#I wanted to romance astarion but Shadowheart..

[ofstardustanddreaming]

werewolf love

headcanon summary: dating a werewolf!tav

content warnings: none

fandom: baldur's gate 3

characters: astarion, karlach, shadowheart

gender neutral reader

anon request

astarion:

let's just say, the rivalry between werewolves and vampires are kept up with you two when you first meet. he would glower at you, rolling his eyes as you being the designated unofficial leader. he would rather do anything than follow your lead, but he needed to if he wanted to find cazador.

and you, you found any way you could to annoy him in some form of capacity. you held no ill will to astarion himself, despite having wary distrust for vampires. but you're more so into just annoying him because you know you both are coming from the same spot of having a worm in your heads. (you don't want to admit that the perceived hate from him towards you does sting a little.)

but you strive on, trying to at least get his feelings to be neutral towards you. you may pick on him once in a while, but it's mostly because you feel you have to based on the stereotypes. but one day, things seem to change a little.

"you know, dear, i don't actually hate you. a lot of who i am is an act to keep people at arm's length. i know i was doubtlessly a little more cruel to you than others, but i'm sure part of it was for reasons why you picked on me as well." he says one night, having a hard time making eye contact with you.

you soften, giving him a small smirk. "it's okay vamp, i understand. let's just call it even here, yeah? i'd be glad to call you my friend."

"and here i was hoping to call you more than that." he says, giving you a small smile, trying to waive off the tough talk with humor.

"oh, i'm sure we'll get there in no time with the way we're going now." you tell him, excited for what the future holds.

and from there, you guys do get into a relationship. it turns heads for sure, a vampire and a werewolf. but this time, the quips you both deliver to each other comes from the heart, the teasing aiding in the fiery passion you have for one another. because by god, you're both allowed to make funny insults to the other, but the second someone has something to say about either one of you, the other is at that person's throat to make sure that they apologize for the words they said.

be prepared for astarion making every sort of werewolf joke under the sun. he'll definitely have the gall to act offended though when you make a vampire joke right back at him. he gets so pouty about it, having to sulk at the other end of camp, clearly just using this as an excuse to milk the attention you'd give him as an apology.

in the end, you two compliment each other in the dating lives, having a very balanced relationship despite the small rivalry people expect you to have.

karlach:

oh, she loves meeting someone who turns into a werewolf. i feel like karlach herself is someone who wishes she could be a werewolf because she thinks it's badass. she hangs out with you at first as an infatuation, needing to know how you turning into a werewolf works. she wants to know pain levels or if it's something you're used too, everything.

and as you two get to know each other, it turns into romance eventually. you're the sweethearts to lovers, where her gentle enthusiasm for you and your quiet obsession over her turns into a sweet romance. she loves you and how you dedicate yourself to what you believe in, and you love how fiercely loyal to those she trusts. you make a perfect duo with one another that turns into love.

she held no judgements about you being a werewolf, she's someone who holds her judgement based around if thinks you're a good person or not. she was happy to see how good of a person you are, and she loves being around you.

she also thinks it's nice to be able to cuddle with someone whose body temp runs high like hers, and will pout if you jokingly worm your way out of her hug because you say you're warm.

she absolutely sticks up for you anytime someone makes a snide remark, even if you can stick up for yourself. not many people do have something to say, but there's always one person or another who does have something to say. and she's right there next to you, ready to kick someone's ass over it.

"you know, i think that people are just real assholes sometimes." she growls, clearly hyped up after what someone had to say at the bar you were just at. you were taking laps outside, walking around to help her get some of the energy she had out.

"i know karlach, unfortunately some people just talk. there's nothing i can do but let what they say roll of me, not many people do have shit to say to me." you try to sooth her a bit, so that way she doesn't go back and strangle someone.

she releases a huff of breath frustratingly, wanting to do something. so you offer sparring to take her mind of things, and get the rage of what happened off her mind. it helps her, and as always, ends in a bit of a make out session that gets others to sigh at what you're doing.

shadowheart:

she originally had neutral feelings about you, and even after finding out you were a werewolf, she really didn't have any strong emotion about it. she takes her time when getting to know people, and then makes judgements from there i feel like.

it's a slow burn into romance, where both of you originally didn't even really realize you had feelings for one another until other people in the camp pointed out you that certain actions you were doing for one another isn't what people who don't have feelings for one another do.

she doesn't really give a damn that you're a werewolf, and i mean, sure she's curious and asks a lot about what comes with being a werewolf, but she does love you for you and that's the core of who she is. your relationship is one of helping each other, working through navigating your own identities and how that has effected both of you.

she understands how being a werewolf can come with how people expect you to act, considering people also have their own ideas of how she might be because of her backstory with shar. people tend to steer clear of her because of it. part of the reason she acts like she disregards your identity of being a werewolf is so that way you could also disregard part of her identity, something that many others tend to focus on.

but she loves that you tend to take the lead on helping her navigate what she wants, showing that it's not so scary to face identities. it brings you close together, and it makes everyone melt seeing how you both hold the love for each other in the ways you lean closer to one another.

shadowheart tends to your aching limbs the day after a full moon shift, using her healing to help you feel better. she knows that they can be rough, wanting to only be of help.

"i hope this helps you feel better." she whispers, rubbing some of the salve she prepared over the peak aching points. you groan a little as the ache flares when she rubs over them, but then it's a sigh of relief as what she has works fast.

"it does my love, thank you." you tell her, taking a fascination as she turns a little red at the nickname.

"i always love helping you." she says, leaning in and kissing you after she's done. you inhale her smell of rosemary and lavender from the salve, enjoying the moment of being with her.

[im-okay-mj]

I still haven’t gotten Karlach, I’m sorry 😭 I only just figured out how to get Halsin

[forcedhesitation]

astarion origin playthrough worth it just for all the extra moments where he does the "sad wet cat" face

[wavebiders]

Feeling very insane about the fact that, in a way, being a bad Sharran is what saves Shadowheart in the end

Because like. She's not supposed to be bad at keeping secrets. She's not supposed to be vulnerable, kind, or hopeful. She's not supposed to get attached to anything or anyone

Yet, it's these things that allow her to get close to the pc and the group as a whole. The more she fails to keep Shar's secrets the more she opens up to you, and the more she opens up to you the more you have the chance to build a relationship with her, and it's through having that relationship that she finds the courage to defy Shar

If she had been a better Sharran she never would have built that bond at all, she wouldn't have felt safe to make the decision she did, and probably no one would have trusted her enough to let her decide to begin with

Shadowheart is saved because she is loved, and Shadowheart is loved because she cannot stop being herself no matter how hard she tries

[imafraidoftomorrow]

Baldur's Gate 3? More like The Bisexual Dilemma with the way everyone is so hot and fuckable

[thranduil-aran-edhil]

OK, so. Finished my first run. Gotta admit I'm not 100% satisfied with some endings. BUT NO BIGGIE, THAT'S WHAT HEADCANONS ARE FOR, DON'T WORRY I GOT A PERMIT (i'm a Dungeon Master) SO LET'S GO, HC TIME D&D STYLE BC WE STILL GOT 8 LEVELS TO GO: (spoilers for BG3 and Descent Into Avernus going forward)

They'd all stay together and continue to go on adventures, the 8 of them, Tav, Lae'zel, Shadowheart, Gale, Astarion, Wyll, Karlach and Halsin. Found Families stay together. (I do enjoy the polyship aspect too, so just throwing it out there) There's an exchange you can have ingame with an NPC in the Guild and Tav will say the party's name is Wormskulls and I love it. I do also love Tadfools. Maybe they are Wormskulls to the general public and Tadfools to their close friends and allies lol. After the tadpoles are gone I think it would be very useful for them to commission earrings enchanted with Rary's Telepathic Bond. Less invasive than a mindflayer tadpole and just as useful. Also symbolic for Gale. I think the earring would have a pendant of a skull with a serpent coming out of its eye and being bitten by the teeth.

OK SO, my girl Karlach. I haven't romanced her yet, gonna do a run for that. But she's not dying on my watch. She's going back to Avernus, BUT YOU CAN BE SO SURE THAT THE MOMENT THE WHOLE PARTY IS READY WE'RE KICKING DOWN ZARIEL'S DOOR AND KICKING HER ASS. Or giving her her sword back and possibly turning her back into an Angel, something that whatever party of adventurers that managed to save BG and Elturel in Descent Into Avernus CLEARLY didn't do, it would probably not only nullify Mizora's contract with Wyll bc Zariel is now a completely different entity, if you decided to redo Wyll's contract with her, but also would give us a better chance of Zariel taking the infernal engine out of Karlach herself. Maybe turning Wyll into a Devotion Paladin? (more details about Zariel here) I'd ask Jaheira and Minsc to take care of Scratch and Albie (owlbear cub) because the Hells is no place for pets. Even very brave ones. Maybe Halsin's "ending" fits here, taking care of the pets and the kids while everyone goes to Avernus, they leave him with a Sending Stone. And when they are back he's there waiting for them. 🥺

If we saved Duke Ravengard and broke Wyll's contract. (or didn't but are hcing that we broke his contract by defeating/unmaking Zariel) what does that mean to Wyll? I think it be super cool to go more in depth about it. How does he reconsile with his father? Does he accept to be reinstated as heir and becomes the Duke right away or does he think it's best for his father to continue his role a bit longer? Does he even want to be Duke or does he think he can serve the people of the Sword Coast better as an adventurer? If he turns into a Duke, what sort of benefit does that give an adventuring party?

Finding something to make Astarion able to walk in the sun again I've seen people talk about the Ring of the Sun-Walker as if it's from the 5e books, it's not, it's homebrew. HOWEVER, any freaking DM with a heart would create something similar for their player to continue playing without being afraid of dying instantly bc of the sun. The Cloak of Dragomir is canon to the Baldur's Gate videogame universe, so it be a good tie in, but it would be a temporary solution at best since it penalizes the player quite harshly, Strength: -6, Dexterity: -4, Intelligence: -2, Wisdom: -2, Charisma: -4 and Vampire Regeneration divided by 3, to 1 HP per 3 rounds. That being said, I wouldn't make it TOO easy to obtain as there are other ways for Astarion to be safe, like the Darkness spell. It would be interesting to see him (and Tav) struggle a little bit more, really feel the sacrifice Astarion made by rejecting the Ascendance even after they find something to combat the Sunlight Hypersensitivity. Astarion's biological family would be something very interesting to explore in the future. They would be Elves themselves and are most likely still alive, we even have a surname thanks to people analyzing the shit out of that tombstone: Ancunín. As a DM I wouldn't wait for a player to decide to search for these people, I'd throw them at the players! Strolling through the Upper City in a quick shopping trip? You hear a loud gasp, things clattering and bumping into the ground, hurried desperate steps and then someone sobbing "Astarion?? Astarion is that you?!" What do you do?

Visiting Waterdeep and Morena Dekarios. This woman deserves to see her son again, and Gale deserves to finally go back home and see his mom without the burden of an ancient artifact lodged in his chest and a goddess wanting him to kill himself. Would he stay? I'm not sure, he went through an entire Hero's Journey and maybe now home, although pleasant, is not as comforting anymore. Waterdeep is the element of Gale of Waterdeep and he's not him anymore. I think this would be a great premise for a roleplay focused arc. Gale is invited to the Blackstaff Ball for the first time since Mystra shunned him, the Wormskulls are famous now, The New Heros of Baldur's Gate (Gala Episode anyone? All of them SLAYIN with their fits? Poor Halsin totally out of his element). He's once again welcomed into the society of the Lord Mage of Waterdeep and his peers seem to have all but forgotten he was ever a pariah. Is that what he wants? And Waterdeep has many opportunities for more adventure. A paranoid Beholder underground anyone?

Kill the Lich Queen (CLASSIC D&D). Vlaakith IS FINISHED. TIME TO SPELLJAM AND BE SPACE PIRATES YALL. Lae'zel deserves to see this through to the END.

Shadowheart goes through another journey to find out if she wants to truly embrace Selûne or maybe become another thing entirely. Selûne should reach out or Isobel and Dame Aylin would help her out. Or maybe Shadowheart is tired of being a Cleric and following a god. But change and inconsistency is something that is under Selûne's portfolio, she's often followed by those who are lost, so I think she'd find more than fitting for Shadowheart to be a cautious and weary follower of her.

Your Tav's personal stuff. The Dark Urge sounds amazing and I can't wait to do a run with them, but I think most of us got very attached to our Original Characters Do No Steal. So I'm excited to see what people come up with for their Tavs. Otessa, my Tav, doesn't know her dad was a pirate, he never told her, so I expect that his past will come bite him in the ass and she'll have to help him out of that pickle.

When the party has reached level 17, Gale has access to the Wish spell. And I really do think they'd use it to get rid of Astarion's undeath. As a DM I wouldn't let Gale simply get the spell outright, he'd have to research it. Not only that, I don't think Astarion would be totally free of undeath, some remnant of it would linger, he'd probably turn into an Elf that needs blood to survive and is forever locked out of the Call of Arvandor or something. But he'd be mortal and would be able to walk in the sun without that ring, cross bodies of water, wouldn't instadie from pointy wood objects in the chest etc. (i'm writing a little one-shot about this, should post it soon)

[llamagirl28]

Another BG3-related ask: who would the BoC ROs pursue if they’re playing BG3? 👀

Oooh fun!

Elaine - Karlach

Isac - Lae'zel

Sofie - Astarion

Agravain - Shadowheart

Gawain - Wyll

Galahad - Shadowheart

Nimue - Astarion

This is more of, who would they pursue on a first playthrough because all of them would take an interest in multiple characters lol

[wilchur]

I really think the "Maybe what you really need is a friend, not a lover" line should not be the end of Astarion's romance arc. Let my man figure his shit out! He literally says "I don't know what I want", why is that option a brake up thing and not a trigger for an alt act 3 romance scene? Something with the vibe of "I know we've talked about this and your friendship means a lot to me, but I've decided what I want and it's for us to be more than that". Please...

[viperbooty]

its a really big bummer to see the mass success of bg3, to see how many artists and players alike have enjoyed this game and yet, somehow, almost every time, wyll is magically not mentioned or drawn, featured in a video, hes not adored or hated

so far the fandom just generally acts like hes not even there. and it makes me sad to see the single black companion get this level of people ignoring him, his arc, his personality, even just people disliking or hating him

instead the only thing that caught any wind was how quickly a mod came out to make wyll white. how fucking sad.

[a-summer-soul]

So um I finally got to play Baldurs Gate and um wow Larian and everyone really did put their souls into this. There's a humanity in it that is wrenching and beautiful and compelling. This game really is going to revolutionize the industry and I'm so so proud of them all, every single fucking one. Hells, if they're hiring, I might just go join up! Jawdropping, utterly jawdropping. I had thee best time ever and I'm in love with all of them! 🥹

[precious-little-bhaalbabe]

✨🌸💕flowery anime style portrait headshots of each of the romanceable companions, filled with flowers and hearts and silly filters and effects, as they try and seduce Tav💕🌸✨

Gale, a spark of magic at his fingertips: “I was previously the lover of the goddess of magic, I’m sure my talents are plenty to please any mortal.”

Shadowheart, dark eyes half lidded: “My Lady Shar may have taken many of my memories, but I assure you, she has not taken of my knowledge of activities to perform in her sacred dark.”

Wyll, holding a rose, hand extended in invitation: “I can woo you with all the finest noble courtship and courtly dances befitting the son of the Grand Duke”

Lae’zel, a cocky and sure smile and confident stance: “Let me show you the renowned stamina and dexterity a Githyanki warrior is capable of, in and out of battle.”

Astarion, eyelashes fluttered and voice lowered, hand to his chest: “I’ve been seducing all types for 200 years, whatever you fancy darling, I’m sure I’ve had plenty of practice.”

Minthara, stood proud and regal: “I will grant you the honor or worshipping my body, a right few have earned.”

Halsin, powerful arm outstretched, beckoning: “Let us experience the bounty of the Oak Fathers gifts, and join together in passion as nature intended.”

Tav, blushing, fidgeting nervously: “Uh, gods, I mean, you’re all very attractive, but I’m not sure-“

Karlach, crushing a beer can on her forehead and taking a stance like she’s about to rage: “I’VE BEEN ON FIRE FOR TEN YEARS AND HAVEN’T HAD SEX SINCE I WAS NINETEEN, WHO WANTS TO FUCK?!?”

Tav: looks at Karlach with bubbling heart eyes, sighing dreamily, to the befuddlement of the rest of their companions

[roomy-ghosted]

JUST started a good Durge playthrough and I'm dying over my absolute little guy bard Tinfoil.

[somefanchick]

I'm obsessed with BG3 Character Narratives (Some Companion Quest/Story Spoilers)

So it's almost common knowledge at this point that the origin companions have a common theme, power imbalance that victimizes the companion. However, my favorite part of this is how relatively unconventional. I say this because a lot of media that shows power imbalance showcase an abusive boyfriend or husband, which is 100% not the case in BG3. (I'll try and fail to be brief.)

The only abusive romantic relationship that is showcased is Gale's relationship with Mystra. She grooms him, mistreats him, and even tells him that she'll 'forgive' him for his past 'sins' (literally trying to help her and gain back some power over his own life) if he ends his own life for the 'greater good'. She has power over his craft and every essence of his life.

Shadowheart and Lae'zel both have to deal with goddesses that they give everything to betraying and lying to them. Lae'zel focuses more on the goddess thing, while Shadowheart's story is more focused on the betrayal of the people who raised her under the goddess's instruction. Both have to come with the terms that everything that they had been raised to believe being a lie. The 'families' that they trusted and who held power over their emotions and homes were in it for their own gain and not caring what happens to Shadowheart or Lae'zel.

Karlach was stuck with a demonic overlord, similar to Wyll (who I'll talk about in a second), but her story focuses on her relationship with Gortash in the end. It focuses on how she felt safe taking care of him and he tossed her aside without much care. I don't even remember what he gained or if he gained anything by giving Karlach away. She gave everything to him and he took it and gave it away without a second thought. She was a child who grew up too fast. Gortash was the only person she could be less adult around. And he just tossed her away.

Wyll is under the power of a demon who can curse him and ruin his life even more if he disobeys. He is the probably the most aware of how bad this relationship is, since he knew it was a bad idea even before striking the deal with Mizora. He was a victim of circumstance who is still paying for his sacrifice at the beginning of the game.

Astarion is also aware of how abusive Casador is, but he was fooled into thinking Casador was good before he was turned. But after that Casador is a classic abusive relationship. There is little emotional manipulation, Casador mostly relying on his physical and mystical power over his spawn to control their actions. As well as relying on general mistreatment and abuse to keep them in line and further his own motives.

All of these relationships are semi-realistic. While magic and vampires aren't commonly in the real world, the dynamics still exist. Male victims of grooming and abuse at the hand of girlfriends and wives, families and communities that put their gods or themselves over the children stuck in those situations, people who pour their hearts into trusted adults only to be tossed away, people who sacrifice their happiness and get themselves in bad situations to better the lives of those they love, and men used by other men who abuse and harm them. These are examples of abusive power imbalances that get commonly overlooked and ignored in media in favor of the (slightly more common) dynamic of a man abusing a woman.

As a storyteller, I really appreciate the writing of BG3. These companion stories highlight experiences that get overshadowed in other media. I know these writers really cared about those people and wanted to give them a character they could relate to in some way to help prove they they aren't alone.

And for that, I say thank you.

[do-you-know-this-adhd-character]

Do you know this (noncanon) ADHD character?

Evidence below the cut!

Karlach displays distractibility and diminished attention span, squirms and fidgets regularly (having the most exaggerated and fidgety idle animations of all the origin characters, even), is markedly restless and is often "on the go", is talkative, and speaks impulsively, thus displaying symptoms for combined-type ADHD per DSM-5 criteria.

[triplegoddess3]

Im at the tiefling party in bg3 right?

Astarian, shadowheart, and lae'zel want me. And i want all 3. Who do i choose?!?!??!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?

Im very crossed. I've been replaying the romance scenes over and over and over and over, but i can not decide.

Astarian is sexy, but i feel bad about the sex with him, and everything he says feels fake, but i love it so much.

Shadowheart is a little bitch, but the idea of a poly with her and daddy halsin is hmmm.perfection.

Lae'zel, i dont mind her firey nature, and i like how focused she is, and shes full of herself like shadowheart, but doesnt feel as bitchy you know?

Im also sad that the only one who has a scene with my durge is lae'zel. Astarian is like fades to black before anything happens, shadowheart is a kiss.

[museofvoid]

trying to romance wyll in my astarion origin playthrough but karlach is making things complicated