#tav/orpheus

[des-no9]

Merry Githmas from Vanquish and her boys 🎄💜!!

[iicaru2]

potentially unpopular opinion, but my favorite ending for lae’zel (romanced or not) is asking her to stay in faerûn. the first ending i ever got for her was the sick ass dragon ending, but i didn’t feel good about it when i got to the epilogue. i kept thinking about that scene she has in act 3 (post-vlaakith showing up in camp to yell at her like an abusive mother) where you can ask her about her own needs and wants vs. her pledging herself to different people’s causes. vlaakith, then orpheus.

she approves when you ask, and says something along the lines of “there will come a time when i can think of myself beyond the lich-queen (...) but that time won’t come until the prince of the comet is set free.” she’s been living her entire life following orders and dedicating every bit of herself to the cause she believes in. lae’zel does just about everything in the name of someone else, because that’s what she was taught. she was raised a loyal soldier, and she doesn’t quite know what she is without that purpose in her life. she’s a lot like shadowheart in this regard.

but if you convince her to stay in faerûn after defeating the netherbrain— i know this quote because i saved it as i love it very much— she says: “mother gith battled for liberty - but it was only here, with you, that i learned what it meant to be free. yes - i will stay. my destiny is for neither vlaakith nor orpheus to decree. it is mine.”

and orpheus acts like everything he did was for nothing after that, which is kind of dumb. voss is obviously still going to fight for githyanki liberation (he has a letter about this in the epilogue), and you can see several of them taking to the skies afterwards. the githyanki people will be liberated, but it doesn’t have to be lae’zel who spends the rest of her life doing it for him. she’s found friends here. family.

she’s made a life of her own, and it’s unfair to ask her to throw that away for a war she didn’t start. like, for fuck’s sake, she’s twenty-two. she’s the youngest of the origins, and honestly, after seeing so much content of her throughout my several campaigns, it makes sense. lae’zel is the way she is because not only is she very young, she was also raised a soldier in a cutthroat environment. she’s never known any different, not until the pc and the tadfools party comes along to turn her worldview upsidedown.

if you ask her to stay, she seems so happy in the epilogue. plus, if you happened to steal an egg from the crèche and have exceptional approval with her, you can ask if the egg has hatched yet, and it leads to my favorite line of hers in the game: “so it has. i call him Xan. ‘freedom.’ tonight, he is safe among people i proudly call friends. what a wonder he is. he will be a fine warrior, if he chooses. or a poet, or an explorer, or a scholar. i was afforded a destiny of my own choosing. when he comes of age, it is only right i give Xan the same.”

she’s happy, and free, having adventures of her own all over faerûn with people she trusts. she’s raising her adoptive son and giving him the childhood she was never allowed to have. it’s such a great ending for her and i love her so fucking much.

[xdraonarts]

I don't draw the starting stages of aelric and emp's relationship often enough and should really try to draw more of it

(this takes place in act 1)

[a2zillustration]

Will SOMEONE please be nice to me in these trying times,

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[calistozom]

SPOILER WARNING for one of the endings. And also, I may be exaggerating a little.

In my first run, I tried to reach the best possible ending. Even though I chose the Emperor (because he, at the very least, didn't try to kill me the first time I met him), in my personal canon, after the great final, my OС would try to resurrect the gith Prince. NOT just because I felt sorry for Orpheus, but also because I felt guilty for actually destroying Lae’zel's life… twice... my "lil angry war-frog" didn't deserve it! ＞︿＜

And I ALSO understand that most of those dramatic deaths are used purely for the sake of the plot and this is a REALLY GOOD plot in many ways ... HOWEVER, I still resent how quickly our rebel giths buried their Prince. Like WTF, Voss?! What the actual F….???

I may not know everything about resurrection mechanics in DnD, but I do know that THERE ARE a lot of ways to bring someone back from the dead. Like all my resurrection scrolls, or "Divine Intervention" (from clerics), or resurrection spells (from almost all mages/sorceress/warlocks/clerics/paladins/etc.), or the "Wish" spell (which Gale's "friend" Elminster is clearly capable of), or the "Reincarnation" spell (which druids are capable of), or you can ask Withers/Jergal to create a miracle for the last time (although he most likely would have refused and I don’t judge him). Just ask for help, you stupid kith’rak! * screams of rage *

P.S. – while I was drawing, my sister showed me THIS and I felt like it fits, so I’m leaving a link to you. Thank gods, that I’m not the only one who asks these questions.

[corpium]

Ansur!Tav fic in which Ansur reincarnates as Tav and slowly realizes his dream guardian is awfully familiar in the worst fucking way. This could be a horribly dramatic, tragic story.

however, I propose instead... comedy!

Let the companions suffer through them constantly bitching at each other. Maybe somehow Ansur is still an undead spirit posessing Tav so Emps is like "who's the abomination now??" and Astarion's like "now wait just a second, there's nothing wrong with being undead" and Minthara's casually dropping super wise truth bombs on them about their relationship and Karlach and Wyll ship it

[certifieddilfenjoyer]

Astral Prism, Orpheus & Raphael Theory

So you know how most people in Baldur's Gate 3 fandom make the Raphael joke?

I'm here to tell you that it's extremely hurtful, because his character has a lot more depth than some of you are willing to see.

Behold, my Baldur's Gate 3 theory:

Right before we enter Act 3, we are jumped by githyanki who want to retrieve our Astral Prism. We are summoned to the Dream Visitor - The Emperor, to help him in the fight.

We find out then that our supposed ally is an illithid but there is one more guy, The Gith, the Orpheus, The Prince of the Comet.

You can ask the Emperor what the heck is a githyanki doing there and he will tell you the brief story about the War of The Comet*.

He is going to mention, that he is bound by INFERNAL chains. Hold on? How come?

After we are done with the Royal Guard, we can go to the upper left side from Orpheus's prison and find an ancient Githyanki disc. It will tell us, that Vlaakith had some infernal business conducted with a devil with wry charm. Of course Raphael isn't the only devil capable of being charming, but it feels natural for it to be him when he is already a very important character in game.

Baldur's Gate 3 Wiki says that it is indeed Vlaakith and Raphael.

OK, but why would they exchange the Astral Prism and is it Vlaakith getting it or Raphael receiving the relic?

He is giving it to Vlaakith. But how would he be in possession of such an artifact?

My theory: He is the one who had it created for that trade. (Commissioned from someone else)

Explanation:

If you look at Hope's and Orpheus's prison, you will notice a striking resemblance at the crystals that can be only shattered by the Orphic Hammer. A Hammer, that Raphael is in possession of! How convenient!

(Even Hope's and Orpheus' eyes are glowing in the same way when they are enslaved.**)

The runes and the design of both Astral Prism and Orpheus' shackles are also strikingly similar. It does not look like anything of Githyanki creation, it screams infernal.

But that still doesn't really add up, does it? Who would possibly create such a powerful object which plays such a major role in the plot?

Here, we have to familiarise ourselves with the wonderful post by Bearhugsandshrugs

Em explains above who the people visiting House of Hope are***.

One of them is a crazy, extremely knowledgeable wizard who specialises in creating copies of himself which prevents him from dying in battle.

When we kill Raphael, we kill him in HoH, in his own domain. He should be gone, for good! But yet, upon interacting with the Orb of Infernal Envisioning, we see that he is soon to be devoured by his father. Hells do not split into separate planes - so either Mephisto snatched his soul somehow (which seems impossible because his body is still there and devil's souls are their bodies) or Raphael respawned and his father took one of his clones or something like that. (He's just so cool I had to put it in here, but let me return to my theory now)

Another name on the list points out to Raphael's interest in different planes (even the ones which don't seem to be reachable) but also, magical puzzle boxes capable of holding items inside. As you can see, the name on the list is under the uninvited visitors section, which most likely means that they either fuel his soul pillars or have been turned into a soul coin. So it didn't have to be that particular person helping Raphael with the creation of the Astral Prism, but it points out to his interest in that topic.

Now, when would that even happen?

Karsus Folly took place in -339 DR, BG3 takes place in 1492 DR, around 2000 years later.

The enslavement of Orpheus - so also the Vlaakith trade - happened at around -4000 DR.

It is not impossible that Raphael was already around and scheming at that time. Why? Because Mephistopheles gifted Haarlep to Raphael most likely when Raphael was about to get the Crown before his father snatched it. Comparing their visual age, it seems that Raphael was already a young adult cambion at around the War of The Comet age.

Another thing is the fact that, Kith'rak Voss, the badass Githyanki Red Dragon rider, the sword of Vlaakith, found out about Raphael and contacted him and told us to get our ass inside Sharess Caress. Raphael doesn't mention him having an 'office' there, it's Voss who does it. Only upon entering the place, we can interact with Korrilla who's like, hey girl go upstairs Raphael rented a room hoping you'd drop by. HE KNOWS WE SPOKE TO VOSS, he has to! And also, Voss was around when Orpheus got enslaved! According to Wiki he was inside the Astral Plane when that happened. And Raphael has absolutely 0 interest in trading with Voss, yet the githyanki managed to reach him somehow. In my opinion, when he finally realised the lies of Vlaakith, he was looking for a specific devil, for Raphael, because he might remember him from back then.

(* Justice to my poor Githyanki, the most based and cool race in BG3. Imagine how painful it has to be to realize over centuries of time that you helped the self-proclaimed queen establish her tyranny over your own people because you've been brainwashed to believe that Orpheus is a traitor and Vlaakith the rightful heir of the throne)

(** The eyes, the chains, the crystals. The top of the Orphic Hammer is literally partially built from that same gem/crystal and on top of that, if you use Examine on it, it clearly states that it has been built in Infernal forges.)

(*** headcanon warning: The Amulet of Vigor that is present in the Archive is actually proven to have some... Other invigorating capabilities ☠️☠️☠️ and the old, ancient, crazy wizard has the boudoir privileges. Coincidence? ☠️☠️)

Anyways, to sum up:

• Githyanki disc shows us a deal between Vlaakith and Raphael where the devil gives her the Astral Prism.

• Raphael orders creation of the Orphic Hammer (the name itself, come on, it's such a mockery just like House of Hope) to make sure that he has the means to free him if it will benefit him in any way.

• In exchange for the Hammer, he receives some kind of knowledge of ascension to godhood. (Lae'Zel tells us during the game that ascension is the githyanki's greatest honour but it turns out it is nothing else but ensuring that Vlaakith remains alive and a god, because she just consumes the life force of her greatest warriors)

• Hope's and Orpheus's chains are strikingly similar and the part of the Orphic Hammer is built from the same gem/crystal that seems to be enslaving both of them.

So yea, my humble request is that you start fully appreciating the incredible writing of the game, instead of just focusing on the shallow 'haha bottom' jokes. I could make another post about that itself, but it's pointless. I hope you enjoyed!

[its-sixxers]

some loosey goosey messy sketches of tavrosha, half-orc paladin of ilmater.

[icapturedthecastle]

Baldur's Gate + some of my favorite shitposts

Astarion Gale Shadowheart Karlach Wyll Lae'zel Withers Bonus Companions Villains

[stompanieart]

drawing them in a way that is already making me physically ill

[des-no9]

shadow talk

Vanquish/Orpheus

Written from the dialgoue prompt "What are you going to do, kiss me?"

----

“You really are so small,” he says, prowling across the dark room. Small. Warm. Tucked far in the bowels of the rebel base. Few ventured down here. Said they could hear the circling screams still of those who’d died on this shattered planet, now home.

Vanquish sees Orpheus’ shadow before she sees him. Had long felt him before anything else. The lustre of his power saturing floors and rock. Screaming lines in the Astral Sea before anyone can hear.

“Still at it with the obvious statements,” she says watching the wither of her shadows on the wall as she moves, dances, the small cavern lit by her purple thermal cube, by small arcane orbs. She sees the echo of her aberrant forms dance back on the walls instead of her own figure, a halo of eyes above, several limbs, tentacles. Constellation. And if she could admit to herself, a swathe of void fire that looks too much like you, like me.

“There is little to you,” he begins, steps closer. At her back, a psionic lit hand hovering against bare skin, “that is obvious.”

The proximity of his touch, like pins scattered to her skin. Glass, shattered. Uncomfortable.

A pause. And stares at the shape of his reflection. Formed. Whole. But the edges warping, weary. Shaking with the lances of his psionics, barely contained.

Then touch.

Cold. A palm, skating over the rough ridges of her bare back, to the softness of her flesh, malleable, crunched between fingers so long, so powerful. His claws are unlike Voss’. Shorter. Blunt. 

He holds onto her so tight. Won’t let go. 

Vanquish still, caught in his grip as she feels his chest bear against her back. But watches her shadows move still. Dance, as she caught. 

Exhales as she leans back. Can almost make out the shape of Orpheus’ tattoos print onto her flesh. They want to.

“What are you going to do?” she says, feeling his other hand skim up her arm, feel the shape of her bare breast, as fingers dig in. Lift. Misshape. Lets it drop as he feels the roughness of her burns, digs in digs in– “Kiss me?” Snaps a breath, in. “Cut me?” Feels the drag of his fangs against her scalp, breath hot. “Kill me?” 

Her last words a whisper. 

Her next sound, not.

[vetochkarowan]

you disappointed us, orpheus

[shiranui7]

So... I reached the epilogue party and I have STRONG opinions about what happened in the end. I sacrificed myself turning into a Mind Flyer and destroyed the Absolute. I gave my friends the best endings possible: Wyll, at peace with his father and freed from Mizora, went to Avernus with Karlach, who didn't die and found a way to fix the engine. Gale was freed from the orb, Lae'zel and Orpheus went on their journey to save their people, Astarion got rid of Cazador, Halsin got my help to remove the shadow curse and Shadowheart found out about her true self, rejecting Shar. Everyone I helped during the game wrote me letters to thank me and that was cute. But what did I actually got from all of them?

Astarion: said that he needed time to metabolize the transformation and friendzoned me. Well, ok, let's wait like I did with him. At the party, he asked me if I was still myself. Wtf!? He wasn't rude then and was sorry for what happened to me but..No hugs were offered, despite being my romanced character and he seemed to have decided that I was no longer "lover material". I was distraught as hell.

Lae'zel and Orpheus: weren't physically there but thanked me and swore to remember my deeds. Nice, I can forgive the no hug option.

Wyll: no hug option, just a dialogue about how he's faring in Avernus with Karlach. Meh.

Karlach: happy to see me but immediately commented on my appearance. I can let it slide. Hug option but only if you don't ask her other things. Meh.

Gale: kept making jokes about mind flayers and commented how he was happy to be still himself instead of a damn brain sucker.....pretty insensitive, even though he apologised.

Shadowheart and Halsin: They commented on how much they missed me and offered hugs with no limits. Halsin made me a wooden duck. I hugged them like 4 times each. Best reactions.

Owlbear and Scratch: they recognised me and showed no changes in their demeanour despite my appearance. As always, animals are better than people.

So during our adventure I accepted a blood sucker, two time bombs, a religious fanatic, a brainwashed warrior, a man linked to a Devil and a horny bear dude, but they can't accept ME with a Squid-face? If I were there as my real life self, I would have probably burst into tears and walked away from that farce of a party.

I ended up putting everyone's happiness before mine and what I got in return was getting ostracized. Even in a video game, I still make my real life mistakes. That hurts.😔

[wellthebardsdead]

Orpheus: one of you must become ghaik if your- ally here refuses to aid you.

The emperor: if you side with him then our alliance is at an end.

Tav: that’s fine- *casts sending* Hi can you reach us in the astral?

The emperor: who are you talking t-

Omeluum: *suddenly appears holding Blurgs hand* Greetings. We are here to assist.

Blurg: *refusing to leave his side after the iron throne incident* hello! Please don’t kill my husband kind Githyanki- I just got him back.

Tav: hi guys this is prince Orpheus! Orpheus this is Blurg and Omeluum, he’s a friendly mind flayer!

Orpheus: a friendly ghaik? Interesting, it seems our dilemma has been solved then.

The emperor: …Fuck.

[a2zillustration]

Please no more deaths,

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[paarthursass]

Reversing Ceremorphosis

There is an interesting debate to be had about whether mind flayers experiencing extreme partialism (the Emperor, Tav/Orpheus/Karlach depending on the ending) are truly the same person they were before ceremorphosis. According to 5e's lore, when a person undergoes full ceremorphosis they die and the tadpole takes full control. They normally experience none of the host's memories except in rare cases, where a phenomena known as "partialism" occurs.

Even in a non-magical setting "is something that experiences all your memories the same person as you" would be a tricky question, and in a setting where there are indisputably souls that depart the body upon death...that question becomes even stickier.

And that all brings me to my main point, which is: what is the best way to reverse ceremorphosis?

So we have two options in front of us:

Option 1) Though the tadpole may retain all the memories of its host, it is not them. The host (Balduran, Tav, Karlach, etc.) dies during ceremorphosis and what is left is a mind flayer tadpole experiencing their memories as their own. But their soul is gone, they are dead.

Option 2) The tadpole is experiencing the host's memories indistinguishably from its own. For all intents and purposes, it is the same person.

The game itself does not give us clear answers to this. Ansur speaks to the Emperor as if he were Balduran. Gale wishes to still marry you after ceremorphosis, indicating he at least still views you as the same person. The other characters don't seem to be of this viewpoint. The look Lae'zel gives you before she flies away with Orpheus is such a sad look that it reads, to me, like she views you as dead. Everyone talks at length about your "sacrifice," and it is clear they mean more than just your appearance. A romanced Wyll speaks about your future together like it is a lost dream, like you are already dead even though you're right there. There is no clear answer.

Which brings me to my second question...

What is the best way to reverse ceremorphosis?

Because the way I see it, there are two main options (not including Wish, which I will get to in a bit)

Option 1) True Polymorph. An illithid (or someone else of appropriate skill level) could cast this on them and polymorph them back to their original form. After an hour the effects are permanent, and they're not a mind flayer anymore! However, how "valid" this cure is depends on whether or not you consider the tadpole with the host's memories to basically be the host. Their soul has gone from their body, but they are not a mind flayer anymore and they have all their memories so...what are they? Are they Them, or are they something new?

Option 2) True Resurrection. This requires no body, nor any fragment of the body, and can be used so long as the target hasn't been dead for longer than 200 years. Especially considering Gale was able to get his hands on one scroll of True Resurrection, it doesn't seem all that unlikely (if perhaps a little difficult) that he and the others could get their hands on another.

But an illithid restored via True Resurrection would only have their memories right up until ceremorphosis killed them. They would have no recollection of defeating the Netherbrain and everything that came after (such as traversing Avernus, if they decided to go with Wyll and Karlach.)

And, more importantly (and horrifically) the mind flayer with their memories is still there, too.

Think about that for a moment. You remember dying, you remember the agony of your body becoming something else but then your friends brought you back from that, they saved you. But that thing is still there; walking around in what used to be your body, with your memories rattling around in its head.

And how does that feel for the mind flayer left behind?

You still think you are you, but then...there you are. Your friends wanted you back so badly but not you, no the other you, the you were before, the you they clearly think is the real one. You are not yourself, in spite of everything you have shared, everything you have done...

And as for the Wish spell, that is a notoriously finicky option. The spell description itself states "wishing that a villain were dead might propel you forward in time to a period when that villain is no longer alive" and "wishing for a legendary magic item or artifact might instantly transport you to the presence of the item's current owner."

So...who is to say that using Wish to restore someone from ceremorphosis would not simply bring the person back, the second before they transformed, with the mind flayer still there as well? Who is to say Wish would not simply do what a True Polymorph spell would do, and transform the mind flayer into their previous form without restoring the soul of the original owner?

I don't have any good answers for this, but I am fascinated by the implications of it all.