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kirain · 17 hours
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What's your favorite line from Barcus?
I mean, pretty much all of them. 😅
But these two lines are especially sweet.
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kirain · 22 hours
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Do you think you could do the worst and best traits for the other BG3 Companions like Halsin, Minthara, Minsc and Jaheira
Sure! I should've done so with my first post, but for some reason I only decided to do the main six. I'm also adding Barcus to the list, since he's my favourite NPC and I maintain he should've been a companion.
Worst:
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Best:
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kirain · 3 days
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Thank you so much, @cass-artblog! This is absolutely hilarious and such a sweet gift! ❤
Astarion's just going to have to get used to Barcus, because he's not going anywhere. Gnome matter how much he complains. 🤣
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Gift for @kirain, the biggest Barcus Wroot and gnome enthusiast I know. It’s also an excuse to draw the worst faces I can xD
Astarion’s not a fan.
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kirain · 3 days
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Just wondering why you said Gale is insecure instead of arrogant, 'cause imo that's definitely his worst trait? And why do you think Karlach is irresponsible?
If you're talking about my most recent post, I was going to put Gale down as arrogant (even made the gif for it), but upon reflection I realised insecurity is the root cause of his arrogance. That's why you have to convince him he's good enough without ascending. Most of his arrogance is just him hyping himself up because he's insecure about his place in the world. After all, his greatest fear is that his death would benefit Faerûn.
As for Karlach, she says a lot of really irresponsible things throughout the game, especially to Mattis. I understand why, but encouraging him to con people is erroneous. Most people probably didn't see it, but in Act 1 Meli can actually get slapped by Barth for stealing his locket. As we all know, there's worse people than Barth out there, meaning her advice could easily get Mattis killed. Even considering the need to steal for survival, there's a difference between stealing food and slipping away undetected, versus openly conning people face to face. It's dangerous, especially for a child.
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You also need to talk her down at several points, sometimes requiring a persuasion check. Like when you meet Gortash up close, for example. Attacking him head on would've caused a lot of problems, including potentially getting Duke Ravengard killed.
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Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love her (she's my second favourite companion), but since she was a teen when she was enslaved and immediately thrust into war, I don't think she ever had a chance to mentally mature or develop a proper sense of responsibility. Everything became about survival. About the here and now. She doesn't plan ahead or consider the consequences, unless someone points them out to her. But it's a very understandable and human flaw. Or ... well, you know what I mean. 😅
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kirain · 5 days
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What would you say is every Bg3 companions worst trait?
Worst:
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Best:
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kirain · 5 days
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Barcus getting the love and appreciation he deserves. Wulbren was never worthy.
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Another sketch of Barcus and my Durge
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kirain · 6 days
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kirain · 8 days
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Can you post all of Barcus' reactions to the final conflict?
I sure can!
First - Siding with Wulbren and killing all the Gondians (this physically hurt me).
Second - Intimidation check, convincing Wulbren to leave.
Third - Siding with the Gondians and killing Wulbren in the conflict.
Fourth - Persuasion check. Barcus becomes leader of the Ironhand Gnomes.
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kirain · 11 days
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I just got the most heartbreaking lines in the entire game. If you pass an intimidation check and scare Wulbren away, Barcus remains stuck in his cycle of abuse; admitting Wulbren was never truly happy with him, but refusing to let him go, in fear that he may destroy himself. 😔
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I have a feeling that when they were younger, Wulbren's relationship with Barcus was one-sided even then, but he hid it better. I have no in-game evidence for this, but Barcus does strike me as someone who's easily manipulated by his friends, so I can't help but wonder if Wulbren only kept him around to take advantage of his brilliance.
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In his dairy, there is a passage where he questions if he'll ever see Barcus again, and I thought that was proof he once cared for him, but now I'm not so sure. Perhaps Wulbren only ever saw Barcus as pathetic and annoying, merely tolerating him in case he ever needed a favour. I mean, he does the same thing to the player—only apologising if he thinks he can use us for his "revolution".
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Meanwhile, Barcus carries the amulet he gave Wulbren through every single act...
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kirain · 12 days
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Question. How do you handle the age differences and life spans of your tavs/romances in bg3?
Are you asking if I've made my Tavs age-equal to the romances I've picked for them? If so, then I've actually been very careful about that. Lore-wise, I can't stand the thought of my character dying hundreds of years sooner or living hundreds of years longer than their partner. So I adhered to D&D 5E lore. If you're interested, I've explained most of the lifespans below.
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Serena, my canon character, is human and romanced Gale. In D&D, the average lifespan of a human is 120 years, but since she and Gale are both wizards, they could potentially live for thousands of years. It all depends on the magic they wield. Elminster, for example, is nearly 1,300 years old. Otherwise, they'll age alongside each other as equals.
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Saska is a Seldarine drow. On average they last between 400-750 years, depending on if they survive and leave the Underdark. Saska has indeed left the Underdark, works as a bard, and romanced Karlach. Tieflings typically live to 150; however, Karlach has the potential to live longer since her body has been so drastically altered. Upon finding a permanent upgrade for her engine, it's possible she could live just as long as a drow, if not longer, as she's been touched by infernal technology.
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Ez'ria is a githyanki fighter/storm sorcerer. This one was easy, since she romanced Lae'zel. With any luck, they'll both live to a nice, healthy 120 years old; the average lifespan of a gith.
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Eilonwy is my redeemed Dark Urge half-elf. On average they last about 180 years. This one's a bit more complicated because I partnered her with Astarion, who's a pure high elf and a vampire. High elves live to an average of 750 years, and vampires/spawn are of course immortal. But I've given this a lot of thought. Eilonwy, for example, is a druid, and because of their connection to nature/magic, their aging slows to 10% of what they would normally age. This means Eilonwy has the potential to reach 1,800. I should also mention that there are cures to vampirism in D&D 5E, so I like to think they find one at some point during their travels.
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Bakara is a tiefling sorcerer of the draconic bloodline. Another semi-easy one, since I partnered her with Wyll. As I mentioned before, tieflings typically live to 150, whereas humans live to 120. I headcanon that my tiefling was already 50 when she met Wyll; who, according to Larian, is 24 during the events of BG3. To clarify, tieflings are considered young adults by the age of 20 and full adults when they reach the age of 60. So despite being 50, she's mentally around the same age as Wyll.
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Thalias is a high half-elf Selûnite cleric. Possibly the easiest one, since he romanced Shadowheart, who is also a high half-elf who becomes a Selûnite cleric (at least in my game). With Selûne's blessing, they could live however long she desires, but on average they'll both live to be 180.
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I also made an adorable little deep gnome named Mira to sweep Barcus off his feet. I shall wait patiently for Larian or a clever modder to make him romancable. The average lifespan for gnomes is 350 years.
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Halsin is a bit more complicated, since he's a pure wood elf and a druid. This means he could conceivably live to be 7,500 years old, which is wild. I do plan on doing a playthrough where I romance him, and when I do I'll be making a mysterious wood elf named Arawen, a warlock who made a pact with an ancient archfey. So in addition to living to 750; as per the average lifespan of her race, as long as her pact remains in tact, she will live as long as her patron allows.
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kirain · 13 days
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You're not normal about Barcus
Thank you! 😁
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kirain · 14 days
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Hi! I love your metas and I had a question if you don't mind. I love Barcus but I'm a bit confused by the Ironhand gnomes and why they were so mad at the Gondians? Did I maybe miss something?
Omg, I'm so glad someone asked me this! Thank you, anon. I broached this exact subject with my friend a few days ago, and I'd already considered writing a post about it, so this was the kick I needed! Barcus is hands down my favourite NPC (perhaps of all time) and the gnome plight is easily my favourite side quest in the entire game, so I'm excited to share what I've learned!
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To preface, I'd like to mention that most gnomes, according to D&D lore, live in clans and keep to themselves. This is especially true for deep gnomes, as the Underdark is an exceedingly dangerous homeland. Their people are often enslaved by drow or duergar, or eaten by other nefarious creatures that lurk in the shadows. As such, they have become a profoundly somber and cynical race, relying only on each other for survival. They're also extremely wary of strangers, as Barcus perfectly demonstrates when we first meet him.
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Now, a history lesson. The Ironhand Gnomes, who at some point left the Underdark, worked in Baldur's Gate for generations, providing the city with the best mechanomagical inventions the populace had ever seen. Though they still kept to themselves and worked in isolation, they were well respected by the citizens, and flourished enough to inspire other gnomes to seek a new life in the city as well. This may not have been their goal, but whether they meant to or not, they brought gnomish innovation to the forefront of one of the most multicultural cities in all of Faerûn.
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More importantly, the Ironhand Gnomes worshipped a lesser deity called Gaerdal Ironhand, who Wulbren's ancestor, Wolverforce Bongle, allegedly conversed with. Massive however, in all of my research, I haven't been able to find any evidence that he was truly capable of such a feat, nor is he ever referred to as a "Chosen" by either himself or anyone from his clan. Therefore, it's possible this is nothing more than an unsubstantiated claim made by zealots. A book called Ironhand Gnomes: Our Grievances can be found in the gnome hideout in Act 3, verifying some of this information, but it's glaringly biased against the Gondians, with radically religious and violent undertones.
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But where did this hatred come from? Well, according to the book, the Ironhand Gnomes shared some of their expertise with other clans, and some of those clans took what they learned and opened their own workshops. The Gondians, who worship Gond, did particularly well, constructing their own factories and becoming quick competition. They even built a Gondian Church in the city, and attributed their success to Gond; god of craft, smithing, and inventiveness. For whatever reason, the Ironhands didn't appreciate this and accused the Gondians of stealing their methods and designs, as well as pointing out flaws in their "shoddy" craftsmanship.
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However, Gondian work was relatively flawless, as well as artifice-based, meaning it relied on science and raw materials. The Ironhands specialised in mechanomagical inventions, meaning they imbued their engines with arcane influence. This put the Gondians and Ironhands at odds with each other, as Gond espoused artifice supremacy, whereas Gaerdal Ironhand, according to Wolverforce, accused Gond of being a thief. So yes, we've reached the crux of the issue—religious turmoil. Both gods, I should mention, are good-aligned and easily misinterpreted, so of course that adds another layer of complications.
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In response to the Ironhand's accusations, the Gondians started slandering the Ironhand clan, losing them favour in the city. In other words, the feud quite literally became a he said/she said situation, with both clans acting like petty children. Whether or not the Ironhand Gnomes taught the Gondians a few tricks, they weren't owed credit for their inventions. That would be like my friend showing me how to use Adobe Animate, then demanding credit for all of my artwork thereafter ... and all while criticising it. And the Gondians, though attempting to protect their reputation, had no right to spread lies about the Ironhand clan, not all of whom participated in the drama. They could've let their work speak for itself.
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But this war of finger-pointing dragged on, with both sides losing and gaining support from confused Baldurians. Eventually, the Ironhands became desperate to get the upperhand, rousing Wolverforce to experiment with the thought-to-be mythical runepowder. This led to what became known as the "Unfortunate Runepowder Incident", wherein the overweening Wolverforce caused a massive explosion, killing himself and countless others in the blast. Wulbren blames this tragedy on the Gondians alone, and many Ironhands seem to feel it was the root of their exile, but there's more to it.
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In reality, the Ironhand Gnomes were banished from Baldur's Gate because they aligned themselves with Sarevok Anchev, the Bhaalspawn who tried to destroy the city in the first game. For some reason, Wulbren completely glosses over this detail, likely because he can't bring himself to admit the Ironhands are responsible for their own downfall. In fact, he brushes it off, as if it's some insignificant happenstance that deserves forgiveness without merit. After all, it happened over a century ago. Then, in Act 3, he says a painfully backwards line about how he thinks the Gondians would've joined Sarevok, if given the chance. But they did have a chance, and they didn't join him. The Ironhands did. As far as I'm concerned, this highlights Wulbren's extensive denial.
Which brings me around to Barcus and why he's such an endearing character. He doesn't care about ancient feuds or gnome supremacy. He made a name for himself, despite his clan's reputation. The Gondians never saw him as an enemy, and he in turn saw the value in their work. He prefers diplomacy and open dialogue, and he abhors violence to the highest degree. With a little hard work, he proved that the Ironhand Gnomes could've redeemed themselves without resorting to such extreme and radical measures; which is why I will always argue for him to take leadership. He's the best. He's everything. He is the shining future of unity and creation.
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kirain · 16 days
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Get it, mushroom buddies.
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kirain · 17 days
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This is by far Minthara's funniest line. 😂
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kirain · 18 days
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Question:
Has anyone else been having an issue where their half-elf makes the weirdest facial expressions? My girl seems perpetually smug, pouty, or confused, or it looks like she sucked a lemon off screen. I've played as a human, a githyanki, and a drow, but none of them had facial journeys quite like my half-elf. Is this a glitch or a racial rig? 😕
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kirain · 19 days
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Bg3 companions as college roommates?
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Wyll: Despite being a legacy admission, he isn't at all what you expected. In fact, he causes you to reexamine your own personal biases. He's rich, but humble. Privileged, but generous. Popular, but not because he's the son of a duke—in fact, he keeps that detail close to his chest—but because he devotes most of his free time to charity work. He also throws the wildest parties.
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Lae'zel: A foreign exchange student. She's often crude and standoffish, constantly bragging that her education is superior. You don't get along at first, but you soon realise she's homesick and completely out of her element. You offer to help her adjust and she reluctantly, though gratefully, accepts. While you aren't sure if that makes you friends, she at least stops calling you "kainyank".
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Karlach: This woman is insane. She doesn't take her studies seriously and always crams before exams, but somehow she always passes! You feel a tinge of jealousy, since you lack the same good fortune, but you can't hate her. It's impossible. She's a sweetheart who teaches you the definition of fun, often helping you unwind when you need to most.
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Astarion: You don't get much of a chance to know him, as he sleeps all day and only attends night classes. What's worse, he gets expelled within the first week of attendance. You never figure out what he did or why, you only know that the chancellor seemed deeply, deeply traumatised.
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Gale: Kind, attentive, eager to help you with your homework. He's a stellar roommate in every single way ... except for one. He has a habit of running questionable experiments in your dorm, often late into the night, which deprives you of valuable sleep. But he always apologises with a home-cooked meal, so you let it slide. Plus he has a cat.
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Shadowheart: She's very tight-lipped and always turns out the lights, even when you're studying. You're not sure how to feel about her when you first meet, as she's rather aloof and melancholy. Halfway though the semester, however, she suffers a debilitating crisis of faith, which you happily help her overcome. When all is said and done, she considers you her new family.
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Jaheira: She's more like a mother than a roommate. You learn quick that she's a strict taskmaster; you will not leave a mess around the dorm. Cleanliness shows dedication, after all. But you appreciate that. She cares. She wants you to succeed, despite barely knowing you, and she's always willing to listen when you need a shoulder to cry on.
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Minsc: Heavens above, he's the dumbest man you've ever met. Part of you wonders how he even passed the entrance exam, until you discover he didn't. He failed. He's not a student. He just hangs around because he likes you. Yet, for some reason, you find that strangely endearing. Loud and clueless as he is, you feel safe when he's about, and you're quite fond of his hamster.
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Halsin: He's the true definition of a "gentle giant". A chipper jock with a passion for nature and activity. He often drops keen wisdom that aids in your schoolwork, as well as your personal life, making him a near perfect roommate.
...If only he stopped bringing home dates for his late night hanky panky. You can't sleep.
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Minthara: She isn't a roommate, you're just in her room. You should count yourself lucky she tolerates your presence at all. And you better not slack off, because if you do she will report you to the dean. School isn't a joke, and she expects you to take it seriously. Some people would kill to be in your position.
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kirain · 19 days
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Well ... that was quite fucked. 😅
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POV: You make sure Astarion remains a spawn so he doesn't lose himself and become a crazy, narcissistic copy of Cazador, but dominate the brain for Bhaal and have him rule at your side. He's all for it.
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