#tadfools my beloveds

[sky-scribbles]

Do you ever think about how the Tadfools are psychically linked together right from the moment they meet? And how, when the Netherbrain dies and the tadpoles are gone, that link just... vanishes?

All those months of being constantly aware of each other's presence. Always knowing if one of them is hurt or tired or needs a hug. Fighting together with uncanny fluidity, knowing exactly when to dodge out of the way of an incoming spell, knowing who needs healing and when. Holding entire conversations without any of them opening their mouths. And then - in a moment, they're cut off from each other.

Do you think Tav ever leaves the room their partner or friend is in and has to fight a stab of anxiety, not quite certain they're still there once they're out of sight? Did Gale go straight to Sorcerous Sundries and learn Rary's Telepathic Bond, because sometimes the silence is just overwhelming, too much like being shut up in his tower, alone? Do Karlach and Wyll ever finish a fight in Avernus and almost fall over from spinning around to to find each other, because without the tadpole link, they don't know anymore if the other one is okay?

I think maybe they all touch each other a lot, for that first week or so. Little pats and hands on the shoulder whenever they can, making up for that weird feeling that the others aren't quite tangible anymore. I think sometimes they try to send their thoughts to each other, and it takes a while for them to realise why no one's responding. I think they have to relearn how to fight as a team, even how to communicate, because they're so used to just knowing each other's feelings and needs.

I think sometimes Tav holds their partner or their dearest friend, and says, I know it doesn't make sense. I know you're right here. But I miss you.

#i'm sure they're very happy not to have six people up in their business all the time #but all the same. it must be a weird adjustment #bg3 #bg3 spoilers #tadfools my beloveds #bg3 meta

[greyias]

A Fond Farewell to Act 1

After dithering about a fashion faux pas most unfortunate, and with nothing else to do on all of the maps, it is finally time for me to bid a fond farewell to Act 1 of Baldur’s Gate 3, and via the Mountain Pass head into the uncertain transition stage to Act 2 (and presumably the consequences of my actions).

But before I go. A moment. To reflect on my favorite memories in this journey so far:

Alfira’s song and The Harpy Rock Concert

Aravyn chickening out of lying to an evil mirror, Astarion shoving her aside to show her how its done, only to fail so spectacularly on every single conversation check the mirror spits out a giant orb of molten death that starts chasing us around the room spewing deadly AOEs as I loudly scream “OH NO OH NO OH NO OH NO WHY CANT WE TARGET IT OH NO” and the entire party flees for their life, nearly locking Astarion in the cellar with the death orb he summoned

The Glitterbomb/Musical Mini-Heist

Best Quasit Girl

Ari seeing giant claw marks a dragon very obviously gouged into stone, failing her intelligence check, and then proudly declaring it the artistic statement of some mysterious person

Gale nearly dying from a concussion because I decided to put off taking a long rest and instead do a little lute concert tour around the Druid Grove, and one NPC loved it so much he enthusiastically hurled his tip of a single gold piece in the direction of my singing paladin — and straight into Gale’s skull and taking off 6 of his precious few remaining HP 

Discovering the mighty cow summon spells 

Operation War Drum

My dumbass Paladin talking to Minthara, and winning every single persuasion check, so that she entered into a conversation to very earnestly insist that this random forest is where the secret Druid Grove is, and have Minthara scream in frustration that they already checked there and to go FIND IT, only for us to return five seconds later and say that we totes got the real location this time and point to the same spot on the map. About five time in a row.

Halsin getting the whole party stuck in eternal combat for no other reason than he was a bear, and apparently the game took that personally

That time Astarion gleefully informed Aravyn she was unfuckable, only for a full 24 hours later to decide that he was actually jealous that she considered Gale prettier than him (but also approved of this??), and basically yelled out “CHALLENGE ACCEPTED” before flouncing off

The entirety of the Auntie Ethel adventure freaking me (the player) out so much I, the notorious loot goblin, refused to touch ANY food or beverage in the entire cursed swamp even after finishing all of the quests and clearing the area

Nearly blowing up a dwarf trapped in a field of flammable mushrooms, and somehow both he and the valuable quest item miraculously survived. Only for my dumbass Paladin to eat the quest item mid-battle for no reason at all, and me not realizing until twenty hours of gameplay in that I’ve doomed the dwarf and his unpleasant wife to a life of destitution and also preventing one of my companions from regaining precious lost memories.

Getting a TPK several times in a row from the giant landshark in the Underdark, before finally beating it with actual tactical smarts. Only to revive it with a temporary NPC ally as a spawn so it could help us in fights because we are smart and tactical now. And then forgetting to dismiss it after the temporary NPC ally turned against us, only to return to the same area several hours later where we once again nearly died to the now undead manifestation of our hubris

Smiling and waving at whoever is on the end of those scrying eyes like we’re in some sort of beauty pageant 

100 Foot Sharran Walkway of Doom

Rolling a nat 1 on a wisdom save after picking up a cursed locket

Robo-Hugs

I will never forget you Act 1. We laughed. We cried. Made many poor life decisions that I’m sure are going to come back and bite me in the ass very soon. But for now, we must march onwards into the unknown, where I’m sure Ari and the Tadfools will probably almost blow up the multiverse or something, at the rate they’re going.

#shamelessly stealing the phrase ‘tadfools’ because it fits this beloved pack of weirdos so well #grey's bg3 tag #bg3 posting #bg3 spoilers #long post #NO CUTS you must scroll past all of my dumb bg3 adventures #oc: aravyn #ari's og campaign

[neonbutchery]

he isn't even my favorite bg3 Guy™ but all of the fat astarion art has me thinking a lot about astarion putting on weight after joining the tadfools bc he's getting some proper nutrition and healing finally <3 positively portrayed weight gain my beloved.

#bg3 #astarion

[yesistolethisurl]

Get to know your Dark Urge!

Hey-howdy-hey! I got tagged by @sporeservant (big kudos for putting this together!), and now I get gush about my precious little Bhaal babe, Threnody.

Just a fair warning, Baldur's Gate 3 has a Mature ESRB for several good reasons, and this post will be engaging with the adult content there-in. That includes murder, references to incest, and references to suicide, so reader discretion is advised.

General Questions:

What is their preferred combat style? 

Twinned Haste on Karlach and Lae'zel, then Fireballs for days, baby! It's a running joke amongst the Tadfools that anything and everything within range of Threnody can always be more on fire (to which Thren is quick to remind them that she takes great pains to cast around them, thank you).

What is their favorite weapon?

She can't wield it, but she's very smug about the fact that they picked up the Blood of Lathander while the gith of Crèche Y'llek had no idea it was under their feet (being scolded by everyone else for almost blowing them all up has done nothing to sway her from this attitude).

What would they do anything to save? 

The tadfools, and especially whoever she's romancing. Really, Bhaal's kind of a dumb-dumb for going straight to "murder-your-lover-for-disobeying-me" when he could have milked for so much longer.

If Sceleritas had come to her with "do this or your beloved will die by your own hand" specifically instead of an implied threat, Isobel would've been dead before her blood hit the floor.

What would they do anything to destroy? 

During the game? Definitely the Urge. Post game? Wherever Bhaalspawns souls go when they die. Threnody (probably?) isn't in danger of going to her father's realm since she was able to sufficiently impress Withers. But what about other bhaalspawn? What about Orin? Do they just never get the chance for their souls to rest?

What keeps them up at night? 

Questions like those in the previous answer, plus a lot of wondering why she's worthy of redemption and resurrection, instead of any of her victims, or even Gortash.

Actually, speaking of the Gortster, it also keeps her up at night wondering what exactly was between them. That letter of forgiveness, as well as how... welcoming he was towards her, makes her mind wander and her chest just ache.

What brings them peace? 

Counting the dead. It started as a way to remember the consequences of what the group had done, but it also had the unintended side effect of barely soothing the Urge, almost like reassuring it that the day had been productive. It only worked partially, though, like giving a pet a treat when they're begging you for dinner.

Also, she takes some whittling lessons from Halsin. She has yet to make anything functional, but it's something to keep her hands busy, and a good excuse to slice and stab something repeatedly.

What is their greatest asset? 

I think it's a tie between her way of handling people and her determination. She's a deft hand at making the person she's talking to feel like they're the most important person in the room, or feel the full force of her attention bearing down on them. And once she sinks her teeth into something? Good luck shaking her loose.

What is their achilles heel?

Pride, as it's always been. She and the rest of her compatriots have flattened monsters and gods (well, a gods' avatar), why shouldn't they be a little prideful? Of course, that's what got her a free lobotomy and vivisection, so you know. There are some drawbacks to that point of view.

What does their voice sound like?

She's a Voice 8 girl, so a bit raspy? (Fun fact, the Dark Urge voice lines for voice 8 only recently came online for me after not functioning for so long, so the first time I heard her talk about her former hunting grounds, I almost gave myself whiplash with the double take I did.)

What do they smell like?

Other than blood? she takes pains to hide it, but she hoards any soaps they find like a dragon. if anyone brings it up at camp, it gets deflected and shut down pretty quick.

What do they take pride in? 

If we were to narrow the list down to just one item, humiliating and killing Raphael in his own home would be up there (she cannot stand this man).

How would they spend the last night of their life? 

Before going into the temple proper to confront Orin, I think Threnody waited until everyone had gone their tents, then took her bedroll over to where Scratch and Cubby were, and meditated with them until sunrise.

If she were ever confronted with a similar situation, I think she would do something along those lines.

How does someone get on their good side? 

Pre-tadpole? Getting close to Threnody would've been like trying to get gum out of a bear trap. Being the High Priestess of Bhaal makes one a target from within and without her sect of Bhaalists, and Daddy has always been eager to keep her on a short leash (especially in the timeline where she failed her trial to become an unholy assassin). Having her kill a lover or close friend was a common tactic for a Bhaal to keep her in check. Of course, I'm pretty sure Gortash would've just seen this as a challenge if he'd been aware of her full history.

Post-tadpole? Literally just treating her like a person. That's it. It's why she forms such a strong attachment to the party so quickly. She may not remember it, but after being on a pedestal for so long, having someone like Karlach or Wyll wanting to get her opinion on something or joke with her lets her pretend like she's a real and normal person for a bit.

How does someone get on their bad side? 

In general, expecting her respect before actually earning it is a good way to end up on her shit list (Raphael was dead the minute he approached them on the road).

If we want to get more specific, however, there was once a detective that made the assertion she was offering false praise to Bhaal, that she had been sloppy in her work, that she wanted someone to stop her, and that she had been unfaithful to her father. In the Threnody playthrough timeline, this obviously did not end well for him.

What is the best and worst memory they’ve formed since they escaped the Illithid ship? 

Best: Depends on the run, but in the Karlach-mance I'm doing right now? Definitely going on their date.

Worst: Returning to the temple. The whole experience, would not recommend.

If they could change their ancestry and choose to live another life, would they? What path would they take? 

In another life, Threnody wonders what it would've been like to be a bard.

In terms of ancestry? She's not sure who she would be. Being not only formed from the dead flesh of her father, but the aspects of several other dead bhaalspawn as well (as if this family tree needed to be any more circular), it feels hard for her to imagine what life amongst the Seladrine or the Lolth-sworn would be like.

If they had the option to restore their lost memories, would they? 

I think she would really hesitate, but feel compelled to do so. Even if some of her victims deserved what she did to them, they still deserve to be remembered. Not as sacrifices, but as people.

Which companion was the first to learn of their dark urges? How did this individual find out? 

I think Threnody felt the most comfortable approaching Shadowheart about it first (even if Shadowheart was limited in her healing capabilities, maybe she would've heard about something like this?) No one ever found Quill's body, so aside from the odd comment here or there, Threnody seemed "okay," if a little quiet.

Are they secretive, or open about their dark urges? Why? 

She's pretty secretive, though I initially planned for her to be more open about it. Due to the aforementioned voice line bug, a lot of her Dark Urge specific voice lines just didn't proc, and that ended shaping my view of the character.

I think she only really started opening up about her urges in Act 2, after the third time Sceleritas showed up.

In the words of our resident bag o' bones (Withers), there are two paths the Dark Urge must choose from: "the heart of a savior," or "the mind of a murderer." Which path does your character take?

The latter, although it wasn't about becoming a "saviour" in her mind. She knew she was likely going to die if she went back to the temple of Bhaal, even if she survived the encounter with Orin.

Bhaal created her to be the end of everything, and rejecting the chance to control the elder brain? Rejecting her own "grand design" to set the Sword Coast ablaze, to finally please her father? There was no way Bhaal was ever going to just let her walk out.

The Heart of a Savior: 

What is the cost of resisting their dark urges? How does resistance impact them over time? 

I'm inclined to agree with other fan theories that a Dark Urge on the resist path has nightmares similar to the ones Gorion's Ward had (y-rhywbeth2 has some excellent write ups on what being a bhaalspawn means in the larger context of forgotten realms history).

So definitely nightmares courtesy of Papa. After Quill, she started tying one wrist to a tree or stake before going to sleep, explaining it away as sleep walking to anyone who asked.

She gave up on it after waking up to find the rope untied from her wrist, and politely coiled in a pile next to her head a couple of times.

How do they find the strength to resist their dark urge? 

Her connection with the other party members. Seriously, if Bhaal had known the utter pain in the ass these idiots were going to be, I'm pretty sure he would've had Threnody kill them on sight.

What are their motivations for resistance?

Again, her connection to the party. They were her motivation for resisting the urge at first, more than any morality. Even if the relationships were shaky at first, they were the closest thing she had to a bedrock, and they were more important to her than any compulsions she had no context for.

To their memory, have they ever succumbed to their urges? 

Poor, sweet Quill Grootslang. She truly could've been one of the greatest bards of the age. Instead, her body is in a ditch somewhere.

But at least Threnody got a nice cape out of it, right? Who cares if that was someone's daughter?

To their memory, have they always taken the path of resistance, or did something change their mind? 

Threnody occasionally indulged the Urge when she first woke up, but was mostly inclined to just ignore and repress it. I think she only started taking the path of active resistance after attacking Alfira and murdering Quill. The first incident she tried to ignore, it was only a momentary slip up, and she was still alive, wasn't she?

After Quill, though, it proved that a). this was something couldn't just be repressed and ignored, and b). if left unchecked, there would be deadly consequences. In her mind, if the Urge hadn't demanded Quill, whose to say it wouldn't have demanded one of her other companion's lives?

The Mind of a Murderer: 

Do they succumb to the urge of free will? x

What do they gain from taking a life? x

To their memory, which kill did they most savor? x

To their memory, have they ever resisted the urge? x

To their memory, have they ever regretted taking a life? x

if any of this inspired you, considered yourself tagged! with that, i will leave with a picture of threnody looking absolutely trustworthy with a knife:

#bg3 #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 spoilers #bg3 dark urge #the dark urge #Threnody #(and some Atavian lore if you squint)