entails for gale: heart, mind, body and soul.

Gale: I'm many things to many people, but I'm never a man to throw the l-word around lightly. I said exactly what I meant: I love you. You should never, never doubt that. - Gale: We didn't just make love. We bonded, body and soul. I got lost in you.

with mystra casting him away, he not only lost his power, his status, but also one of his most central relationships with the goddess who was his teacher, mentor and love all at once, all at the same time.

but we also know that he had relationships before mystra and before the protag:

Gale: No, you are not the first. Though you are the first since my relationship with Mystra came to its ignominious end.

i think this quote is just so interesting, especially if you pair it with:

Gale: To know you love me for the man I am, and not the magic I command... None have loved me so purely before.

and:

Player: I love you. But for the man that you are. Not the god you'd pretend to be. Gale: But think what I offer. The vastness of eternity to explore, the Weave at our fingertips... You would really prefer me as I am? Node Context: Genuine, vulnerable - the player just told him they loved him in a way that no one else has

so whatever these relationships before were, it's clear that something was missing from them for gale. something that gale sorely needed.

all of these little puzzle pieces combine to a larger whole of why we find gale as he is when we meet him in the story: someone who very much is struggling to find any worth in the person that he is outside of what he can provide to be useful.

Gale: Let me make myself indispensable. - Gale: I'm indispensable, aren't I? - Gale: My best is yours. - Gale: Please - continue to believe in me. I want to show you the wizard I am capable of being, rather than the poor excuse for a man who's kept you company thus far.

there are so many more of these, following the same vein, even in act iii.

gale is only now learning how to be loved, how to allow himself to be loved, and under that continuous reaffirmation given by the protag, he opens up to it, strains towards it, like a flower to the sun.

Gale: You truly are a soul that steels my own. From all my new-rallied heart I thank you. I stand at a precipice, but if you do not give up hope, neither shall I. I'll fight, I'll resist - as long as I can. - Gale: You give me hope, and I've not had that in some time. - Player: How are you feeling? Gale: Worried, if I'm being honest. I have so much to live for - more than I thought I'd have again, after Mystra. - Gale: It's been so long since I used it. Gale Dekarios cuts a poor figure next to the wizarding prowess of 'Gale of Waterdeep'. Player: Gale Dekarios. I think I like him more. Gale: You like so many things about me I'd have sooner discarded... Your generosity is quite wonderful. - Gale: You see me as I am, and do not find me wanting.

he still has a very long way to go, to heal, it's not a process that's completed by the time his quest is completed or the game ends - and depending on your protag, they too have things that still weigh heavy on them as well - but it's a beginning.

#gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #gale x tav #tav x gale #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #otp: a soul that steels my own #otp: you give me hope #ch: gale dekarios #vg: baldur's gate 3 #series: baldur's gate #meta: mybg3 #text: asks #grooming cw #for the mystra part #to be safe

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athanasius-symposium-of-writings · 8 months

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-"ah shit here we go again" gif here-

vampire spawn!tav x Astarion

Rated: M

Warnings: vampirism, manipulation, oral (male receiving), corruption kink

Vampires do not know love, vampires only know possession and control. It is in their nature to dominate, to consume, and to kill. Love was taken from these creatures the moment they unnaturally obtained immortality. Immorality follows as one with supernatural power and charms starts to care less about the consequences, they become selfish creatures.

Yet, you are by far the most infuriating kind of vampire he has ever met. When he saw you attempt to feed (before you found out he is a vampire), you were trembling as you held a mouse in your hands. Fangs not even completely bared and tears in those pretty eyes, you released the mouse and sat outside of camp with only the moon as your companion.

It infuriates him because you are fighting against your nature, fighting a battle you will only lose over and over again. Better to embrace reality than pretend to live in a world where everything can be solved by the Gods and love.

Yet… It becomes part of the reason why he wants you.

Maybe he wants to see how long you can keep this up. Maybe he wants to corrupt you himself— The latter being far more fun.

But alas, he cannot have you completely to himself when there are others around.

Everyone seems to have their clingy paws on you like dogs to their master— Like that damn white dog you found. Astarion much prefers the owlbear, as it can bring back some offerings or whatever. At first, he thought this was part of some plan: make everyone trust you, feed on them, maybe kill a few of them at some point. Of course, maybe you adjusted the plan once it is found out that the journey requires everyone in order to reach the source of these tadpoles.

No, turns out you genuinely want friends— Which is weird and is going against his own plan. Yes, he is using you— You should know better as a vampire to trust another vampire. Charming and teasing his way with sweet words into your thoughts, a mentor-like way of teaching you vampirism, and the physical touches of a man so gentle he has more than once left you flustered.

He nearly has you wrapped around his finger.

But alas, you are not alone.

Shadowheart though does not outright say it, her mannerisms are protective of you. Karlach even more so and outright says it. Wyll is… Too textbook gentleman and heroic. Lae'zel had straight out said she wants a taste of you; both respect and lusting for you, while remaining as friendly as her kind can be. Gale, a friend and teacher as you start to hone your arcane talents.

All of them with their paws out eager for you; none have your attention like he does.

The vampire spawn may not be able to isolate you but he can draw you in. Like a butterfly in a spider's web.

Astarion knows this, he knows how to hook you in and reel you close to his side. It is his very nature to be seductive; to whisper sweet nothings, to make empty promises, to drain everything given to him dry.

"Please," You say between quickening breaths, "Show me." Above him with his blood on your lips, claws (trimmed down to be a normal shape) digging into his chest. Desperate. You want so bad it is drawing out that beast within.

Where he wants to devour, taint you, utterly ruin you—And he is.

Your first, that one piece of yourself that your master did not claim, is given to Astarion. Though he clearly is a charlatan who will use you, he also is the only one who understands the need: trading one hunger for another. Curiosity and a way to free you from something that can be stolen by your master.

Through him, you find freedom; unaware you are binding yourself to a creature who only knows deception, possession, and control.

You touch his chest, exploring the flesh of a vampire and a lover. Maybe a lover, you will not assume he truly loves you but you trust him enough with this. With the only thing your master never stole from you during your captivity.

"Relax, my sweet," His hands seem bigger than yours, his fingers have calluses yet his hands are soft, graceful. You take a deep breath and resume mapping out a body that is not yours— Hells, you don't know your own body like how you want to know his. Pale, cold, and yours to touch.

"There just like that." Purring out his praise as you gain the boldness to kiss his chest, he smirks at the way your eyes light up when he moans when you bravely take a chance to bite his skin. "Lower." You nod as you kiss your way down between his open legs, hands trembling then feel his hands touch and guide them to slip off his trousers and undergarment. "Slowly, no need to rush."

The eagerness is definitely there and your mouth is warm, there is such a charm to how you try to mimic what a few novels barely grasp.

The raw unadulterated lust.

Those red eyes gazing up at him, mouth leaving his cock for the moment as he sits up to show you how to stroke his cock. You listen, you copy, then you try different paces and your mouth once again.

"With how excited you are to let me in your mouth, I wonder how long you wanted to try this." Amused by your inexperienced desire, "Use your tongue," His hand petting your hair, "Up and down." Moaning with clear delight and approval.

His hand weights your head down signaling for you to go further down, and see how much you can fit before choking.

Of course, not a lot but you try anyway even though you had to pull away to stop from choking. Didn't stop you from stroking his cock or trying again.

"Good pet." Oh, you hummed around his cock at such a small praise. "Do you like being called my pet?" You don't need to answer, you know by that grin on his face he already knows. "My pet, I am going to fuck your mouth now." Playing with your hair before gripping it in a firm vice.

You try to relax your throat like he advised before this, easier said than done.

#fanfiction #reader insert #astarion #baldurs gate astarion #baldurs gate 3 fanfiction #astarion x you #astarion x reader #astarion x tav

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oops-all-concrete · 3 months

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What would you think of how would each BG3 companions to Tav being secretly a god that has been tagging along with them all this time? Just curious

(SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO GET TO THIS, MY BRAIN HELD MY MOTIVATION RANSOM MIDWAY THROUGH ME WRITING THIS)

Ooohhhhh this sounds funnyyyy

Context: I'm imagining Tav is a god and has God status, a place in the pantheon and everything, but-! So continuity makes sense and the whole journey is still necessary, I'd assume them a curious God of some miscellaneous small thing so their powers wouldnt be THAT useful anyhow (God of clouds, God of fur, God of bread) but yeah!

BG3 companions react to Tav secretly being a...God???

(MILD SPOILERS FOR ACT 1/2)

Lae'zel -

She's suspicious at first, disbelieving of course. But as she watches Tav just summon (whatever they're the god of) from thin air, she frowns. "Chk. You may be of godly status, but if you're unwise enough to get kidnapped by a ghaik nautaloid, you are no mighty God." She finishes, nose upturned and almost- dissapointed??

Shadowheart -

Once shes been convinced, she frowns. "I don't think I've ever known of such a God...granted, Lady Shar only allowed for us to study her." She admits. She's quite hesitant, but she does ask. "Have you ever...met lady Shar/Seluné? Can you tell her I say hi? Is that appropriate?"

Wyll -

He's also hesitant to believe, but he's so curious once he believes you. "Wait, so, what's it like being a God? Does being a mortal feel weird? Are you immune to anything? What happens if you die? Does someone become the new God of what you're the God of? Are you even allowed to be here? What does the immortal plane smell like?" Just, a million and one questions and he wants ALL the stories.

Karlach -

"Woah! That's so cool, I wish I was a God...I'd be the God of potatoes. Is that already a thing?" Regardless if its true, she let's Tav have their fun. She also refers to every time she's saved by Tav as 'Divine Intervention' which isn't...wrong?

Gale -

"Ah, I got that impression, albeit with doubt." He says, sounding only a little smug. "Your disguise is well crafted, I'll give you that. Definitely something I aspire to learn from" he smiles fondly. Then there's a pause. "...I understand its not quite your field but you wouldn't be someone who could fix the whole...orb in me chest could you? Or would that also put you under Mystras ire?"

Astarion -

He seems immediately intrigued. "Really? I thought you were a little calm for all of this, but I never would have guessed- no offense. I'm sure you're very...powerful in your own way!" He says, somewhat forcing a smile. "So- does prayer work, or does the world have to be ending for everyone in order for you to pick up a summon?" He asks, curious, but seeming somewhat irritated too. He doesn't elaborate on why.

Halsin -

He seems doubtful at first but believes you quicker than you expected. "I hadn't imagined thr gods would send one of their own to come and save me from goblins or...help lift a shadow curse left by Shar of all people." He says, a faint smile on his face. "While I am in your debt, you should my life is already pledged to Silvannus. I hope what I'm already doing is enough"

Jaheira -

She looks Tav up and down, crosses her arms, and then- chuckles? "Sorry, I just- I feel like I finally have evidence I've been here too long. I haven't passed away to some dumb idea yet, so the Gods sent one of their own to get me." She laughs it off but then looks at Tab quite seriously. "...you're not here to get me are you?"

Minsc -

"I know!" He replies happily, not missing a beat. "Boo alerted me of your origins immediately. He's delighted to be joined by another of the pantheon, even if a lesser God" He smiles, mindlessly as ever.

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spumoniidraws · 6 months

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I had this idea about Gale and his mortality.

And rather Gale and my Tav. Tavrina is an elf. A high elf at that, meaning she will live 700-1000 years. That fact alone would be enough to worry Tav. She would dread the thought of him passing before she does. In all the rush of fighting the netherbrain, then running off with him to Waterdeep, getting married and living domestic life, I doubt it would have occurred to her as she fell head over heels for him. Humans live such short lives by comparison. As the panic sets in, she wants to find a way to extend his life. Gale mentioned Elminster is 1300 years old. Maybe he can help. Or perhaps Astarion with his knowledge of immortality. She would ask. She would become increasingly desperate, toiling away hours while Gale sleeps trying to find an answer. She doesn't know anything about magic, but she does know monsters. Maybe Gale would be willing to become a Lich? Small anxiety fits and mindless research to a problem she made on herself. How could she love him properly? It would be like loving a dog? Was any of this even moral? There are plenty of half-elves in the world right? Proof an elf can properly love a human....right???

Finally Gale finds her notes. Mad scribblings of rituals and powerful spells. Notes about their vampire friend. Notes about Elminster. Weave manipulation. He reads over them with concern, particularly at the word "Lich" circled in the corner. He consigns to sit her down with some tea and have a chat about mortality. -G: My love, I found your notes. I worry something is troubling you. You know you can always unburden yourself with me. -T: It's...its just thoughts. -G: Seems to be more than thoughts. A growing obsession rather. Your scribbles are filled with fervor and worry. Questions of immortality? Wish spells? Lich rituals? My dear, I fear you may be dabbling in things you don't know, and while I have never questioned your intelligence, this is powerful magic you're looking into. Your skills with a blade are unrivaled, but you are no mage. If you needed help with something, I am here for you. -T: It....it wasnt something I could ask you for. -G: Why not? Whatever could you be looking into that your own husband can't help you? -T: I was looking for ways to extend your life. There is silence as Gale tries to ponder what she is saying. Tav's hands grip her cup nervously as she continues -T: I am ..most likely...going to outlive you. And that thought stirred something in me. A fear in my heart. The thought of going through all of this just to lose you so soon. Even in the best cases you maybe have 60 years left or so. Thats....nothing. Her tone is somber and filled with sadness. Gale set's down his cup, then removes her cup from her hands and takes her hands in his. -G: Is that all that this was about? You're worried about me dying? -T: N-no! I'm worried about living the rest of my life without you! I'm worried about whether or not its even right for us to be together! You should be able to grow old with someone! Not watch as you age and your wife remains unchanged. You should be able to live a normal human experience! And my selfishness in loving you...wanting to have you to myself....It would be like how long a dog lives to a human. You're only here for a short time. How could I love you appropriately, knowing I will blink, and you will be gone?

Gale's face twists through so many emotions. Concern, love, disagreement, and then confusion. Did she just call him a dog? With a deep inhale, he would begin. -G: Perhaps, you are thinking far too little of our time together. And I would request that you stop that right now. His voice is firm and scolding. -G: Even for a pet, the love we have for them is immense and it is the only thing they know of us. For us, they are only a small part of our lives, but to them we are their whole life. Immortal gods who meet their every need. Pets don't reflect on their mortality or worry about whether they are loved. They simply live every day as best they can. And we love them all the more for it. His words trail into a whisper as he grips Tav's hands tightly. -G: Yes...one day I will grow old and grey, and however unpleasant it is to think about, die. But every moment spent with you, however long or short it may be, I will cherish it with every fiber of my being. His thumbs roll over the back of Tav's hands as he looks at his own hands. -G: I won't lie and say it hasn't crossed my mind that I would become old and grey while you remain as beautiful and as youthful as the day we met. And as senility and babbling set in-...well I know I already babble, but you understand...I imagined you might tire of me. I questioned whether or not I should spare you that pain and release you. But I fear my time with you has made me a bit selfish, and I wasn't prepared to have that conversation. I don't know if I ever would be. He pulls Tav into a kiss and leans his forehead against hers. -G: After everything that we have been through, every moment with you is a gift. I have never thought otherwise. Your love for me is unparalleled to any other love I have ever known. I have never doubted it. Not once. And I will cherish every moment, waking or not. And I will cherish you as much on my deathbed as I did that first night we shared a moment of magic. And it will have to be enough, for both of us. Because I have no intention of becoming a Lich.

#baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate tav #baldur's gate iii #baldur's gate oc #baldurs gate 3 #gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #gale bg3 #bg3 gale #baldurs gate gale #gale x tav #my writing needs work

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rielzero · 6 months

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Just saw your post about ascended Astarion and male Tav fanfic. I am willing to rise to the challenge

If you need any prompts! here's some concept I've danced with in my head (up for anyone to use) inspired by my own character's potential AUs. Please do not claim ownership over the ideas, I'd love to see people's different spins. Please keep it to Male Tav, there's so many Female Tav fics out there already- I had ideas specifically with a male character in mind. M x M focus is preferred. I'm not bi or pan, so anything hinting to tav being exclusively gay is nice.

THESE ARE all PROMPTS / IDEAS not demands. I'm not here to control anyone's creative progress :V

I'm just a nerd be nice

Brain Damage Tav has used the tadpole powers but refuses to become half-illitid and keeps it how it is. Tav ascends Astarion- but is convinced by Jaheira or someone else that he is incapable of feeling love now and becomes afraid of him- (Astarion still is very much capable of love) Astarion responds of course like a scorned ex, and lies through his teeth when the break up happens and breaks tav's heart. Timeskip- it is revealed Tav's altered brain still has mindflayer powers, but because of the trauma of the final fight he suffers from severe memory loss and pretty much got themselves in a position were he is dying- only for Astarion to come around and save him by turning him- then be met with guilt and over-protectiveness when he realizes Tav does not remember their time together anymore. (would work for a series, this concept is what I intend to use for an AU of my character but it would be very different.) Lots of angst but soft ascended astarion towards male tav :3 very gentle- very protective.

You were There too AU were Tav was kept by Cazador but never turned, just kept as a snack- so Astarion knows him and they may have fallen in love during that time. During the ritual Cazador threatens to replace Astarion with Tav- Astarion goes feral.

I forget you're an Urchin Playing into the fact that Astarion was a corrupted Noble- knows what luxury life is like- inspired by how my tav is an urchin and very unfamiliar with luxury- Tav is Astarion's consort- but is very awkward not knowing ANYTHING about noble life, from etiquette to wearing jewelry and fancy garbs. Wholesome stuff- Probably lots of fluff. Astarion spoiling Tav and showing him off.

Three of them AU were Gale and Astarion and Tav are a in a polycule, after ascension Astarion becomes a little overly possessive over Tav- Gale notices a bit late and feels left out, but supports his loved ones new life goals... Of world domination.

I'm married, get over it Au were male tav has an horrible ex who breaks in the mansion because he thinks tav is enslaved to Astarion- but he's not- He's just as evil as Astarion. And they're very affectionate- Astarion enjoys rubbing it into the ex's face. Extra points if the ex is a human cleric, paladin, or bard with too much facial hair. (COUGHS)

Warlock? cool Any fic that plays into the warlock theme openly for tav, not similary to Wyll- all though I don't want to restrict anyone to a specific type of patron. (my patron is a great old one) keep in mind there's warlock patrons outside of the subclasses in the bg3 game if you need inspiration. If tav's patron is female, give them a mother-son kind of bond since tav is gay.

Other, Tropes I like described vaguely cuz my brain stoopid but ideas that can be expanded into one fic or more -oh shit you're dying don't worry I can fix it with a bite -you're so beautiful I want a 100 paintings of you akjdkhgkfhgk -The gods literally made you to ruin me god damn it I should've known -tav is small / fragile looking man but he can stab you 100 times over -tav can sing, or is creative but he doesn't like sharing this side of him (loki is 100% exactly this lol) hes easily embarrassed -tav is internally panicking because he is very very very gay. -tav has scars too and is very insecure about his body. -overprotectiveness, lots of handholding keep you close kinda stuff -wholesome physical affection, does not have sexual implications even if they talk dirty or flirt silly -words being used like petite, twink- or cute in the right context. -maybe a fic focussing on tav being half elf and the struggles that come with it. Otherwise leave race up to reader. -Tav was already a vampire before they met, or is a dhampir -Astarion and tav knew each other 200 years ago -I will pet you aggressively and affectionally and you will like it -who the fuck are you drawing? wait thats me??? oh -Astarion is creative too and might doodle. -love at first sight but in denial.. cuz its funny -tav has insomnia and needs cuddles... -tav is a necromancer and familiar with vampire lore. -anything reflecting the vampire bride/groom lore in a scene. (there's a reddit post explaining this) -Vampire hunters coming after tav in attempt to hurt Astarion because he's become pretty untouchable -Vampire Tav does not want to feed on his victims because he finds that too intimite -Vampire tav is a vampire lord too- but not an ascended one- and he isn't corrupted by greed. -Astarion technically can compel Tav, but has no desire to do so and voices this openly to anyone who tries to argue Tav is a slave. -If Astarion hurts tav by accident in any way he feels horrible and will shower him in gifts or thousands of love language things just to affirm that it was an oopsie and he did not want to do that. He'd never do that willingly. -consent consent consent anything with consent- love language is consent -tav was a sex worker himself before they met but not anymore -lots of fluff stuff -scheming husbands plotting the downfall of the world together, bonus points if tav is the mastermind and a genius -Polycule with Gale, either as Triad, or Triangle -Admiring from afar, staring- lots of staring- intense consential staring -astarion beating up tav's abusers while tav sips from a chalice like a spoiled consort -dramatic vampire parties and all the normie vampire lords are scared of Astarion and his consort -vampire politics are kind of like ballroom hissing contests with fancy banquets and showing off your partner -I will go feral if someone hurts or touches you -steer clear of the consort, or the master will gut you -jealous vampire lord tries to seduce tav but tav is very loyal to astarion and not having it -astarion gets a cleric or powerful mage in his court just to revive tav if tav dies -You offended my husband? I'm setting your village on fire -Everyone thinks the consort tav is weak- but the consort might actually be more dangerous oh no -None of the above lines have to be necessarily restricted by ingame universe, can all be AU- does not have to include the whole mindflayer drama. Rule of Cool.

Avoid these please? I personally dislike that -misgendering tav (babygirl, queen, girly, strictly effeminate- any words that might demasculinize tav, as a gay man this stuff makes me really uncomfortable) -Overly describing tav's features as if they're set without leaving it open to the reader (long hair, skin color, favorite colors, etc) -Astarion knew tav when tav was still a child and Astarion was an adult. -Astarion abusing tav physically, just.. Please no. -...they're teenagers in high school... *dies* -brainwashing.. No offense to people who like some tropes I don't- You're fine :V We all have different tastes!

Headcanons for how Ascension works that you can use (inspired by ingame dialogue and such) -Tav isn't a regular spawn, but a vampire groom- He was turned differently, not buried for 2 days. Astarion can sense Tav is in danger if he is a groom, or sense strong emotions from him. -Tav is not immune to sunlight unless he stays in close range of Astarion. (based on dialogue) -Astarion might be a bit warmer to the touch since he is a living vampire now. He does not have to feed on blood- but Tav still requires blood and is cold to the touch.

Might edit this post later with more.

#bg3 #male tav #astarion x male tav #astarion x male reader #prompts #these are some of my preferences #vampire #ascended astarion #astarion bg3 #fanfiction #fanfic prompts #ideas

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wizofwaterdeep · 5 months

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pretty major spoilers for the epilogue ahead:

gale’s godhood ending is so genuinely fascinating to me. from a storytelling perspective, i am thrilled people who chose this path for him actually have a substantial ending now (as opposed to the gale origin ending where he just gets killed by mystra.) all endings for gale now feel particularly satisfying. as a writer, i imagine this may possibly be a verse for gale i explore at some point down the line.

what i cannot understand is the rising amount of takes i’ve seen over the last 24 hours of people claiming godhood gale is now actually his good ending. this truly baffles me and if you are someone in this camp, i would love to know your thoughts.

for me, talking with the god of ambition just made me feel sad! his hubris is on full display and it is entirely unchallenged. tara hates seeing him like this, elminster writes him the most heart wrenching letter about how he feels he’s failed gale, he doesn’t even visit his mother! sure he still has some of his humanity left by this point—if you romance him sure he still wants tav by his side, but he never says i love you. and do we really think that this version of gale will be a healthy partner, loving partner? what if you come to ever disagree with him? power corrupts and the more powerful he becomes, the more he will only fear losing that power. mystra wounded him and now he will become exactly like her instead of moving on with his life, instead of growing and becoming a better person. a human being.

and of course none of this is mention the very ominous ending from raphael about how dangerous gale will become. i feel generally, because godhood gale is not as overtly cruel as say, ascended astarion for example, people are more willing to look past the red flags. i would also like to clarify that i am in no way saying people who like bad endings are wrong—i LOVE exploring bad endings. i am so giddy and fascinated with this, i only don’t love saying it’s a morally good ending for gale. especially when his actual good ending is so perfect and sweet.

#✨— — out of character;; crys rambles on and on #✨— — headcanons;; gale dekarios (the walking apocalypse)#( oops i wrote a lot )

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bhaalbaaby · 8 months

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been thinking about astarion's pre-vampire past mainly because of the little star reference for his name. he never once mentions his parents throughout the gameplay and it's probably because he doesn't remember them since he barely remembers anything from before.

i think he would believe he's forgotten to them similar to the doesn't believe in gods conversation with Gale since no one answered, no one came to his rescue. i think his parents mourned him and missed him dearly because he was so young when he 'died' and they did have a funeral for him. he was not a forgotten body in a sense put in an unmarked grave. he has a gravestone albeit it was abandoned with moss and leaves overgrowing it. i think in the beginning he might want to know why they didn't come searching for him and why they didn't fight for him since he was murdered. I'm sure the gur who beat him up got punished for it and they may have left it at that.

but i wonder if unascended astarion would want to know them if they're alive. being a magistrate, I'm sure there are records to find them and his whole family tree tbh. it would be a lot on both sides. i can imagine his parents would be heartbroken to know their son is an undead monster but also somehow elated that their child is alive. astarion probably wouldn't want to exhume the past unless asked by tav. like it'd dawn on him that he doesn't remember everything about them and may place blame on them for not searching for him and looking when again they didn't know. i think he'd need to do some soul-searching if they were ever to meet for his heart to be able to take it. and i think for it to be successful, his parents would have had to be good ones lol. if they were strictly noble and had others do the parenting, i think it would only cause more stress than needed for him.

ascended astarion would probably run into his parents and be unaware they are his parents in my opinion. he becomes power-hungry and takes over where cazador left off ei cazador's palace becomes astarion's and most likely so does his legal power. i feel as though if his parents confronted him about being their long-lost child he'd play along with it but may either kill them or turn them into spawns following the blame of they didn't look for him or try to help him.

im just musing and headcanonning. i may make a post musing on how he was raised another day since I'm interested in this train of thought especially considering his va think he would have wanted to be a father. i hope they were caring before, going back to his name of astarion, if he was their little star. they probably celebrated him quite a bit and let him run wild and be spoiled and get whatever he wants. lol I'm getting ahead of myself ;-;

#astarion #bg3 spoilers #sorta lol #astarion ancunin #lore musings #spoilers under the cut #headcanons #writing

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tavshortfortavern · 4 months

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- Mortality

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×Prompt: The companions learn you've been presented with the opportunity to ascend to godhood by the other gods as a reward for being a hero, and turned it down to remain as a mortal. You're not too impressed by gods or immortality, recognising they can't give you the same freedom as being an adventurer.

×Characters: Astarion, Gale, Shadowheart, Karlach, Wyll

×Warnings: none

×Note: Got back into the PJO fandom and thought about that one scene where Percy refuses godhood in the end. Not a long one. Coming out of a break from new years.

Astarion

Didn't believe it at first

But your shared connection with the tadpole presented him with the memory of you facing all the gods offering you ascension

He could feel your emotions then, shock, awe, bewilderment... Then a sense of realization

You refused. Point blank. You turned back, away from the gods, and saw your mortal friends and decided godhood wasn't for you

He couldn't comprehend it at first. As soon as the memory ended he was on you wondering what in the hells were you thinking!? All that power. Glory. Freedom. And you turned it down!

It's not like you didn't deserve it. It was a reward for all the good you've done playing hero. You would deny yourself even that.

You would never have to fear your agency getting taken from you.

You stopped him mid sentence. Simply becoming god wasn't going to grant you freedom, it didn't have what you desired. What you wanted was adventure, to meet people, and help.

As someone who's always desired for protection, denying the promise of power was genuinely confusing for him. He thinks it was a wasted opportunity of a lifetime.

Besides the fact that your were such an accomplished hero for the gods to recognise you, hmm he may just have to stick close

Gale

Another person with a hunger for power. With his whole deal with the Karsus Crown this might just give him a wake up call

He would beseech an answer from you. Tell him why you would refuse such an honor. Only to be even more bewildered at your answer

"Pfft can you imagine being stuck with those stuffy gods for all eternity? I'll pass." "Please I'm asking seriously."

He's so devoted to his goddess. Meeting someone who's not awed by them is puzzling. Especially when you've met all of the gods in person. Barely anyone has had such a chance

All the wonders the greater plans have to offer and you would refuse it for the mundane? For the hardship of mortal life?

He wanted more than anything was that chance to be her equal. Now the chance to be something more. Your decision had him rethinking everything.

Perhaps you'll finally be the one to tell him the truth of divinity. And the treasure that is humanity. In the end you'll inspire him to see his own worth as he is

Shadowheart

She's still reeling at the fact that you've met all the gods and have all their approval

As an acolyte she knows more than most about divinity and the weight of this offer. She's actually more alarmed at the irreverence you have

Honestly how were you not smited long ago...

She wants answers just like the rest. She wasn't expecting such a simple one from you. Gods are restricted from certain things, they might do a lot in the background but you prefer helping the normal way. Like with those refugees

There is something admirable about facing all these daunting challenges without the help of the gods. Seeing you she can't help but want that independency. You never needed to look to the gods, just yourself when times became difficult

The more she learns about you the more she understands she probably wont meet another one like you again

She doesn't know anyone who would turn down ascension. Especially when one reason is boredom

But its something to think about

Wyll

As someone who doesn't hold reverence to the gods either, being disillusioned after seeing the suffering people go through, he understands your decision but is in no less in awe

Standing in front of all those gods and denying the gift of immortality. That's a different kind of courage and selflessness

For one you must have done something truly noteworthy for the gods to decide divinity as a worthy gift. After hearing your exploits he thinks you are absolutely deserving

But he's also happy you didn't accept and stuck around to lend a hand to people in need. He never liked the gods way of considering themselves above mortals, letting injustice run amok in the material plane when they have all that power

He's probably the one who understands the most out of all the companions your reasoning.

He wonders if he would have done the same. He might have accepted like he did his pact, out of the desire to protect the innocent and save people

Karlach

Also has a little irreverence towards the gods growing up

She just lets it slide as the gods knowing things she doesn't but she's also seen how bad people can have it. Even her situation, no god offered any help even if they could easily grant her a new heart

Is so glad you stuck around. Adores the way you already are.

Also a little touched seeing that memory where you saw your loved ones and refused to leave them behind even for something as great as divinity. She's someone who admires the simpler things in life. Things she took for granted before.

But now she wants to hear the stories of what led to that moment. What got the gods to decide to reward you with godhood? Sounds like a tale.

You tell her a tale of monsters, armies invading a city, many perilous quests and a younger you leading a resistance. By the end of your story she agrees that out of everyone she knows, you did deserve to ascend, even more so when you refused it.

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 headcanons #bg3 astarion #bg3 gale #bg3 shadowheart #bg3 wyll #bg3 karlach #guess who's back #will do another for npcs my main loves

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chainsawmascara · 14 days

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THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT MY FELLOW WRITERS

Thank you for the tag @lewdisescariot

I tag: @angelosearch @beaubambabey and anyone who wants to participate!

Last book I read: “Merrick" by Anne Rice (i have not finished, it is a slog, I'll finish it eventually), a book chronicling the works of Boticelli, "Go Ask Ogre," I'm in the process of reading "The Rebel" by Camus for the fifth time.

Greatest literary inspirations: John Keats, my former spoken word mentor and activist Jared Paul, William Blake, Anne Rice, Jose Saramago, Albert Camus, insert any 18th and 19th century gothic horror writer here.

Things in my current fandom I want to read but I don't want to write: mutually toxic bloodweave, disgustingly toxic bloodweave, mutually obsessive and manipulative toxic bloodweave, i need them to be their worst selves, i need them to fuck nasty, i need them to take advantage of each other (not sexually but also sexually with consent or begrudging consent to get what they want DO YOU SEE THE VISION)

Things in my current fandoms I want to write but I think nobody would be interested in them but me: Let's focus on bg3. Disgustingly violent, manipulative psychosexual vellioth/cazador. Utter monsters. Twisted power hungry fiends destroying each other where love is too kind, obsession is too shallow, hatred is too soft. Modern aus of them being awful, wretched creatures. Canon compliant awful, wretched creatures. Dead dove do not eat, would get me ostracized, self indulgent horrors.

Modern aus of Astarion being a mess and a menace in every way possible. Everything is wrong with him. He lives with Shadowheart, I need them to be perpetual roommates, she's the only thing keeping him from complete self destruction. His coping skills are atrocious, he cannot be fixed, no one knows how he isn't dead yet. Gale is sometimes moderately better if he's there, they cannot fix each other, there is no magic happy ending. Nobody dies, but they probably should. It doesn't necessarily start as a dumpster fire. It may creep up on you until it's too late and the sunk-cost fallacy has set in. Surprise, it's trauma! It's not pretty trauma! It's not "love can save you" trauma!

Also: long, lyrical canon compliant (mostly) pieces of everyone's suffering, of redemption and damnation, of character studies, of heartwrenching beauty in the tragic fates they cannot escape - they never wanted, leitmotifs in phrasing, a chorus of chosen words, the agony of everything, the love they seek, endless run on sentences, unyielding prose, allegories, their characters boiled down to fever dreams. Symbolic, headspinning, pitiful, reverent, songs that aren't songs, poems that aren't poems, stories that tell themselves yet say nothing without scrutiny, you will leave in awe and madness and hell and hope. Slant rhymes everywhere. It's accidental, it's intentional, it's everything everywhere nowhere at once, it's a spiral, it's linear until it isn't. GOD.

You can recognise my writing by: Please see the above third paragraph.

My most controversial take (current fandom): This answer from my dear friend carries over - "You aren’t better than anyone for hating their favorite character or how they love them. Just let people live."

90% of the Astarion headcanons I see convince me we have not played the same game. He does not become a better person, he is better to you. Ascending him does not remove my sense of irl morality. You're thinking of Wyll, everything you project onto him is a part of Wyll. Astarion is an awful person, he's a mess, he's full of bitter hatred, he needs to kill, he wants everyone to suffer, I love him. Cowards.

Cazador is SO FUCKABLE. He's a horrid, monstrous, contemptible, vile, wicked creature and while i cannot fix him, I can indulge in hedonistic blood filled psychosexual madness and honestly that's close enough for me. Larian, please let him rail me. Cazador romance WHEN. Self preservation? WRONG. Dancing with death for a hellsent vampire.

Top three favourite tropes: "i hate you, i need you." They are suffering, but they are suffering together. "You are so far past saving, yet i will not leave." Bonus: psychosexual obsession, have you figured this out yet, have i made it clear, are we on the same page. DO YOU SEE THE VISION.

What’s your current writing mood (10 – super motivated and churning out words like crazy, 0 – in a complete rut): it's 10, but chronic fatigue/where do i start with this and how does it end, it has to end eventually, I GUESS.

We're working on it.

Share a fandom frustration: As per my last email, refer to the astarion hot take.

#tag game #my writing #welcome to HELL #about #I'm a published poet and spoken word artist do you honestly think i can write happy things without assistance

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ex-textura · 23 days

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well a little later than i expected but NO MATTER hello friend tav info dump you say I'm so sorry for the novel this is about to become

I mean you do already know of Vic, half orc eldritch knight with a martyr complex the size of the city. Grew up in Baldur's Gate, genuinely a really nice childhood he's got two younger siblings and lovely parents and I'm not positive in what way he got his soldier background but the boy is always a soldier of some kind (maybe a Fist? it's hand wavy). He was a whopping 21 when he got scooped up by the nautaloid and decidedly does not want to be a main character but shit keeps happening and Vic is gonna die protecting his friends or Vic is never gonna die

He's always been real into magic but didn't think of himself of the Wizardy Type growing up, and then the local wizard took the time to teach him magic and there was a very good reason he had a very big crush on Gale. It was Gale who pushed him onto the eldritch knight track specifically and Vic might not get the finer points of all the theory and technical jargon but that's fine he has a genuinely very good teacher

and then y'know. Wyll happened. and godsdamnit Wyll you were supposed to be the Unattainable Paragon of Justice and way too good for me but then he was just a guy with a determination to protect people as strong as Vic's own and this way of talking that sounded like he was constantly half a step away from writing an epic and maybe there was a bit too much wine at the grove party that led to a lot more self-confidence than Vic ever has but that kinda. happened. (the psuedo-breakup with Gale after the fact was not fun for anyone involved but ??? was that actually anything Gale there had been absolutely no conversation about it, they do eventually get back to actual good friend and there's the moment of Gale telling him "For the sake of absolute transparency, I may have slept with Astarion" and Vic choking on his dinner but they're friends again)

Karlach is the bestie from the very start. In their first little heart-to-heart by the fire there did have to be the "hey, so you know I'm like. really gay, right?" conversation, but from that point on she is constantly giving him enthusiastic thumbs up over Wyll's shoulder and the teasing is relentless. She clocked his formal training the first time they fought together and the soldier nickname is Incredibly fitting, they fight very well together and are both very physical people which is unfortunate before Dammon manages to cool the engine down. (Wyll has a "secret" scoreboard in the back of one of his books of the number of times Vic has forgotten, punched Karlach's shoulder, and burned himself. An additional category was started for "bad enough that Shadowheart had to heal it") She fully died in Grymforge, like got knocked down and then pushed into lava, and he had to pay Withers to bring her back and that was. not a good day at all, when she was back and mostly focused again Vic just preemptively called Shadowheart over so he could give Karlach a (very very quick) actual hug

he just wanted the tadpole out So Bad, bad enough he ended up with a magical eye for the troubles. Vic never touched the tadpole powers, figuring if he couldn't manage with his own sword and magic it wasn't worth doing anyway. The boy is decidedly in favor of relying on your own abilities, having seen far too many cases of the gods or others granting powers get petty, use them as leverage, strip them away on a whim, etc. fuck the gods, tbh, very glad we stopped Gale from becoming one or making one even more powerful

had to break his little sister out of the Iron Throne along with his future father-in-law and the only mind flayer he respects, because his little brother is unfortunately a very talented artificer and the job at the foundry seemed so good at the time. another No Good Very Bad Day, they got out of that place by the skin of their teeth and Vic is decidedly afraid of deep water now

Freed Orpheus because fuck the emperor that's an entire race enslaved by this litch, and then it is only by the stubbornness of his friends chipping away at that martyr complex this whole time that he realized turning into a mind flayer himself might. not be the immediate best answer (but also no fucking way is Karlach going to do it either)

It was So Much he's just a baby boy, he never wanted to be the protagonist, but now he's gotta go maybe kill the archdevil of Avernus with his two favorite people in what is the weirdest fucking honeymoon ever (it doesn't count wyll insists constantly we are not married yet, he knows it doesn't count)

i'll stop now (with This One......) because god that was in fact a novel but [holds him up like simba] baby boy. baby.

VIC!!!! IT'S VIC!!! MY HALF-ORC LOVE ITS HIM!!! Ugh I'm not even gonna pretend to be normal about him I'm sorry.

He's so goddamn cute with Wyll they're so beautiful together. I want. To see more. Of them. And him. Bleese.

Oh my god I love his dynamic with Karlach. I can just picture them rolling around like siblings and being the absolute best bros. Just. The wholesome-est trio with them and Wyll honestly.

IN THE LAVA OF ALL THINGS?! God that's like. Painfully poetic in a way. I hate it but of all the things to kill Karlach. God. I'm so glad he had Withers. And that he could give her all the hugs and shoulder punches in the world once she got fixed.

HIS LITTLER SISTER WAS ON THE IRON THRONE?! Man, fuck you Gortash. Where is she now? Is she safe? Did they have a big heartfelt reunion? does she love Wyll?

How's he doing in Avernus?? Did he get to come up for the reunion?

WHEN ARE THEY GETTING MARRIED?!

#bg3 #asks #other people's ocs

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ryttu3k · 2 months

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A selection of moments from my last session/s of Tavias' run. All spoilery for endgame. Image-heavy, used all 30 image slots.

"When I said I wanted to get more in touch with my draconic ancestry, this was not what I had in mind."

This is an interesting example because Tavias was in this situation. Two days ago. And his exact response was, "Actually, I would rather die than become a monster under a more powerful being's thrall."

Not capped: *gross sobbing over Dear Ansur*

Not capped: Just for the record, the line that officially pushed Astarion from approval 99 to approval 100 was:

Halsin: "Perhaps you'd care for a little extra company..."

Tavias: "The more the merrier!"

Astarion: *approves*

(I hc he's quietly nursing a raging crush on Halsin and the V relationship absolutely has the potential to turn into a full triangle, and not just because I'm hopeless for Halstarion.)

I really wish you could talk to Astarion about this later. I'm very glad you can talk to Halsin, but this should be addressed too! I'm glad he feels confident and safe enough to push his own boundaries, I just really wish we could like... check in on him and make sure he's doing okay. See also: helping Halsin recognise that what happened to him was trauma.

Seven years too late (he was seventeen years old, Ulder), but finally some parental approval!

Not capped: the forehead touch after the kiss with Halsin is. Goddamn adorable ;_;

Genuinely motivational tbh

This is what we call an, "Ah fuck" moment.

Okay so. Orin basically saved the world.

Like obviously the Brain breaking free from the influence of the crown is a bad thing. But consider the alternative - a Brain who willingly follows the Dark Urge. A Brain who doesn't rebel, that rebellion leading to its ultimate downfall. A Brain who does follow the Dark Urge is a Brain in a world where Bhaal wins.

But Orin was jealous. Orin wanted her father's love. Orin attacks her sibling, and that sibling wakes up and goes, actually, you know what? I don't think I do want to be Bhaal's puppet for the rest of my existence, and the world is saved.

Dude there are plenty of other options that don't involve that. What is wrong with you.

Not capped: Beorn Wunterbrood being like, "Balduran's grace be with you" and Tavias just going, "......yeahhhhh haha about that, there's a non-zero chance we're gonna have to kill Balduran. Just. Just so you know."

You got it, boss. #ResistDurgeIsChosenOfJergalTruther

Not capped: "I always dreamed of walking these halls, you know. My dreams never included a giant brain or smoldering ruins, but I'll take what I can get~" I <3 him what a goddamn dork.

Not capped: you know this is the part where I'd have to be like. Yeah you guys go ahead. Yeah I'm gonna sit this one out. Why? Well, do I look like I can climb the giant squishy completely vertical tube while it actively tries to fly? No no if someone can teleport me up I can fight but otherwise I may have to sit this one out.

For the first time... quiet at last.

Oh this shit hurts ;_;

He chose against apotheosis this time <3 I can only surmise that what happened in Tae's run was that saying, no, fuck Mystra, you don't owe her anything, made him decide to act against her? This is still... not necessarily a great ending for Gale, because it still requires capitulating to the desires of his abuser, even if it does mean being free of the Orb (and not becoming Cringegod(tm). It's the best possible ending for him, yes, but I wish there was an option for him to acknowledge that what Mystra did to him was awful and he didn't deserve to be treated like that, and be able to reject the Crown.

Not capped: still! goddamn! hate! how Astarion running from the sun is almost played for laughs! I got Gale's line in this one and hearing how dismissive and flippant it is compared to what'll be the new line, where he sounds genuinely horrified and worried and openly states they'll need to be a good friend to him and offer him comfort, is... god. Dramatic difference. "Welp, that's the last we'll see of him!" that original line is so wrong ;_;

Glad she was able to make the decision herself. Forcing her just feels wrong.

I like this <3 Halsin still carries out his dream, but the relationship doesn't end, it's just. Long-distance, haha.

It's interesting how this plays out if you do Halsin poly, because it has the scene of Halsin waking up next to the PC, they talk about where things go, they walk off hand in hand... then it has the scene of Astarion waking up next to the PC, they talk about... etc XD I'd love if they included a poly option with all three of them, so you can get just the Halsin one, or just the Astarion one, or one where you talk to both at the same time. IIRC the only relationships where you can do Halsin poly is with Astarion or Shadowheart, so that's only two extra scenes they'd have to work out! It just feels a bit awkward as it is, with both scenes playing one after the other?

Anyway. The Astarion scene <3 This is the bit where I got all misty-eyed because. The reflection of, "What do you want?" "You. I want... you", and the beautiful Durge-specific line of being able to choose family... ;_;

They absolutely get together while in Avernus <3

Final decisions: Orpheus requests a merciful death, which Tavias provides. Lae'zel chooses to go to war. Gale returns the crown to Mystra. Wyll offers to accompany Karlach to Avernus, and she chooses to accept. Halsin goes to start a new community for those in need, with his relationship with Tavias continuing. Tavias and Astarion stay together and look for a way for Astarion to walk in the sun again.

There will be a separate post just for the epilogue, once I sort the, uh, 723 screencaps I took for it!

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 spoilers #ry plays bg3 #oc: tavias

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lanaevyssmoved · 8 months

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17, 21, and 35 for afhiri? ♥

17. How easily would they be convinced to do something that goes against their morals?

if its coming from those they trust it would be incredibly easy. the average joe couldnt make afhiri do anything if they didnt want to. but if the squad did? oh boy the only thing that would stop them there is a counter argument from another one they trust. and then afhiri would blow up from the confliction so someones gotta make an option outweigh the other we gotta vote on this. 2 votes vs 1 ! opinion winner decided!

afhiri doesn't get a lot of good endings or good results during the events of the game because if a companion wants something that is actually bad morally or doesnt sound right.. gives them the eeby jeebies, afhiri will do it because they trust them, or let them do it despite how afhiri may personally feel. they are unfortunately loving to a fault and can't see that sometimes you need to tell a friend no in order to be the best friend to them. a ride or die, whatever makes you happy type of friend .......

so the answer is tldr very easily if afhiri has you on a pedestal, and thats literally every friend they have

21. What is more important to them, friends or family?

friends ARE family. afhiri didnt grow up with a single friend, their very friend friends were the very first companions they recruited!! and they became life long friends immediately! can't get rid of the clown, you fools! you let them in!!!!!

afhiri loves their actual family so much though, like, their parents and their 6 siblings are so, so important and mean the entire world to them. and their friends are on the exact same level. doesn't exactly sound healthy, but that's ok! (is it???)

if afhiri was made to choose between her family or her friends she would not understand the question. friends are family, family is not blood alone

35. Do they believe in fate or do they believe they are in charge of their own destiny?

ok this is the most insane question u can ask a gale shipper i hope u are aware of this. my boy literally talks about how he doesn't believe in fate but does believe in serendipity.

to assume afhiri understands these concepts innately is foolish, it would be expecting too much of her limit brain power and brain size. and wrinkle amount. anyway

gale is the one who educates them on the actual concepts of fate and destiny because these are things inherently tied to him, as a lil wizard man doomed to the narrative as chosen of the universes bitchest god

this is actually something i've been writing about in my 3 years post-game afhiri x gale fic, in which the two decide to take control of destiny and write their own in the stars by becoming immortal in order to never have to part, re: take the power of the gods to be eternal. they are the masters of their destiny and they will write it into the stars. etc etc.. very poetic and romantic its hard to express it in an ask like this because i wanna be silly and they are so unsilly in this decision. ... dfglkjdfgd

TLDR... they are so in charge of their own destiny they will defy the gods in the name of love

#ask #dameaylin #THANKS IM UNWELL NOW #astronaut meme always was #oc afhiri #she/they #afhiri/gale

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ignisaeri · 3 years

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At that time, all Alatus could hear was the howling of the wind, and the screams of the Yakshas as they waged war against their karmic debts.

A blaze of crimson flame splits the night sky as the Pyro Yaksha shrieks, clawing desperately at scarlet locks of hair with bloodied fingernails, trying to rid herself of demons only she can see. Her eyes flash with the light of a thousand stars as she throws her head back, pleading with the darkness in ragged gasps to leave her, to go somewhere where they could not haunt her. She’s still begging as she dies.

The Geo Yaksha rests his foot against the Hydro Yaksha’s abdomen, using her still body as leverage to draw his sharpened blade out from between her ribs. His eyes stare into the distance, unseeing, pupils clouded over with an inky black, fingers twitching as they hold the weapon that had killed one of his oldest friends. The Hydro Yaksha only lays quietly, death caressing her form with its bony fingers, the pool of water beneath them tinged pink from blood.

The Electro Yaksha falls to his knees, gaze finding Alatus’ one last time, seemingly apologizing for leaving the Anemo Yaksha alone for eternity. His slender hands float over the blade embedded in his chest, then collapses onto his side as his last breaths leave him, currents of violet electricity flickering out into nothing. He dies silhouetted against the blackness of The Chasm, as silent as the sun creeping over the horizon, even as the battle rages endlessly around them.

Rex Lapis gazes at Alatus with such pity, such sadness, before smiling hesitantly, gold eyes meeting the Yaksha’s.

‘Sit, Ever Vigilant Yaksha. The archon war is over. Let us share a cup of osmanthus wine.”

“Alatus, I free you from your duty as a Yaksha. In the fables of another world, the name Xiao is that of a spirit who encountered great suffering and hardship. He endured much suffering, as you have. Use this name from now on.”

“Yes, Morax.”

The God of Freedom seeks him out one evening, when he’s resting quietly near the edge of a cliff, feet dangling restlessly off the side, imagining the faces of the lost Yakshas floating through the clouds. Barabatos’ braids glow a gentle forest green, and he inclines his head slightly towards Xiao as he nears.

“Alatus, correct?”

“Xiao,” the adeptus corrects him.

“Xiao,” Barbatos says, “Rex Lapis told me of you.”

“It was you with the flute, was it not?” Xiao tells Barbatos as they watch the workers construct a massive statue in Liyue’s center, honoring the late Tianquan. Ningguang’s placid face smiles down at them as the workers dust the marble, freeing it from dust and grime.

Venti bobs his head, gaze never straying from where Rex Lapis (now Zhongli) stands with arms folded, gaze dark. With Ningguang gone, the last of the Liyue Qixing has perished.

“Yes,” Venti says. “I saved you that day.”

Tonight, they drink, in honor of the dead. Zhongli gingerly holds a glass of osmanthus wine, a glaze lily tucked into his hair. “To Guizhong,” he says. “Havria, Ningguang, and Tartaglia.”

Venti hiccups, face the color of an overripe tomato, the glass of dandelion wine tipping dangerously in his grip. “To the children of Mond,” he choruses. “To the Ragvindr brothers, to Jean, to Lisa, to Noelle. To Klee!”

Baal is here tonight too, and she leans forward restlessly. “To Kujou Sara,” she adds. “To Kitsune, Chiyo, and to Sasayuri.”

Tonight should be solemn, Xiao thinks, as they list the names of their dead companions. Yet, nearly five hundred years after the last of them passed, he feels nothing but contentment.

Xiao raises his own glass. “To the traveler and his sister,” he says. “And to the Yakshas”.

Xiao watches as Venti’s fingers dance, weaving an enticing melody through the hollow sounds of his flute. He’s sitting against a rock, the cool water of the stream lapping at his ankles, washing against the outcropping where Venti stands, a face full of bliss as he plays.

The song is one that Xiao wished to hear, one that he had first heard from the cart of a passing merchant shortly after the end of the Archon War.

The notes seem to float away into the air as he listens, chasing away the darkness in his soul, and he closes his eyes, reveling in this small moment of peace.

Sometimes, when Xiao sleeps, he dreams. He dreams of a woman wreathed in fire, eyes burning tears down her cheeks. He dreams of a not-truly-there man, standing with his blade buried in the chest of a woman floating limp in blood-tinged water. He dreams of purple lightning dying as a man takes his last breaths deep within The Chasm.

He knows, of course, that he cannot run forever. One day, he will become engulfed by his karmic debt, like the Pyro Yaksha, or go mad and disappear, like the Geo Yaksha.

That day comes sooner than he thinks.

Liyue is burning. The city is just as Xiao remembers, a perfect place of beauty. If he concentrates, he can still barely remember the night of the Lantern Rite, thousands of years ago. He closes his eyes and wishes to see the light of a hundred lanterns, instead of the light of fire the buildings shudder and succumb to the roaring flame.

Zhongli stands in front of him, something akin to pain in his gaze, one arm thrown to the side to keep Venti from rushing forwards. The Anemo Archon’s eyes are wide and wild, hat askew and bow grasped in shaking hands. Baal stands straight, weapon drawn, sorrow dotting her gaze.

Fontaine’s archon, the God of Justice, flits around the backdrop of burning flame, hurriedly trying to save as much of Liyue as she can. Her hands wave, spilling waves of water over the temples and buildings, undoing the damage that Xiao caused. The Dendro and Pyro Archons are busy, pulling screaming mortals from the wreckage and destruction.

Three torches and three exploding barrels, compiled with Xiao’s anemo attacks, had set all of Liyue aflame.

There is distant screaming in Xiao’s ears, sounds he knows only he can hear. Deliriously, he recalls the Pyro Yaksha howling at non-existent demons millennia ago and wonders absently if the same will afflict him.

The karmic debt has finally taken over, and it seems to favor the path the Geo Yaksha had taken. Xiao almost laughs as he realizes this, feeling trapped within his skin as he wields his polearm, pointed unwaveringly at the archons.

“I am sorry,” he rasps. There is darkness at the edge of his sight, and the screams only intensify. He can hear individual voices now, hissing and howling and wailing, crying for mercy and death and blood.

“Do not apologize,” Zhongli says. “It is not your fault.”

“What is this?” Venti gasps, the sound echoing in Xiao’s ears. “Xiao, what is happening?”

Baal answers for him. “It is the fate of a Yaksha.” Electricity begins to crackle around her shoulders, eyes darkening to violet as she calls the power of the storm.

Xiao wants to weep at how much she reminds him of the Electro Yaksha.

Maybe, he muses, he will see his fellow Yakshas again. Maybe he’ll meet Aether and Lumine too, in the place that lies after death. He may finally meet those who used to belong to Mond, the ones that Venti talks of so adoringly.

Zhongli finally draws his polearm, an earthen pillar appearing before him, casting protective gold around the archons. Xiao knows why.

He can feel the wind gusting around him, responding to calls he does not remember sending out. Leaves swirl in the gale, and trees rip their way out of the ground. The pain in his head intensifies as the number of screaming voices triple.

Xiao meets Zhongli’s gaze. Sometime, somehow, over the years, the archons had become his closest confidants. Yet, Zhongli was always his oldest companion, so now, Xiao asks Zhongli to do the impossible.

“Morax,” he croaks, using a name that hasn’t been spoken for ages. “You must.”

Zhongli’s gaze is pained, yet resolute, and that is how Xiao knows that Morax will kill him to save the world. Baal seems to sense this too, and lightning strikes the ground not too far away, anxiously awaiting her command.

It is only Venti who has not yet seemed to grasp the situation. He frowns at both archons. “What must you do, Zhongli?”

Zhongli only shakes his head, and Xiao knows it pains him to be the one who will have to kill the last Yaksha. So he answers Venti, limbs shaking as he desperately tries to contain the whirlwind threatening to tear from his chest.

“He must kill me. If he does not, I fear I will destroy Teyvat. I have lost control over my body, Venti.”

Barbatos’ eyes flash green, and Xiao is yet again reminded of the power of the archons. “No,” he says simply. “You cannot die. To live for thousands of years, to drink with us, all this time? You cannot die like this.”

Xiao loses concentration, just a tiny sliver, yet the gust of wind that tears from him shears the top off of a nearby mountain. He groans, harnessing the gale yet again, even as the action forces him to his knees.

“Morax,” he says again. “Please.”

Zhongli looks at him, and the archon’s eyes are glistening in the light of the dancing flames, as wind whips his hair into his face.

“Alatus,” he says, and his voice is full of hurt and resignation. “It has been an honor.”

Yes, Xiao wants to answer back, but he cannot force his mouth to move. He just nods, shaking his head as if he can jar the wailing into silence.

Venti starts towards Zhongli, power thrumming at the edges of his fingers, seemingly ready to resort to battle in order to prevent Xiao’s death, and that is when Baal moves. She slams into Venti, pushing him into the ground, even as wind starts to whirl around them - Venti’s magic, not Xiao’s. Her element locking curse comes a second later, binding itself around Venti, even as he hisses at her in protest.

“Xiao,” Venti cries, twisting as if he can escape the curse. His hat is lost, blown away in the wind, and his hair has come loose from its braids, flying around his face.

“Barbatos,” Xiao whispers. “I never thanked you, for saving me that day.”

Venti pauses, for a second, stunned into silence.

“Thank you,” Xiao says, over the voices in his head. “Thank you.”

Baal only looks at him solemnly, and Xiao stares back at her. They exchange no words, but Baal just nods, once, the simple gesture conveying everything he needs to know.

Xiao holds her gaze for a few more seconds, turning back to find the point of Zhongli’s spear resting above his heart.

Zhongli's face is twisted in grief, yet his blade still hits true, sliding into the hollow space between Xiao's third and fourth ribs.

Xiao chokes, the whirl of wind around him finally dying out. His legs buckle and he falls ungraciously, feeling gentle hands grasping at his clothes as he does.

Somewhere, Venti is screaming his name.

The wailing inside his skull is dissipating, and near the edges of his sight, Xiao can make out swirls of color. At first, he thinks they are the archons, and his failing body cannot see the details of their faces. Then, he recognizes a blue that does not belong to those in the present.

“Rest,” Zhongli whispers, as Xiao fades. “Rest, Alatus.”

And Xiao does, letting himself fall into the embrace of the Yaksha's, who are only becoming clearer, even as Xiao dies.

637 years later, a scholar strolls through the bookshelves of Sumeru's most famous academy, searching for a piece of information that could support her thesis.

She turns into a lane labelled Mondstadt: The City of Freedom, and begins to scan the titles, careful to replace everything exactly where she finds it.

There are two other travelers within the small space between the bookshelves, and they're talking to each other, quite loudly.

The scholar frowns. No matter how foreign these travelers are, the rule of silence in a library should be universal.

The first traveler, a tall man with golden eyes and umber hair that falls to his lower back flips another page in his book, completely ignoring his companion. A jade spear is strapped across his back, and the scholar thinks idly that the weapon looks more like a piece of art, with great wings of green jade shattering outwards from the main spike.

The tall man's companion is quite short, with yellow cat like eyes and evergreen tufts of hair, a pink pearl necklace slung loosely around his throat. His boyish grin seems quite misplaced.

It only takes the scholar a few moments to figure out why.

A few months ago, the scholar had studied ancient folklore of Liyue. Among them was a tale of several Yakshas, the last of whom had supposedly been buried beneath a statue of himself, on the highest peak in Liyue.

The man standing before her looks exactly the same as the grainy photo in the text. However, in the scroll of lore, the last Yaksha had worn a fierce scowl across his features, nothing like the one that stands before her now.

"Come, Zhongli," the should-be-dead Yaksha says, tugging on his friend's sleeve. "Baal is waiting for us."

"Baal can wait a while longer," the taller man says, turning the page of his book a while longer, which the scholar now sees is a copy of The Ruling System of Mondstadt: Grandmasters and Cavalry Captains.

"You said you wanted me to learn more about Mond, didn't you?" the taller man continues. "Besides, I am quite intrigued as to exactly who this 'Kaeya' is, the one you keep referencing."

The yaksha frowns. "Kaeya," he says. "Diluc's brother."

At his companion's blank stare, the yaksha says. "I'll remind you later," he chides. "We really must be going, Zhongli."

The scholar startles, embarrassed that she eavesdropped for so long. However, she still hears what the tall man says back.

"Fine. Let us go, Venti."

#genshin impact #genshin #xiao #alatus #barbatos #xiao genshin #fic #fanfic #genshin zhongli #zhongli #ningguang #venti #baal #raiden shogun #mihoyo #primogems #ao3 #fic rec #yaksha

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gale-gentlepenguin · 3 years

Text

Gale's Story Idea: 'Those of another world must die' or 'Isekai no mono ha shi ke re ba naranai'

(I probably butchered the Japanese. But the point is to give it a light novel title feel)

(Since a few people have been asking what my light novel idea was. I decided to explain it and go a bit more in-depth)

Premise: Rumors have been circulating about a Killer known only as 'Hero Eater' is targeting heroes in the Human Kingdom of Itsumo. But not everything is as it seems, Itsumo has many dark secrets and the kingdom may need a change...

The world of Itsumo.

Now the setting would be similar to most fantasy Isekai worlds. Money consists of Gold, silver, Bronze coins. Platinum coins are for the super rich.

Magic exists, Magical items exist. Levels exist.

There are dragons, goblins, the typical fantasy fair/ D&D/MMORPG feel but with a lot more twists

Summoned Heroes

When it comes to Summoned heroes things get different.

1. 'Heroes from another world' are treated above the standard people. As being summoned from another world gives them stupidly over powered abilities compared to the average citizen of Itsumo. The Elites show them favoritism.

2. Aside from obviously enhanced strength, speed, durability, and magic. They level up faster, have overall higher stats, and Summoned heroes also get some sort of Overpowered ability.

3. These over powered abilities or OPAs are ranked from S to E. Depending on that OPA, determines your lot as a 'Summoned Hero'

4. E's are the lowest. The skill is just slightly useful. Summoned heroes are still MUCH stronger than the average soldier. So these heroes are often brainwashed Coerced and put as soldiers on the front lines, or bodyguards of the elite. (Basically they are just glorified meat shields.)

4.5 There is nothing ranked lower than E. Those summoned ALWAYS have a OPA.

5. C and D Ranks are considered worlds more useful. These heroes depending on their abilities are thrown into a field where their skills can be utilized. These heroes are usually thrown a boon by the king and get funding. These heroes are the ones responsible for the innovations in technology (such as guns, refrigeration, etc). (Though in truth they have done a lot of f***ed experimentation)

6. A and B Rank are considered 'Heroes of the Kingdom'. Those heroes are the ones that you see going around and fighting demon hordes with ease. The ones you see with the harems (usually of whatever their fetish is). They basically have license to do WHATEVER they want, so long as the King doesn't intervene.

7. S Ranks. These summons are incredibly rare, but their skills are 100% broken. To put it in perspective. 1 S Rank hero could easily beat 10 A ranks without breaking a sweat. This is where the OPA's become near god like. Fortunately for some reason, only 7 S ranks can exist in the world at a time. Only when 1 dies can a new S rank otherworlder can appear. Currently the King has some of them watching over different parts of his kingdom. But all of them are considered Legendary.

8. (Little known fact that summoned heroes are often loners, losers, incels, neets, and other lesser freaks of society. Who else would willingly go to another world if their life is actually good?)

9. Some heroes do start out doing good... but power corrupts

_____________________________________________________________

Religion:

The Religion of Itsumo in stated by King Tyran. Insists that there is a kind and loving goddess (Named Oveun Ativ) that blesses Itsumo with the heroes that appear. Basically making those from another world as 'Her blessed children'.

So often regular citizens range from worshiping them or at the very least respecting them. (Though this is simply a front, the average citizen HATES these arrogant s***s. Considering the awful stuff they put them through.)

The Church also has a monopoly on Hero summoning. The ritual that they use is as follows.

1. A young girl will be chosen once a year from every village. (basically not where the nobles live.) It was considered a great honor. (and if the town didnt comply the church would inform the king and that town would be burnt down and all of the young maidens there would be brain washed and taken anyway) A maiden will be trained in magic for several years until her 18th birthday. During this time she must not have relations with men, must not touch the blood of an animal, must read the sacred scriptures and serve the church without question. (Indoctrination)

2. According to the church, the Summoning ritual will then have the young Maiden perform the summoning magic in which if performed successfully, will summon the hero and she will take the form of a portal of light which summons him. After which she will ascend and become an angel that serves the goddess. (This is not true. Its a virgin sacrifice. Those girls are killed in a ritual. Its f***ed up what the s***)

3. If a maiden summons a B or A rank hero she is regarded as an example for others to follow. For she clearly followed the doctrine of the church. She was likely Heavily rewarded by the goddess.

4. If a Maiden summoned C or D rank, they are not discussed often except by friends and family.

5. Maidens that summon E ranked Heroes are considered disgraces. Maidens that clearly did not follow the teachings of the doctrine. Their names are stricken from the records.

6. Maidens that summoned an S Rank hero. Are written into the logs as Blessed by the goddess. They are treated like Saints and some worshiped like deities. Some doctrine claim that they serve at the hands of the goddess after achieving this.

_____________________________________________________________

Economics

Summoned Heroes basically caused Economic collapse for adventurers.

Summoned heroes often hunt monsters and get rare drops, and often those with rare skills can get much more value than typical adventure guilds.

Merchants initially loved Heroes getting them rare drops but when many other worlders started selling so many Rare drops like they were common... it made rare items worth much less and drove value of such items and materials down dramatically. Newer merchants will rarely buy goods from adventurers because of this.

Blacksmiths and artificers initially also had it great. They now get access to powerful materials for cheap. Since their work is labor intensive the value of the item is much less impacted on the product. Though Other worlders with Craft skills have popped up and open businesses that have been driving other types of stores out of business since they can easily craft higher grade weapons for cheaper and faster thanks to OPAs.

The only real way to make money was in the service industry. With rare items and monsters easily hunted and sold for cheap, Restaurants, inns and Taverns have less of a thin margin. And with Otherworlders constantly moving about, the inns had constant customers. Many of these customers would throw money around and expect to be waited on hand and foot. Inns that had pretty women were often the most popular.

Brothels were very popular among Summoned heroes. Though the places that experienced the most traffic were the ones that had more ... unique characteristics. (Animal ears, pointed ears, Wings, horns.) Beast-kin were often very requested.

Societal Impacts

Women would often try to sleep with Summoned heroes. Children made with those of another world often had a chance of producing offspring with an OPA. Which meant that the kid could have a much better life.

The 'Trope' of offering the daughter for saving them was more of a way to ensure their Family had a better life. But in reality this just meant Summoned heroes often obtained harems. This resulted in declining birthrates as many summoned heroes didnt actually often marry humans. Most would simply keep the harem. Or if they did marry they would often sleep around.

Heroes that dismissed companions often left them as single mothers. Some would be lucky to remarry, but many were left single due to social stigma. The claim is that men felt insecure marrying women that have been with heroes, because how could they compare. (In reality it was more like they felt the woman had little self respect to be willing to partake in a relationship with a hero with a harem.) And the off chance the hero did comeback to the woman to find her married, the new husband was likely slaughtered. (This selfish mentality of treating women as things to be owned was disturbingly common in the summoned heroes mind)

____________________________________________________________

The Main Characters.

Oralee: A maiden that was raised in the church as long as she could remember. Her family had a lot of faith in the church and were honored that she was picked. She followed the doctrine to very high levels. Never ate meat, Never even made contact with another of the opposite sex. She dreamed of summoning an S Rank hero and bringing great honor to the goddess (As a recent S Rank passed away and hasnt been replaced yet). Though the night she along with her fellow maidens were supposed to summon heroes. The 'Hero Eater' arrived and started killing everyone.

Hunter "Hero eater": A high level individual. A skilled fighter with a plethora of weapons in his arsenal. Skilled in strange magic that seems unorthidox yet effective. He wears a skull mask with a black cloak. He wields two daggers. One Named Malice, and the other named Mercy. His goal is to kill every other worlder he comes across. What is his motive? Does he want revenge? Power? Fame? Why did he spare Oralee. What does he look like under that mask?

#gale's story ideas #do not steal #og story #og ideas #OC #Those of another world must die #tw: blood #tw: violence #tw: corruption #tw: brainwashing #tw: mature themes #reblogs feedback and questions are appreciated #isekai

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