#Astarion secretly loves it tho

[fruity-m0nster]

draws your otp like that one Scott and Ramona party scene

[nethereasypeasy]

Some fluffy head canons I have about the Baldurs Babes

mainly at camp :)

Gale stops tav to lace their boots, sarcastically tutting as he does it.

Karlach holds her hands round someones bowl and cups to warm them if they cool down too much. (Mama K microwave™)

Jaheira and Halsin share nightcaps and chat about the tadpole team. Mainly laughing at their comparative lack of experience - always ends on a 'they're good eggs tho' vibe.

Astarion and Shadowheart rate people's hair to eachother as an injoke, tav hears them mumbling numbers behind them whenever they speak to someone.

Lae'zel asks Gale to explain and pronounce things when no one is around because the 'annoying wizard' won't make fun, he's too eager to teach.

Jaheira has the best bedtime stories but they get Karlach hyped up and she asks a lot of questions till Astarion begs her to be quiet. Wyll takes mental notes for his own storytelling.

Karlach will force a game of 'I Spy' any time there is silence on the road.

Wyll is very good at little random gifts, he just remembers anything someone mentions to him. He's also low-key emotional if you return that kindness, 'you remembered?! 😭'

Halsin stops, kneels and whispers as he points and shows tav interesting plants or animals he spots when walking. 'look there's the mother and her babies' type shit. (He is camp dad(dy) ok)

Wyll teaches Lae'zel fencing. She's too keen though and tries to pin him down. She is not as graceful... But she has fun... chk!

Gale keeps a tiny portrait of Tara on him, you can't tell me modern au Gale's phone wouldn't be full of cat pics.

Astarion watches over the camp at night, he acts like he 'might as well/ I'm the only one lurking in the dark around HERE darlings' but sometimes he secretly gets a little teary looking at his first real friends all together.

Shadowheart writes moody poetry. She would tell Gale but she doesn't care for his taste... Or his possible critiques. If he ever did find her journal though he would be VERY enthused.

Astarion and tav will play with people's wardrobes when looting. Tav loves a funny hat and Astarion will do impressions of who he thinks would wear such god's awful attire.

Gale and Wyll play chess together after dinner some nights. They both say progressively cheesy lines when they take pieces, which is its own game itself at this point.

Halsin would quietly sing or hum to owlbear baby and scratch at night. Little lullabies and he'd probably tuck them in too. OR he'd be big daddy bear and snuggle up, especially when owlbear is scared and misses his mum.

The gang have played 'never have I ever' ONE time and ONE time only. It was a messy night.

... Jaheira was 100% last man standing.

[herdarkestnightelegance]

Astarion dislikes dancing

What's this? Me, actually writing and sharing my first headcanon? Please be kind I'm scared lol

Astarion dislikes dancing.

Just like with intimacy, he always used dancing to enchant victims before luring them away to his Master. Oh, he is good at dancing too, smooth and sensual. But that’s just it: for him it's another tool in his repertoire.

One night, after a battle well fought and after looting a wine cellar, the party is enjoying themselves. There is drunken singing and laughter in the camp. Tav, Karlach and Wyll are dancing and spirits are high.

Not Astarion's tho. He sits by the fire, wine goblet in hand.

Suddenly Tav pulls him up to his feet. He's about to hit them with one of his snarky remarks - but their wide smile and flushed cheeks are just too sweet, too ... infectious!

So he joins in. Reluctant, stiff and awkward at first.

But soon he loosens up and even starts enjoying himself.

This dance is not a performance, not a hunt. It’s just a joyful and silly moment to let himself go and have fun with people he secretly started to care about.

Full disclaimer: I've used my other, ✨aesthetic✨blog @herautumnmorningelegance to send this headcanon to @kittenintheden, who kindly shared and commented on it, but I think I would love to start sharing my headcanons now too, even if I already shared them with some of the lovely and talented writers around the fandom. 🥹👉👈

[fourraccoonsinacoat]

As much as I adore Gale, I am incapable of giving him the Necromancy of Thay because in my headcannon, Astarion is genuinely shocked and secretly thrilled that you're entrusting the book to him. And my Tav or Durge always sees it as an opportunity to show Astarion that he's valued and that it has nothing to do with his looks, charm or attractiveness.

Astarion, probably moreso than anyone else in your party, understands how cheap words can be. I love the concept of giving him something valuable and entrusting him to figure its secrets out. Showing him through actions that you trust and value him.

I'm sorry, Gale! You my bro, tho!

[consistencynevermether]

Astarion x Wizard! Tav reader

A/N: part 3 of my Astarion with different Tav classes. its magic time baby

summary- 1.1k words, SFW, gn reader

Astarion x Wizard! Tav 

Neeeeerd

No seriously, that's Astarions reaction to you being a wizard. You choose to base your entire life around studying? You two are basically like oil and water in a lot of ways. 

Ok but in all seriousness, Astarion does admire your dedication to your craft. He sees how much work you put into learning new spells and is genuinely excited when you get it right 

It doesn’t mean he’s gonna stop making fun of you though. You're telling him you belong to a SCHOOL of magic??? Need for Academic validation much? Oh and please, if you're gonna wear wizard robes try to make them a little stylish, or he’ll come for your sense of fashion too.

Actually, I bet he’d help you spice up your outfits a little. A thigh slit here, a tasteful gold embroidery there, your not completely beyond hope

Dw tho, you can absolutely get him back. Oh, you need some magical assistance? Maybe help figuring out how a magical item works? Uh oh, looks like the rouge needs the wizard's help after all dontcha astarion? 

It’s definitely the highlight of your day when he has to ask for help. Unfortunately, it goes both ways. His speed and skills have definitely saved your ass in battle before 

Honestly, it’s giving annoyances to lovers. Plus I’m convinced at least 40% of Astarions love language is sass and knife cat energy. 

He enjoys the banter definitely, but it’s never meant to cut too deep. He’s good at reading people, so say you're having trouble learning this one spell and you're starting to get frustrated. He can definitely tell and knows not to make jokes about your magic today. He can’t exactly help, because this man is NOT magically inclined. But he’ll pull you away from the spell scroll long enough for you to take a deep breath and have a break. It helps in its own way because now you can come back to it with a more calm mindset. 

You can’t tell me this man isn’t laughing (a little manically) when you cast fireball. I mean come on that’s one of the most entertaining things he’s seen in 200 years let him have some fun

But also-  

He secretly finds your powers very cool. I mean there’s something beautiful about magic at its core, he can’t help but be just a little entranced. And you’ve definitely used magic to show off to him just a lil (make a rose out of magic blue light or somethin he’ll scoff but find it endearing) 

Honestly, I imagine you two are a slight hoarder couple. I mean you need to have all these ingredients for spells on you, and Astarions a rouge he definitely has like at least 5 knives on him at all times. Also the magic items. You both love to hoard those, just in case they’re useful 

If you actually do have some sort of wizard's tower, layer, study, or something Astarion wants to see it

He’ll make a joking excuse as to why he wants to see your lair. And he’s DEFINITELY gonna grab a random cloak in there and do a bad wizard impersonation 

BUT- 

The real reason he wants to see it is because it’s an integral part of you. It’s basically your home, where you store everything you find valuable, where the pantry is always stocked with the food you like, and where the bed has the exact number of pillows you want it to have. Astarion wants to know these things about you. 

I imagine after you finally defeat the mindflayers and everyone goes off to find their own way (or maybe you all stick together and keep adventuring while also occasionally having individual adventures, who am I to break up your found family) you immediately take Astarion to your tower and start working on methods to help him walk in the sun. magic sunscreen? Enchanted daylight ring? Charmed circlet? You've got options and you're not afraid to use them. Anything to make it so that Astarion doesn’t have to live his life in darkness anymore. You jest and say it would be a true tragedy if you couldn't see his beautiful silver hair kissed by the sunrise, but in reality, you were immediately tearing through every tome you owned looking for a solution. After all, who wouldn't do anything for the man that held their heart? 

Ok now imagine. You and Astarion just completed a mission, saving some people in the grove with Halsin. And you already had received a message from Wyll and Karlach asking for assistance smoking out a group of assasins that had settled in Baldurs gate. But gods you were so tired. It was nearly midnight when you both decided to crash at your liar instead of heading straight to the location Wyll had given you. You were both covered in mud, twigs, and other “gifts of nature” as Astarion had described them in a voice mocking Halsins. You were so tired your eyelids stung, and everything was hazy. You both more or less stumbled into your study, already half asleep. 

Of course, you had become a bit more coherent when you realized that there was only one bed. And two of you. Now this might seem a bit ridiculous to care about things like that considering how close the two of you are and how much you have been through and done together, but now hear me out. This man has spent the last 200 years either not having a bed or being forced to share one. You had both decided he needed some time to just be able to have his own space to sleep, after all, you had all of your lifetime together, and you wanted him to be comfortable, so whenever he had come to your study, he slept on the couch. You had wanted to get him a cot or something of his own at the place, buuut it had kinda slipped your mind entirely. And the couch he slept on was currently covered in about 50 books stacked across the couch, another thing you had forgotten about. Whoops. 

You and Astarion both looked at the pile of books on the couch and then at each other. You felt like you were about to pass out where you stood and he didn't look much better. There was an instant understanding between the both of you, that understanding being “fuck it” as you both collapse onto your bed, neither taking off your filthy armor and robes, simply passing out on the spot.

You awoke to a certain vampires face buried in the crook of your neck, trying to block out the sun now shining in his eyes. Eventually, you both dragged yourself out of the small bed and cleaned yourselves up before heading off to Wyll's location, but after this situation you both unspokenly began to sleep in the same bed alot more often.

[leighsartworks216]

K i feel like Astarion is the type to act like he hates cheesy love songs but secretly loves it when tav sings via la rose or i love you too much like that level of cheesey songs to him

Bard Tav serenading him with Somethin' Stupid by Frank Sinatra tho

[vodkacheesefries]

I officially have three saves going and I realized my Tavs accidentally fit the "McDonald's coffee" meme a little too perfectly

Info dump under the cut! Spoilers ahoy, read at ur own risk

Io the Cleric (she/they)

Very practical sort, camp mom even though their girlfriend Shadowheart is the dedicated healer. Carries snacks for everyone.

She gets very upset at first when people default to her choices and sorta view her as the leader and then get mad when she makes a choice they don't like. Doesn't do great with the pressure.

Secretly also only recently learned how to swim but gotta be brave for the girlfriend

Also romancing Halsin because I couldn't in Gritty's playthrough (because they romanced Wyll) but I'm also a sucker for the tall/small trope

But goddamn do both Shadowheart and Halsin make me/Io blush sometimes

Technically broke her oath for her paladin mutliclass because she wouldn't kill the vampire spawn and released them but we had 1000 gold handy so everything's fine, totally didn't send them into their own mini faith crisis

Very much has a Ninth Doctor "Just this once, everybody lives!" moment when she somehow managed to successfully keep all of the Harper's alive at Moonrise. However they do feel deeply guilty for not being able to talk Ketheric down.

Has two moms who love her very much and will be thrilled when she brings home a boyfriend AND a girlfriend

"Gritty" the Druid (they/them)

What's their real name? Who knows! Gritty doesn't care, and likely, doesn't remember.

Being a druid they are frequently actually gritty but if they were able to they'd stay in a hot bath for hours

Favorite wild shape is the spider. Actually quite fond of spiders overall. They think they're misunderstood, sorta like tieflings.

Hooked up with Lae'zel at the tiefling party, but broke it off because Gritty has a chill kinda stoner vibe and Lae'zel's intensity was just a biiit too much for them, though they grow to be best friends. Gritty is super depressed when she leaves to go back to take care of Vlaakith, even tho they are completely supportive.

But boy did they fall head over heels unexpectedly for Wyll

Secretly really relieved he didn't want to take over as duke. They weren't keen on staying in the city.

Like your typical newlywed couple, their honeymoon is going to the Hells to kill a demon 💕

Knox the Rogue (they/he)

I literally just started the Dark Urge origin so I know as much as they do about their past so there's not a whole lot for me to work with outside of how I'm building their personality

Trying their damnedest to resist the urge and squash it down

Sorta sardonic, but it's mostly just to cover up how fuckin scared they are

They're jealous of folks like Karlach who can let their guard down enough to feel jovial, even despite the stress they're all under

Right now feels safest with Astarion, and that will hopefully continue because I neeeeed to do his romance route

Feels really bad about Alfira. They want to want to help people, not to want to hurt them.

[malklavian]

thinking about my bg3 playthrough (ass-cended ass-tarion and durge thoughts-dump, some spoilers)

ascended ass-tarion got me feeling things, such a perfect match with my durge. que me just sighing dreamily of this evil as FUCK, UNHINGED duo.

so I RPed my Durge to be at first scared shitless of his mysterious urges, acting nice and heroic and doing good deeds as kind of like a way to surpress those feelings and act normal, focus on his empathy and use it to help people, tho secretly enjoying the bloodbath of his own creation, and the two of them in the beginning had these tense interactions and i'm pretty sure they could each sense in one another that they were fake as fuck, hiding behind these pretty, elaborate masks and lying through their teeth, and still kind of dancing around one another in this intriguing game of guessing, push and pull, seduction

and then as time goes on they both gradually let down their guards and both basically find out they're quite similar, and as durge learns of his bhaal stuff and astarion ascends they both ease into being unapologetically power-hungry and unhinged and obviously have huge control and dominance and obsession issues, and they bring out the best and the absolute worst in each other and throughout all their flaws and shortcomings... they accept one another as they are even when all others leave their side, and i think that's beautiful... as far as dark fictional romances go. ofc they're both completely off the rails in actuality, toxic as all FUCK beyond one's wildest imagination, like when they get into fights over the stupidest shit and it lasts for fucking decades or whatever and then they get back together again only to backstab each other again soon enough. they probably break up at least a dozen a times a century but they always come crawling right back to one another. tho the s3x they have down the line must be absolutely fucking insane, my god...

and also idc about canon, I just know that my durge ascended astarion and took the gift but did not become his slave or anything

i just imagine the scene going on where astarion is more or less convinced durge is gonna kneel and take it, then just durge grabs him by the jaw and is like 'know your place baby vampire you forget yourself, i made you and i could still end you in an instant' and then they almost kill each other but they don't, and eventually durge caves (durge loves to be slapped around hard every once in a while, come on) and then later on durge controls the brain but gives his allies and those worthy free will, and astarion realises again that he once again is subservient to someone and that kind of stings heh but oh well- it's never impossible to make changes to the arrangements again, if one plays their cards right...

actually i think my durge would give nearly everyone free will just for entertainment (kind of like playing sims and turning on free will and watching them piss themselves and die in their own kitchen fires) up until people start getting a bit too disobedient for his liking

and then of course he'd get too cocky and too in love with his own existence and power and murder, and some brave adventurers eventually take him down and he goes down gloriously. and then it's astarion to the rescue, because as much as they bring out the worst in one another, they're absolutely fucking obsessed with each other. they very much have serious issues but they have all of eternity to work through that, or get even WORSE

now that would be an interesting idea if i ever decide to develop a mini dnd campaign. the evil twink demi god villain and his vampire lord bf the power couple who rule an entire realm. kind of like the whole thing with strahd

or maybe it's canon for my durge that he gets so cocky that he defies daddy murder god at some point, either by destroying the brain or something else, and then is stuck in that bad bhaal ending and hunts and begs his friends to kill him. that's such a disturbing ending, i love it. idk if astarion would want to keep him in that state, too much trouble, he'd either give the mercy kill he yearns for or obsessively search for the cure and tear the whole world asunder in the process, depending on when and how that exactly happens

such a fucking DISASTER, i love it. people usually say that ass-cended ass-tarion is bad for him but idk, i dig the narrative. and at first i felt bad about my character 'suddenly' turning evil because it seemed ooc due to how 'good-aligned' he was up to the bhaal reveal but i explain it to myself that he even had ME fooled with this act of being a reedemable good guy he had going on. all around a very interesting playthrough, gg