#and Karlach being the ultimate caring friend

[wavebiders]

:')

[bgthree]

Imagine Tav breaking things off with Astarion post-game because they’re worried he’s just with them because it’s what he thinks he wants.

For 200 years Astarion hasn’t had the freedom to make his own choices, and he gained that freedom while he was already involved with Tav. Tav is worried they’re preventing him from being able to explore and find out who he is, and what he wants.

Tav wants him to have the space to figure that out, without a shadow of a doubt and without any influence on their part. If Astarion wants a future involving a romantic relationship with Tav, wonderful. That’s what Tav wants too. But if that’s ultimately not what Astarion realizes he wants, true Tav would be heartbroken, but above all else Tav just wants him to happy.

Tav encourages Astarion to take some time to experience life (or un-life) free from Cazador’s control without any expectations from anyone. If he comes back, Tav will most assuredly be waiting with open arms.

Of course, Astarion hates the suggestion initially, feeling as though he’s being cast aside or abandoned. He accuses Tav of trying to get rid of him, of wanting to get rid of him so they can be with one of the other party members instead. Gods knew he hadn’t been the only one to take an interest in Tav. Probably Wyll, or Gale, he sneers.

He’s terrified, for more than a few reasons. He’s grown attached to Tav, come to trust them. He cares about them, doesn’t think he has the capacity to feel the way he feels about anyone else. He’s never faced such uncertainty about the future before and it unsettles him, as if he’s been thrown into a deep body of water.

He’s angry when he leaves, doesn’t tell Tav or any of the others where he’s going.

Tav tries to focus on other things: rebuilding the city, settling back into a life that doesn’t involve the tadpole or the constant threat of being turned into a mind flayer.

It’s late, and nearly a year to the day when someone knocks on the door to Tav’s lodgings. Tav half expects it to be Karlach, who’d mentioned coming for a visit soon, though the hour is a curious one for entertaining friends.

When Tav answers the door Astarion still braces himself for there to be someone else there, rumpled from sleep or annoyed at the interruption. One of their companions, perhaps, or someone unknown to him. That would be worse, he thinks. Because it would mean Tav had given up on him coming back, if Tav had ever even wanted him to.

But the look on Tav’s face when they see him, and the happy tears in Tav’s eyes are all he needs. Tav lets him in, almost convinced they’ve fallen asleep at their desk and the Astarion suddenly standing in the middle of their lodgings is merely a dream. It wouldn’t be the first time.

He stalks towards them though, and Tav’s pulse races as he suddenly invades their space, backing them up against the opposite wall.

“Don’t ever ask me to do that again,” and it almost sounds angry, like a command. But Tav sees the hurt there, the same longing they see every time they look in a mirror. Astarion isn’t angry, he’s pleading with them.

“Not if you want me here,” he whispers.

“I do,” Tav nods. Nothing has changed. “I love you.”

And the sound he makes before he kisses them makes Tav realize they could never send him away again, even if they wanted to.

It’s a couple days later when Karlach shows up, and Astarion answers the door. She’s surprised to see him, so much that she nearly misses the disheveled appearance and unruly hair.

“Go away,” he smiles, and slams the door in her face.

Karlach laughs, and is so happy for them that she doesn’t even mind having to come back another time.

[crossdressingdeath]

Gale: A Bhaalspawn? Gosh. Gale: I know what it is to have a closer connection than most with the gods. But with Bhaal... that's not a bond I'd like to be bound with. You should be careful. Very, very careful.

Shadowheart: I suppose that makes you quite remarkable... though not in a way I'd envy, perhaps. Shadowheart: From what little I can recall hearing of Bhaal's mortal children, not all succumbed to his influence. Perhaps you can still resist your nature... if you want to.

Wyll: Hells - it explains so much. Wyll: Listen to me. I knew another like you - Gorion's Ward, one of Baldur's Gate's great heroes. Bhaal's blood ran through their veins too. Wyll: They burned away their own darkness with their own inner light. They chose courage, they chose honour - and so can you.

Karlach: That's a heavy weight. I know you can carry it, but it's heavy all the same. Karlach: You are so much more than your parents; you're more than the affliction that wants to consume you. Karlach: You are my friend. And you get to choose your destiny. Choose well, all right? Please.

Lae'zel: I'm not surprised. You've become death incarnate. Mighty, yes. And altogether unpredictable and intractable. Lae'zel: One day, perhaps soon, Bhaal will demand your fealty. You'll either muster the strength to defy him - or you will succumb. Lae'zel: I know how I'd choose.

Y'know, I think my favourites are Wyll and Lae'zel basically going "You know what yeah that tracks". They're all good, though. Gale's initial response being "Gosh" is also up there.

But I really like how while they're all a bit freaked they're still scared for Durge, not of them? Like... the Bhaalspawn are despised. Given the whole "sometimes Bhaal tugs on his kids' leashes and makes them commit atrocities whether they want to or not and also we're currently fighting Bhaal" thing it would make a lot of sense for this revelation to put them all on edge (especially if Durge did kill Isobel and/or got caught killing Alfira, in which case they've already proved that they are in fact at least a little murder-happy or at least very susceptible to their father's control), but after the initial conversation it's back to normal like nothing happened. And all of them are remarkably understanding about it and sure that you're capable of making the right choice. Or at least, they're all sure you're capable of choosing. There's this certainty that Durge is still in control enough to make a decision even if they're scared they aren't that shows a lot of faith in their willpower, even if the group maybe has some concerns as to what choice they're ultimately going to make. Also, I wonder if some of this dialogue would be different if I hadn't killed Isobel...

[morgana-ren]

I wonder how Ascended Astarion would be towards an asexual Tav? Like Tav has always treated him like their best friend before he ascended, and they also often took care of him (platonic love). Would ascended Astarion try to make them his consort or would other roles be on the table? Like a secretary just to keep Tav close to him — even if they want nothing to do with him at that point.

Truthfully, I'm sure other roles would probably be preferable if that's the case.

I mean, you could go real dark with it and say that he'd try to force them into the role of consort, but that implies a previously existing desire for them that's overwhelming enough to try and jam them into a role where they just don't fit while simultaneously knowing it never will due to who they are as a person. If they're more beneficial as a friend to him, then he'd likely want to keep it that way-- so long as they continued to benefit him as a friend. Once it's no longer beneficial, I feel like Astarion would move on with his life, and 'encourage' Tav to do the same as well. As quietly and noninvasively as possible. Forcing them to be his consort implies that he desires a romantic and sexual connection with them, but if Tav is asexual, that's never going to happen. Especially if Tav is good aligned. It's just a fever dream at that point. There's no point in forcing it because even forcing it won't make it happen. There's no previously existing base or feeling he's chasing there like there is with a romanced Tav. It's just making someone do something that makes them extremely uncomfortable and goes against their nature. He can get the same benefits as he did before the ascension by simply being friends with Tav-- and that's where the issues would begin.

He would probably treat them much the same way that he treats the rest of the group: As a partial ally and a potential enemy. The 'romance connection' that persists if you end up with him isn't really there, and it's something a bit more light-hearted and harder to twist, and thus, probably more likely to die in the ascension.

That's not to say he wouldn't still care deeply for them in some capacity and would probably try to avoid starting some sort of issue with them. But that insane sense of ownership and possession that comes with romance territory was never there. A friend is far different than a lover. Some prefer one over the other. Both are fine. But a non-Romanced Astarion seems far more independent than one that falls very in love with said Tav. He seems much more likely to walk away from something that doesn't benefit him any longer than he does to chase it and force it to work, especially in a way that goes against that Tav's nature.

The nature of the two is just... different. With a romanced Tav, the feelings and emotions behind it all are vastly different than a Tav that acts as a best friend. Astarion might heed their advice or refrain from starting fights on their behalf more than he would someone like, say, Karlach or Gale, but ultimately, I just don't know that he's going to go full-on possessive over someone that's just his friend. At least not in the way he does with someone he's fallen deeply in love with. It strikes me as the sort of situation where a Vampire Lord Astarion would view it through the lens of "Why do I need a friend that doesn't benefit me? Why would I try to actively keep a hinderance to my plans in my life?"

Obviously, it's different if you have an evil-aligned Tav that's ready to go gung-ho on the evil shit. Someone who actively encourages him and does what he wants and stokes his worst impulses. They'd probably have a relationship of mutual respect so long as it continued to benefit them both. But a good Tav that actively gets in the way and disapproves of what he does? I don't see that working out.

I think the best that Tav can hope for is him having a deeply set respect for their previous friendship, and even then, I think it might be a bit of a long shot. I don't think Astarion would force them to remain by his side because he isn't technically gaining anything from it if they're railing against him. He's more likely to separate from the situation, and frankly, so is Tav.

Again, you can go very dark with the whole thing and make that a scenario to consider, but just in general, if Astarion had a respectful friendship with Tav, I don't see him trying to force something sexual, especially given his previous situation. Unless he'd craved them for a very long time and finally decided he was selfish enough to persue/force it, I think it would turn into a broken friendship where one side is a selfish prick by nature, and the other is forced to watch someone who has their friend turn into someone they can't respect or stand by any longer.

[silentspectres]

I would like to know about your disaster tiefling! Backstory, current romance, what drives them, anything youd be excited to share!

thank you for indulging me! I cannot express enough that I am like a vampire in that I have to be explicitly invited to do something, so I'm grateful

This is my disaster tiefling Mercury, they're a mephistopheles tiefling rogue (assassin specifically) and they're allergic to making wise decisions

I have a hard time grabbing good screenshots from my console sometimes so a few of these are Crunchy™ but I genuinely love the range of lighting the game has that makes them go from somewhat well-adjusted looking to mostly just glowing eyes. I'll put the rest about them under a read more!

Mercury usually sticks to decisions that will benefit themself or their friends above all else (and usually not through honest means), but they've been known to freely help children with no clear end gain. They had a great time around Mattis, the tiefling child, out-conning him. It's probably the closest to playful their group has come to seeing them be playful (save around Scratch/the Owlbear), since Mercury was using it as an opprotunity to teach the kid rogue techniques that would benefit him later from someone who's been at it for quite some time. It'd be cute if they weren't such an awful influence

Mercury's backstory is admittedly not something I've been able to work out past large overtones or some general character defining events, but they're a character that likes to keep their privacy and hold things that matter to them close, so I think it works out in the long run. They were fiery and loudly defiant against the world and its cruelty when they were younger, but as they grew older and realized that the only person they could rely on was themself, they grew more cunning, quiet, carefully composed, and discarded the intense emotions that once drove them. This change most likely came from being used + discarded by a disguised devil, and they have an extreme discomfort and distrust for devils or the Infernal as a result

I like to call Mercury a mirror - they're a reflection of the general harshness the city had on them (being a scrappy tiefling with nowhere to call home), but once they're surrounded by people who offer them kindness (Wyll/Karlach/Gale particularly being huge influences) they actually almost habitually return kindness + favors to the small group close to them. Their friends are one of the only noted exceptions, though; they still don't really do great in the empathy department otherwise

I could write several pages about Mercury's romance, BUT I'll try not to ramble too long (narrator voice: this was a lie). Mercury is romancing (spawn) Astarion + their dynamic drives me up the WALL. The two of them had a weird push and pull to their early relationship - Mercury was well familiar with the song and dance Astarion was performing when he targeted them and knew he certainly had ulterior motives, but they... truthfully, between the empty meaningless void that had become their existence and the inevitable certain death they would now be facing as a result of being tadpoled, and the fact that they could never remember a single moment in their life in which they were wanted (let alone desired by someone), they didn't care. So they let him use them and they played along as coyly as he did, fully aware that the more that they got involved with him or the others the higher the chance they might end up walking away caring. Which, unfortunately, happened.

A lot of factors contributed to changing Mercury's apathy toward the group and ultimately swayed the change to caring romantically about Astarion, almost none of which was even Astarion's doing himself. It started with Wyll, who was always kind and selfless without a second thought, who willingly chose to risk losing everything against Mizora because he'd rather stand by Karlach. And Karlach herself was easy to get along with - she cared deeply and loudly about those around her and wasted no time or consideration into treating Mercury with the same warmth as she did the others. Gale, maybe surprisingly, was the ultimate catalyst, though. He had formerly been a wizard Mercury kept at the same distance as everyone, one of the companions Mercury actually thought less often about despite traveling with him among the most, before they met Elminster along the roads to the Shadow Cursed lands. Mercury is hard to sway, but a goddess telling her most devoted follower that he only stands to make something meaningful of himself by killing himself ignited some long since extinguished anger in them - anger at the gods, anger at the world, anger at the shitty hands they and these people they're around were dealt - and Mercury drunk themself to sleep that night following the realization that fuck, this anger in place of apathy meant they cared. Astarion was next to show them a little vulnerability by letting them read his scars to him (and it drives me insane thinking about the level of trust he would've reasonably have had to have in them to turn his bare back to another rogue), revealing that he is only one part of an unknown whole, and that that unknown whole could very well be an Infernal pact. And so it goes - suddenly, Mercury was in over their head. Suddenly, they cared.

They both end up stumbling through figuring what a relationship (and even the full scope of what either of them truly want) means later, when they're both forced to face the fact whatever was between them is now real (and dangerous, Mercury reasons, because to admit they want to care and be alive means they have to invite back in all the hurt it could bring - hurt they're intimately familiar with - but they can't deny that what they have is nice.) Mercury is very much a deeply touch starved person, so they offer Astarion a lot of small, quiet moments of physical intimacy like leaning against him in camp, resting their hands on his, soft touches against his face to brush against his hair, stuff that, in general, he probably has no lasting memories of ever having. In turn, Astarion offers them a quiet sanctuary - a gentle reminder - that they have others they can lean on and rely on and that they don't have to bear their burdens alone. There's a lot of push and pull in this stage of their relationship, too, but it's less about a game they're performing and more about learning boundaries, limits, and the depths that they're both willing to admit to themselves about whatever it is they have.

By act 3, Mercury has no doubts about where Astarion stands to them, and truthfully I don't think Astarion does about Mercury either, but it's a bit harder for him to think about with certain looming disaster hanging over his head. Reasonably. He sort of lashes out the closer they get to dealing with the inevitable, not in the way he's harsh, but in the sort of defensive "I feel like a cornered animal so I'm reverting back to trying to pull the strings (new strings at that!) to use/manipulate you into doing what (I think) I want because I genuinely can't believe in a kinder future for myself" sort of way. Mercury by this point can see right through him and offers a constant, steady pressure by always pointing out "If you do this, you'll have to do a lot of difficult things, are you sure you're prepared to do that?" and by the point of the crypts, it's clear he'd be really fucked up by carrying through with it now that he's had to come face to face with both what he's done and what he stands to become by taking Cazador's power, especially after finding the scroll about the other vampire masters. So Mercury stands firm and becomes his reminder that things don't have to end in bloodshed, lashing out, and bared teeth - a lesson Mercury themself was taught by the kindness (a kindness they had always lacked) their companions (now friends) never gave up on. Their relationship is stronger for it and they're genuinely good influences on each other (somehow, Astarion has become some sembalance of the voice of reason and is a good 90% of the reason Mercury has stopped doing things with no regard to their own self preservation now) and they're both extremely well adjusted partners despite the so many issues both of them have. Who would've thought the local pair of murderers are an exceptionally sweet couple???

I have rambled for far too long and I have a thousand more things I could say about Mercury but I'll spare you because it is very early in the morning, but thank you for letting me speak a little about them!! I have a playlist and a pinterest for them if anyone is seriously further curious about them and my inbox is always open for more questions but I must sleep for now

[thenugking]

💕💛📿 for your tavs!!

💕 Did your Tav romance anyone? What did their lives together look like after the end of the game?

Val: Horrible little Astarion romancer <3 Post-game things are a little rough for a while, because they’re both selfish people navigating the first romantic relationship either of them have been in (at least since Astarion became a vampire, idk if he was in any before that) and they’re both learning how to, like, actually care about another person. (Luckily they have a strong support network in the rest of their companions, and their families, and slowly start working through all their issues.)

I think they end up spending half their time living in the Underdark (where they’ve been trying to set up some kind of society for the vampire spawn, and Val finally meets their father and his family) and around Baldur’s Gate, where they’re closer to most of their companions and the rest of their families. (I’m determined that Astarion gets to reconnect with his biological family after the events of the game.)

Eiryn: She romanced Karlach, and had a wonderful time with her, and then at the end of the game Karlach died. Eiryn mourns for a long time, but I like to think she eventually moves on and finds a new girlfriend, while never forgetting Karlach.

Lee: Wyll romance! Before Moonrise Towers, Lee and Astarion are fuckbuddies who keep getting distracted from actually having sex to go “Okay but did you see how hot Wyll looked today though. Wyll’s so perfect <3” Lee eventually convinces Wyll he’s able to be a romantic while having two partners, and if he and Astarion are happy with each other then so are they.

Immediately post-game, Lee and Wyll want to go to Avernus with Karlach, and bring Astarion along to No Sun Land. I think the four of them have several more adventures in both Avernus and Faerun before eventually settling down together in Baldur’s Gate (once Karlach has a working heart and, if they’re very luckily, once Astarion is unvampired). Wyll might eventually end up becoming Grand Duke, but I’m not sold on that. I think he and Lee adopt kids at some point (whether Astarion is also part of that, I’m unsure).

💛 Which of your non-romanced companions did your Tav stay closest to after the end of the game? Which companions drifted apart?

(Just doing the main six companions here, since I decided to answer for all three of my guys.)

Val: Besties with Shadowheart forever. She’s one of the main reasons they don’t want to spend all their time in the Underdark, but even when they’re down there, the two of them are writing to each other constantly.

They didn’t do enough to discourage Gale from being a god, so he starts drifting away from Val and the rest of the group. Things are Tense during the epilogue party and only get worse. Until, I think, a year or so on, when the gang Gets Back Together to go and stop Gale’s latest Dickhead God Bullshit, and redeem him with the power of love and “you’ve always been enough for us, idiot”. After that… these guys are Val’s family, and they’re never drifting away from them again.

Eiryn: Eiryn kind of drifted from everyone after Karlach’s death. She wanted to be alone for a while, and had a big fight with Wyll in the aftermath. (He was the only member of the party who could cast Darkness, so I figured he’d be busy stopping Astarion from dying and therefore… end up missing Karlach’s death. He’s distraught over it, and feels Eiryn should’ve done more to encourage Karlach to go back to Avernus, and they both say some unpleasant things to each other in their grief. They eventually apologise and make up during the epilogue party.)

She ultimately remains closest with Gale, and I think moves in somewhere around Waterdeep, having never been particularly happy around Baldur’s Gate. But she travels a lot, and makes sure to see all her friends at least semi-regularly.

Lee: Obviously very close to Astarion and Karlach, and wants them to always be a big part of her life. Outside the Wyll/Astarion/Karlach group who she’s living with, she keeps in closest touch with Gale, but makes sure not to lose touch with any of the party.

📿 Are there any specific items that your Tav kept as heirlooms, or were otherwise significant to them for sentimental reasons? Did they give any of them as gifts to their companions?

Val: Val quite likes collecting gemstones and books, but for sentimental items, they buy up every unique item Mattis sells, and hangs onto it despite their shitty 8 Strength Inventory Capacity. They love their tiefling son and wear his Ring of Being Really Invisible all game. I think they gave Shadowheart the ring of ant resistance too. It’s Important.

Eiryn: Eiryn doesn’t generally care about physical items all that much. I do think she adopts Clive after Karlach’s death though.

Lee: Unlike Eiryn, Lee fucking Loves physical items and is going to get as many as they possibly can. At the start of the game, they’re waking up covered in blood with no memory of anything and a weird desire to cut everyone they meet up into little pieces, but one of the biggest problems is that they’re pretty sure they used to have a bone collection, and now it’s completely gone, and they’re gonna have to start collecting every bone they find to build it back up. (They eventually decide they like it far more than the original bone collection, which they think they might have got in even more unethical circumstances than their current graverobbing.)

Lee also, however, notices their companions are all missing their bone collections, and are denying ever experiencing the joys of having one. They gift each of their companions a skull; it’s a good bone to start with if they ever do want to make their own collections, and if not, Lee still likes to give them as tokens of affection.

They also like giving Wyll all the best jewellery and any pretty shells that they find.

[findingtarshish]

👥😿💤

👥 Did your Tav keep in touch with any of the people they met on their adventures?

A few! Her main pen pals were Aylin and Isobel, Yurgir, Naaber, and Araj. Aylin and Isobel are close friends with the new Dekarios couple, and Hel loves to swap gossip with them. Hearung Isobel gush about her girlfriend is one of Helona's favorite pastimes. She also kept in touch with Naaber, knowing that his gullibility might get him into trouble, and hoping to guide him. He really scared her, trying to sign away his soul just like that, so Hel wants to help him realize his dreams without getting himself enthralled. Yhough he seems and unlikely friend, Yurgir admired her tactical mind, having seen it in action in the Gauntlet, the House of Hope, and the Upper City. He sometimes contacts her to ask her opinion on battle strategies for the Blood War, and together they create campaigns that put Zariel's machinations to shame. He's also the party's main collaborater, help pass messages to Karlach and Wyll without risk of Zariel intercepting them. Finally, Araj- Helona has a complicated relationship with her, but ultimately they still correspond, exchanging news of Menzoberranzan and the surface, and swapping alchemy tips. She debated about it, but ultimately decided not to enlist Araj's help to get her family out of Menzoberranzan, leaving that to Minthara.

😿 If your Tav took care of them, what became of Yenna and Grub after the game ended?

Helona arranged to leave them with Alfira! Bardic magic will let Yenna take care of herself, and cope with the trauma of Orin's attack, and Hel knew that Alfira could teach her!

💤 What's one experience on their adventure that your Tav still has nightmares about?

Being controlled by Ansur. Helona's particular history with her patron makes loss of agency very traumatizing, but at least Akorlin allowed her to scream. Ansur keep her silenced and roared through her mind without care.

[makarovni]

The Lee Family (and Audrey)

Ever wondered about Anabel's family and childhood best friend?? No?? Well you're about to find out!!

Anabel Lee: The younger daughter (Wildheart Barbarian)

Anabel is the younger, more rebellious daughter in the Lee family. Like the rest, she grew up in Elturel, until the Blood War and the subsequent kicking out of all Tieflings, where the Lee family moved to the Lower City and built a hotel. Anabel then spent her adolescence there, getting into trouble with her sister, Joy, and her best friend, Audrey, as well as another Tiefling girl they don't really remember. Anabel initially trained to be a Cleric, but her temper and impatience led her to find a new path, inspired by her father- a Barbarian. Later, after Audrey went off to do some darker things in life, Anabel and Joy left home to go adventuring. During this adventuring in her 20s, Anabel was taken aboard the Mindflayer ship during a sexual encounter, and infected by the tadpole. Meeting fellow infected friends and forming a party, Anabel set out to find a cure, eventually settling on the option of the exceptionally handsome devil, Raphael, who she fell in love with and signed a contract with. After fulfilling her duties and destroying the Elder Brain, Anabel parted ways with her party, and went on to become Raphael's bride, residing in the Hells with him as "the Devil's Bride," helping him conquer the rest of the realm. They had a grand wedding in Avernus, where her family and, reluctantly, her old friends from the party showed up, although this was only for Anabel's sake, not Raphael's.

Joy Lee: The older daughter (Circle of the Moon Druid)

Sharing a backstory with Anabel up until the tadpole part, Joy was also infected, but she had been kidnapped during a simple walk in nature. She later encountered her sister and her newfound party while wandering the forest, and Joy joined up with them. She became exceptionally close with Karlach, and in the quest to help her fix her infernal engine, Joy met Dammon, an infernal mechanic. Immediately charmed, Joy couldn't wait to meet up with him again, and neither could Karlach. Once they reached the Last Light Inn and encountered Dammon again, he repaired her engine enough to where Karlach was able to be touched. Joy was the first hug that Karlach was able to receive, and she was overjoyed. Joy was also very thankful to Dammon, and shyly asked him if once this was all over, he'd consider going for a walk in the forest with her. He accepted, and after all was said and done, he took her up on her offer, and the two began a relationship. During the journey, Joy also helped Karlach in her quest, and ultimately Karlach and Wyll went to Avernus. This upset Joy greatly, but she could not stop her friends from doing so. Joy was also later one of the bridesmaids at Anabel's wedding to Raphael, where she was able to briefly reunite with Karlach and Wyll since they were in Avernus.

Marion Lee: the mother (civilian) and Ricardo Lee: the father (Beserker Barbarian)

Meeting when they were teenagers in Elturel, Marion and Ricardo have had a strong, loving relationship for their whole time together. They had Joy two years after they married in their 20s, and Anabel a year later. They were both caring and loving parents, although all the love in the world was unable to tame their wild spirits. They did not resent their daughters for it, though. After the Blood War began, Ricardo went to fight in it, and Marion was left alone with her daughters. He did manage to send her letters every week, each time promising he'd be home in one piece. Ricardo was a fierce warrior, unafraid of almost everything, and he inspired Anabel to go the path of Barbarian when she failed at being a Cleric. Ricardo returned when Joy and Anabel were in their late teens, and the Tieflings were removed from Elturel. After moving to the Lower City, Ricardo and Marion built and began to run a hotel, which they still do. Despite Ricardo's past in the Blood War, neither of them were angry with Anabel for marrying Raphael- in fact, they were happy that she found someone who actually tolerates her.

Audrey Keller: The best friend (Assassin Rogue)

Like the Lee family, Audrey and her family were kicked out of Elturel for being Tieflings when Audrey was a teen. Her home life was rather unpleasant, with parents who hated each other and often neglected her, so she resorted to getting into trouble to escape it and to lash out at them. Audrey became friends with Anabel and Joy when they were children, and the three got up to all kinds of things throughout their childhood and adolescence. However, simple teenage goofing off became something much worse when Audrey came home to find her father beating her mother, so she killed him. Audrey's mother, despite being saved, was horrified by this, and sent her away. Audrey then decided she was good for nothing but killing, and left behind Joy and Anabel to become an Assassin for hire. Later on, Audrey encountered Anabel, Joy, and the party, and decided to join them. After Anabel was rejected by Astarion, she told this to Audrey, who then got with Astarion out of spite, and was going to attempt to break his heart. However, the plan backfired, as both were trying to manipulate the other, they discovered their true feelings, and she discovered his past. Audrey went on to help Astarion with his quest and later ascend, in the process becoming a vampire herself. After all was over and done, Audrey went off with Astarion to find a new adventure as their new selves. Audrey was also the maid of honor at Anabel and Raphael's wedding.

[t-aeddie]

i needed to write my emotions out because i need to do some work. emotional ramblings when it comes to my in-game best friend, karlach.

it physically hurts me that i cannot find a way to save karlach in the game. it physically hurts me that my bestie who deserves the world dies when i respect her wishes because she doesn't want to go back to avernus and i understand why but i want my bestie by my side so we can go on adventures and just enjoy what the sword coast has to offer.

i physically am hurting because my adorable bestie's engine cannot be fixed and she would have to go back to avernus after a decade of trying to escape that shithole if i convince her to continue on living and deny her from sacrificing herself for the cause. i want my bestie with me. i would stay by you in avernus until we find a solution, but i can't help but thinking that i am a selfish hoe not worthy to be your bestie if i tell you to go bavk to avernus...so death it is? no more bestie by my side?

yes, i am physically, emotionally and mentally hurting because i can't save my fictional bestie. she's my best friend. i adore so much. i want a dlc where i can find all the materials needed to finally save her and she never got to see avernus anymore. i am sorry for being selfish, bestie. in the paraphrased words od dammon, the world is better with you in it even if we got turn avernus upside-down until we find the fix.

hells, i want a retcon that we aren't able to fix her engine because i said so. i don't care. you mean to tell me that i can't find the ultimate blacksmith spot in that damned house of hope. doesn't that place got some place hot enough for artificer me to get to work. lemme fix it. 😭

[zaeedsflipflops]

would love to hear about qilyrr's opinions on all her companions... just caught up on her and astarion ;--; <3 how do they initially get together?

sorry for the late response!! thank you for asking <33333

lae'zel: qilyrr enjoys lae'zel's zeal and bloodthirstiness and appreciates that she isn't judgmental of her less moral actions. they get along pretty well but the two are very very different and lae'zel is ultimately not someone qilyrr is that interested in becoming close to.

shadowheart: they get along well. from the start qilyrr doesn't care about shadowheart worshipping shar and doesn't probe about her mission, as long as neither would impact qilyrr. qilyrr thinks shadowheart's seriousness is funny and out of everyone, her morality and qilyrr's morality seems to line up the most. i think qilyrr considers her a friend.

gale: qilyrr finds gale to be charming and likes his intelligence and ambition re: magic. but she also thinks he's "too nice" and easy to manipulate. ironically he is one of the companions she's least manipulative towards, mainly bc gale is usually up for fucking around and finding out, which qilyrr loves to do.

wyll: qilyrr thinks wyll's idealism (aka wanting to go out of his way to help and empower people) is kind of quaint, although she does connect with him over their shared willingness to literally make deals with the devil. even if she and wyll's goals and motivations in making those deals differ a bit.

karlach: i don't think qilyrr fully knows what to make of karlach, as it's difficult for her to dismiss karlach's idealism as naive when karlach's had the life she's had. and while they get along great in some ways, karlach's belief in prioritizing helping others and qilyrr's belief in prioritizing helping herself is kind of a sticking point between them.

halsin: qilyrr very much stumbled into helping halsin out. she declined helping the grove until she had her own reasons to get rid of minthara and co. and she similarly had her own reasons for lifting the shadow curse. but halsin is a great asset so qilyrr has decided to keep in his good books. she likes him fine, but certainly less than he likes her.

jaheira: qilyrr likes jaheira and respects her experience and talent. her work with the harpers and sharp personality make her harder for qilyrr to manipulate but it also makes her more enjoyable company. so qilyrr is a bit intimidated, honestly.

astarion: qilyrr's favorite person in the group without a doubt. they have very similar outlooks and ways of dealing with people, although qilyrr is usually less mean spirited than astarion (she doesn't have a problem with that behavior in him tho). she finds him entertaining and in the confusion/fear of the brain tadpoles, i think he was comfortingly familiar (being similar to herself and the ppl she's usually acquainted with). they are constantly bullshitting and sweet-little-lies-ing each other but by act 3 they know this and it's their love language 💀

after she caught him trying to bite her, qilyrr was intrigued and thats how their whole thing started. she knew he was purposely seducing her but she liked that aspect - she is more comfortable with lies and manipulations than true sincerity because lies and manipulations are her life. so the real surprise came when 1) she developed feelings and 2) found out he did too. them both being kind of new in the ways of genuine connection, rather than just seduction and obfuscation, further connects them. because they can understand each other uniquely in that regard (if not identically, of course).

[panigamermauser]

Stuff that was cut thoughts Part 2.

Avernus and Raphael

Avernus as Act 3 Underdark-like section sounds amazing AF. I would love to explore it so much! More Karlach content would give me joy for sure. Maybe we would even meet her friend who sent her letter to the surface?

And I do not know for sure, but I want to believe, it's where we would see Haarlep again if we did not kill them. Maybe they would even appear early and offer alliance against Raphy?

Saving Mol from Avernus sounds like a fun mission to have too! I am proud of my thiefling daughter for getting out on her own. But being there for her would be nice!

And I can only imagine all the Descent into Avernus campaign easter eggs 😍 The game is a direct sequel as is. But more would be so nice!

Catching up with Yurgir after killing Raphy would be so sweet! In my run Karlach landed the final blow and Yurgir automatically talked to her. They had special Karlach-specific dialogue, so it was neat. But I wanted to talk to him too! And he teleported away right after Karlach convo was done😭

And Raphael being more than just annoying guy who does not get 'not interested' reply is such a loss. 

Not to mention that in terms of monsterfuckery demons are my preferred flavour. Vampires and werewolved and whatever else are cool. But demons are cooler to me. I'd be feasting!

I know a lot of people are into him. But for me his intro fell flat. Maybe if I were on my warlock when I first saw him, things would be different, idk. 

But my bard is very much not into deals with the devil. Unless all a devil wants is sex, ofc. This is agreeable. She is adventurous monsterfucker. Of course she's dtf.  But soul is never on offer.

And Raphy talks about nothing else but soul, unfortunately. Be more like Haarlep. Offer a fun ride before you ask for long-term commitment!

But jokes aside, by the time of meeting him I already talked to Daisy/Guardian. And Lae'zel would not shut up about cure in the creche. And I saw Shadowheart's artifact in action. So I already had two options of shifty/scary people offering their solutions to my problem, and I know I have an effective current protection. Why would I want a third option, with objectively worse deal?

But if he was more of recurring NPC,  maybe if we were shown his relationship with his daddy, maybe if he was USEFUL before we get to rob his house clean... He could be a lot more interesting than he is.

Like, give me a reason to want to give him crown even on a character who is not into deals with devils. Maybe set him up against Zariel and Mizora, so you would want to get back at demons who hurt people your char might care about. Or maybe even let evil players side with Zariel and Mizora?

Ultimately tho I do not care much for Raphy. But I really want more Karlach content 😭😭😭.

[trashfactory]

Nefiri Eramus (neff-ee-ree air-uh-mus)

Alias(es) - (The) Dragoness, Nef (to friends)

Class - Draconic Sorcerer

Background - Sage

Romance - Gale or Karlach

Background - House Eramus is a distinguished family of magical scholars and intellectuals, made wealthy by solving complex issues of the arcane for the rich. However, despite their renown, they are generally regarded with wary - if not outright fear from the public.

In addition to their unusual looks and demeanors, this is mostly due to the fact that House Eramus is an incredibly competitive, isolated sect that puts extreme pressure on its members to constantly push boundaries in order to achieve greatness, which tends to result in misadventure. The lifespan for many Eramus is incredibly brief because of this, and sometimes, the lives of unfortunate bystanders are also cut short.

Those who survive continue to go to extreme measures to gain as much power as possible-- for themselves and their lineages. This has caused many Eramus children to be the results of unusual parentage. Draconic, demonic, and eldritch Eramus mixtures are quite common, all in the pursuit of greater magical ability. This tends to further their habits of being an isolated, antisocial people as many of them bear unusual features, which cause commonfolk to regard them as "freaks". Often, House Eramus is considered ugly but necessary. People are content to have them around, so long as they stay out of sight.

Nefiri's herself exhibits traces of both a draconic and demonic bloodline. She is both a Mephistopheles tiefling, and part bronze dragon. Her draconic features, mixed with her temper, have caused others to dub her as "The Dragoness". She dislikes the name greatly.

Nefiri was raised to disregard others and focus only on her studies. She grew up frustrated with and resentful of her circumstances, longing to explore the outside world and meet new people. She tends to view people as walking tomes of knowledge, and loves learning stories, new ways of thinking, etc.

Her abduction into the Nautiloid is not exactly how she pictured her escape from her family, but she's making the most of it regardless, and does not intend to return.

Personality - Nefiri is somewhat maladapted to social interactions, and can come across as strange, naive, or even off-putting, at times. Overall her nature is curious and excitable, she loves exploration and getting to experience the outside world. She does carry a natural temper due to her lineage (draconic/demonic) which she struggles against. She has good and bad days.

Nefiri is ultimately compassionate, but values knowledge above all else-- even life itself. This includes her own, and that others. She can become antisocial and withdrawn when preoccupied with learning/her experiments. Despite this, she genuinely does care for and enjoy the company of others, and would agonize at having to make a decision that cost a life.

[thebestbobaflavour]

OC masterlist

Once again copying my bestie

Here are my most treasured OC's

BALDUR’S GATE

Kestrel Dekarios

has like the most inconsistent design ever

sorcerer

half tiefling

married to Gale

they have a daughter named Karlach (😭)

neutral good

loathes gods bc of her childhood was based on a sole goal: to be claimed by a god - none ever claimed her

-> fucking seethes Mystra

Nephrite Scolopendra

A high-elf, but their family has a lot of contacts in the Underdark and Menzoberranzan

A big lesbian

Has history with Minthara and like half of the Baldur’s Gate girls. Minthara being her first and ultimate crush up until Lae'zel catches her eye and they hooked up. Neph ended things with her when Minthara joined the camp because she couldn't bring herself to care for anyone else the same way no matter how hard she tried. She and Lae'zel remained friends and allies.

Neutral evil, is very arrogant, selfish and rude, doesn't care about compassion and sees it as a weakness. Grows to be a better person. Cares deeply about her sister and Minthara and kindly tolerates a handful of other people.

Piper

SKYRIM:

Aglais

Ri'saad's nephew, came with him to Skyrim as a caravan guard, then left to seek his own fortune

A foolish boy, desperate to prove himself and excel at something

Ends up as a legionnaire

chaotic neutral

Gay af, has had a crush on J'zargo since he was a cub but ends up either dead or with Kharjo idk

MISCELLANEOUS:

Runoi Rääkyrauta

from a personal comic project

eurasian lynx

chaotic good

has foresight abilities

sensitive

audhd