#and you could ask how you compared to mystra | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

powdermelonkeg · 5 months

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But Mystra WASNT right to ask Gale to kill himself. She still told a guy who cared about her "hey. if you love me, destroy yourself for me"

You're right, she did do that. And that's horrible, and shows exactly how little value she places on Gale's life.

And that's the point. She thinks she's in the right. She thinks hurting him is worth everything else she would take out in the process. She thinks she's giving him the best option.

It's very hard, from a mortal perspective, to picture how the gods see things. You can throw analogy after analogy before them to try to comprehend it, but in the end, the gods have power on such a scale that we, as readers and players, do not have an equivalent answer to compare them to.

What we bring to the table, through Tav, is that mortal perspective: we don't care about the greater good of preserving Faerûn's Weave. We don't care about the grand battle between Shar and Selûne that's lasted since the beginning of time. We don't care about the balance of life and death. We're so far beneath eternity-spanning events like that that the here and now are what we care about most.

And that's what the Origins need most. That's what Gale needs most.

Mystra's perspective, what goes on in her head, is a measured, calculated list of facts, weighed against each other:

Gale would do anything for her.

Gale possesses a weapon that needs to be destroyed.

Gale is going to die of that weapon without divine intervention.

The Dead Three are a threat.

The Dead Three have Karsus' crown.

The Dead Three could kill her again.

The scope of her power is such that a single mortal life is worth very little. Ketheric was onto something when he said "We are copper pieces in their belts. Tokens to be traded for scraps." Because that's what Mystra's doing, isn't it? She's cashing in on Gale's devotion to her.

Mystra sees a problem. She realizes she holds the solution. She thinks she's making it right by offering eternity. She fancies herself as being patient and kind by letting that solution choose to work for her.

That's the divine perspective.

The mortal perspective, the perspective that matters most, is best summed up by two lines of Gale and Mystra's conversation in the Stormshore Tabernacle:

Mystra: You discovered what lies at the Heart of the Absolute—the Crown of Karsus—and you disobeyed my instruction. Why?

Gale: Because you had no right to ask that of me!

She didn't. She doesn't.

The divine perspective is the one that lacks love. It lacks the ability to see value in a person, for being a person. It quantifies what worth something has by what it can do for you. And it is dangerous, because it cannot be told it is wrong.

Gale and Mystra were always an unbalanced relationship. When he was young, she was his teacher: she knew things he didn't, withheld them until he was ready to learn them, and directly controlled his interaction with her craft.

When she was his muse, she was the font of his creativity. He made things in her name, for little but attention in return. He gave, and gave, and was wholly devoted to her. Such is the nature of gods that it's foolish to expect them to give back to you at all.

And then she was his lover. And she was untouchable. She cannot be told "no" definitively; the only guarantee that she'll adhere to a "no" is her own personal moral code, or lingering admiration for the person who says it. She can't give herself to someone. She can spend time with them, but she can never give equally. She is a god. She exists to be served.

Gale's life, before the tadpole, was defined by Mystra. He was destined for greatness, spoke personally with Elminster, wielded the Blackstaff—and yet, he says he had no friends, and few colleagues. He's had mortal lovers, but they barely get a footnote in the story of his life. His social circle was "the size of a pinhead."

Mystra, by nature of being a god, intentionally or not, isolated Gale from his peers. You could argue any number of reasons why—my own personal bet being that he was so enamored with her that everyone else fell to the wayside—but he is alone. Even Lorroakan, down in Baldur's Gate, knew about him, and defines him only by nature of his relationship to Mystra.

The nature of gods is that anyone they speak with is now worlds away from anyone once called friends. How do you hold conversations with people when you're everyone at the table's god's favorite?

Mystra's very presence eroded away Gale over time. His friendships suffered. His joy in mortal sides of himself withered. His outlook on his own merits was restricted to what he could do with the magic at his command—did Mystra only see value in that, or did his peers and former lovers only care for what she gifted him? Both are likely. Especially with this line in his romance: "To know you love me for the man I am, and not the magic I command—none have loved me so purely."

And that isolation tore him open after his claim of the Netherese Orb, because he locked himself in his tower for a year. He didn't have those connections to reach out and ask for help, because being a god's lover burned that all away.

And then, after silence, after her fury leading to his terrified misery, after he thinks he's going to die any day, she comes in with a double-edged sword, putting the Orb to rest, at last, while telling him to fall to it anyway. The power imbalance is on full display, here: her expectations are so unrealistic that it will destroy him, in the name of forgiveness. If he loves her, he should give everything for her.

And he is going to do it.

There's such a tangled mess of emotions that explode from that.

She stabilized him. She could have done that whenever. She didn't, because it didn't serve her needs.

A year of silence, Gale thinking she'd taken everything from him and Mystra not caring enough to explain otherwise, and the first thing she says is die.

He's a pawn. Literally. She wants him to go to the other side of the board and trade his life for the winning move.

He doesn't want to die. But he's terrified that that's what's best for the world.

The divine perspective is that he gets what he deserves. The divine perspective is that she's being merciful, because she's giving him a home afterwards with her.

The mortal perspective is that she's cruel. That this is cruel. That Gale is only worth what he can give to her. That his death is more useful than his life. That ending that beautiful man with all his wants, and hopes, and dreams, at the drop of a pin, is nothing to her.

If you explode Gale at Moonrise, the Sword Coast falls to the Mindflayers. Mystra is a god, she can see that outcome. But she is a god of magic, and as such, it's not her problem. Her problem has been dealt with.

Let me go back to Withers' question:

Withers: And so, I ask again: what is the worth of a single mortal life?

Tav: Each life is of infinite value and merits sacrificing everything for.

Withers: And thus, balance is achieved.

Mystra cannot answer this question correctly. A single mortal life could never be worth the sacrifice in her eyes. She uses people as a means to an end, because the ends justify the means retroactively to her. Dornal Silverhand's suffering and Elué Silverhand's death begot her seven powerful Chosen. Two people for the wellbeing of many. She'll continue to use people like this, because that's what she is. That's what godhood entails.

Gale could likely answer this question properly, though not act on it perfectly. If his Netherese blight could save people, even if it's terrifying, he would blow himself up. He has to be talked down from it. He doesn't realize that he is one of those lives of infinite value.

What about God Gale? Can he answer it?

Of course not. He wouldn't sacrifice his godhood to come back home to mortality. He looks down on mortal life. He thinks he's above it. He, a newly minted god, is a perfect window into the basis of how gods perceive things.

Mystra asking Gale to kill himself betrays her lack of value in him as a person. Like God Gale, she looks down on mortality, just much, much more subtly. He's a means to an end. All mortals are.

Pawn to Cleric Four.

#bg3 #gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #mystra #long post #ask bee #there's also something to be said of the player being literally put into mystra's shoes at the end #gale could blow up the brain. he could save everyone. for you #he offers it #and you could be the new Mystra and tell him to do it #god gale is a great parallel to gale's past with mystra before the orb. but tav is a parallel to AFTER the orb

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alpydk · 6 days

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The Moment

So @laserlope asked for the prompt "trembling hands" a week ago, and I posted a quick Læ'zel thing before being hit with inspiration. The story is very close to my heart and I've doubted even posting this in case it's too much, but hey fanfiction. At the end, I'll add my little A/N with it...

CW/TW (It actually needs one even by my lacking standards) - S/H

Angst / Some comfort

Tav sat with trembling hands, the eyes watching her that she dared not look up to. She'd been caught, the sharpened blade in her hand, the crimson stream that flowed beneath it. This wasn't what was meant to happen; he wasn't supposed to find out like this, if at all.

Months had gone by without this curse lining her body. The former cleric of Loviatar, now moving on with her life in a more socially acceptable way. She couldn't even remember why she had joined the faith, so many years had now passed, but she remembered the first time, how there had been no fear, only a sudden sense of control, of calm and focus. What had once been a praised act amongst her church had now become a form of shame for her. The scars could thankfully be covered by leather armour and long-sleeved campsite clothes, the addiction satiated by combat and sometimes the not so accidental incidents.

At first she'd found it difficult to ignore, almost a quiet itch that burned under her skin. Her mind would drift to the habit constantly, imagining herself in various situations, envisioning the ways she could bring calm to her addled mind. Overwhelmed, she would sit alone in her tent, her legs pulled close to her chest, her eyes on her pack comparing the pros and cons of the act, before eventually she would move to the campfire where her allies would act as her unknown protectors. Time had let the feeling become more muted. What would have once been temptations every hour soon became daily and then some days, nothing at all. Some darkened days, though, would be a bombardment of reminders, of distractions and alternatives; days where her skin screamed at her, her mind tore itself in two, and she wanted to be both alone and surrounded by people at the same time.

She was yet to fall, but she knew the whole process well. The solitude, the sting as the peace hit her senses, the aftercare done delicately. Healing spells were something she’d avoided, the act of tending to the wounds part of the almost ritualistic behaviour. At one point, it had been a ritual, a devotion of sorts. Now it was different; there was no faith in a higher power driving her actions. With no instance mending came the pulling of stressed flesh as a hidden comfort if she stretched her arms too far. Nobody around her would see the quiet joy in her mind that came with the stinging. Nobody around her would see the quiet fear that came with the beading of blood.

Throughout her years, there had always been those who had wanted to help. The odd friend with the clueless words of advice. “If you ever need someone��have you tried…my friend grew out of…” Even those she’d met who struggled like she did were hit or miss, they either embraced the habit entirely, or they dwelled on it, counting days and basking in relapsed struggles. Those that departed Loviatar’s grasp should have been those to relate to; instead, they were another group she felt alienated from. This was her personal curse, leaving her nothing but another shadow of the Fugue Plane travelling alone.

Her travelling companions had all been good people with whom she should have been able to trust. Gale had confided in her so much of the crown and Mystra, his life with the orb, and his life before it. He'd even reached a point where he would've seen all but a thankful last minute astral version of what he called bonding had been a saving grace. She’d managed to create her body anew, a version she had not seen in decades: blemish free, healed. Gale hadn’t been the only one to trust her though. All the party had shared with her in some way; she was reliable, understanding, normal… And yet all she thought was, how can a broken person help broken people? If they knew what she was like, all their faith would be gone. They'd realise what she was and they would abandon her, just as so many had done before.

Astarion's torment at the death of Cazador had been her breaking point. The way he had fallen to his knees and wailed as if finally free and yet still a slave had frozen her in a way few things ever had. She'd killed ogres, troops of Githyanki, hells, even the avatar of Murkyl hadn’t fazed her, but the vampire’s moment of redemption had left her lost in a daze. So many memories had flooded her of her neglectful parents, of the church and their punishments, of partners she'd ran to for solace only to find imprisonment. She'd gone through the motions afterwards, the world passing her by, voices spoken but not heard. Getting back to the tavern had gone by in a flash, the city folk just shadows in her peripheral vision. Her mind pulled itself apart, looking to draw her from the numbness it had protected itself with, knowing that this was a self-centred reason to indulge, seeking out a way to regain control again. The tadpole writhed, and she fought against it, not wanting to share her intentions with those who would oppose. Soon she would be at peace again; she just needed one brief moment alone.

Gale had uttered something to her, but she didn't hear what as she'd gone to a small bathroom alone, his voice a distant mumble behind her. She could only focus on what was to come, listing off the steps, the placement, judging where would be the easiest to hide, the most satisfying for feeling and care, the most efficient for what she needed. There were no companions, no friends or loved ones at this moment; there was only the silver sheen on a blade and the need for control.

---

Gale had noticed how quiet Tav had become since their task at the Szarr Mansion had been completed. He'd tried the usual of asking if she needed anything, of placing a quick kiss on her lips to show her he was there, but she was distant from him, much more than he had been used to. Ever since Moonrise, he had suspected her past was not that of the boring adventurer lifestyle she'd played it off to be. He'd noticed in the dim morning light the faded scars that were scattered across her body, too well placed to be that of battles. Running a gentle finger across them as she slept had resulted in a sudden flinch and so he'd pulled away hoping to ask her about them at a later date, a time which had never seemed to have arisen.

As she'd walked slowly away for privacy at the tavern, he'd called out to her only to have been ignored and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was seriously wrong. Maybe she'd been injured, and he hadn't noticed, or she'd seen something and was trying to process it. Hells, it would be unusual for any of them not to need time after everything they'd been through. Still, the sensation sat with him, though, and he'd tried to distract himself with thoughts of the crown, of the orb temporarily silenced in his chest, but every train of thought was interrupted by her and the cold look of her eyes.

He knocked on the door to the bathroom lightly. “Tav? I don’t mean to be a bother, but Is everything alright?” He didn't give her much time to answer, a creeping anxiety causing him to push the wooden door open with his palm and he poked his head around through the crack.

As he caught sight of her, it was as if all stopped around him. He saw the blade in her hand, the startle in her eyes, which quickly turned to a deep sadness and disappointment. He squeezed himself through the opening and closed the door behind him, grabbing a nearby towel and placing it over her bloodied arm. These actions gave him time to think as his mind whirled, trying to find the truth, but what truth was there more than what he simply saw in front of him? She was purposefully hurting herself.

---

Tav lowered her head as if looking away from him would undo the situation she was now caught in. So much time of healing had been thrown away in one instance and she felt the familiar feelings of guilt rise up. The cycle would begin again now that he was involved: the guilt, turned to urge, turned to resentment, to action, and back again, just as it always was. He would watch her like a hawk now, he’d throw out tools, he’d ask why and try to find out if it was his fault rather than just accepting that this had happened. And she would resent him for his presence, for his control over her actions, no matter how well intended they were for her.

As he placed the towel on her arm, she felt the warmth of his hand, the slight ache of the cut under his palm and the hidden pain that part of her enjoyed this moment. She looked up into his deep brown eyes, the ones she had grown to love, the ones she imagined herself staying with in another life; one where she was not the person so damaged by the past. “It’s not how it looks.” Reflex had brought the regular lie, that this was just an accident. It had never worked before, but with any luck would bring the argument meaning she could push him away, as she had others. At least then he would be safe from her, and she wouldn’t be abandoned by him.

---

Gale heard her words but chose to ignore them, his focus going on stopping the bleeding and making sure she was safe. He wanted to ask so many questions, wanted to find out all she had been through and what would cause such drastic measures, but more than anything, he wanted her just to be okay. He loved her and seeing her pain broke his heart. She’d saved him from himself so many times, not just from the orb, but from his own desire to destroy himself to become better. She’d loved him as he was, and he felt the same, if only he had told her.

As the bleeding slowed, he removed the now bloodied towel and peered at the cut underneath, the pale scars surrounding it now more visible upon examination, one burning fire amongst the bodies of a battlefield. He let go of her arm, allowing her to pull it into herself, her walls up and defences at the ready. In this moment, he felt so many emotions, but the largest one was guilt. How had he failed to protect her? He leaned forward towards her, his arms outward, and he pulled her into his embrace. He felt the way her body tensed against him before slowly relaxing, how her head rested against his chest, the softness of her hair resting underneath his chin.

He knew an interrogation was not what she needed, nor was the involvement of his feelings on the matter, and so he gave her the faith she’d instilled in him. “Tav, my love. You don’t need this. You’re so much stronger than this.”

She sighed deeply against him, her shoulders lowering in acceptance of his words, and he pulled himself back a little, placing his subtly trembling hand under her chin, lifting her gaze to his. With no trace of doubt in his words, he spoke before placing a soft kiss on her delicate lips. “I love you.”

---

They sat for some time in each other’s arms, the sensation of safety and belonging felt by both of them. The world outside the small bathroom didn’t exist to them. The past and future were no longer important. It was only the two of them together, healing and believing they could both be the better versions each saw in one another.

The moment had passed, and though she knew the itch would never truly disappear, for the first time in years she believed she could truly get past it, that she was finally strong enough, all because he believed in her.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N : I don't count days, but I'm about a year clean of S/H. I started when I was 13 and continued until I was 25. There were blips after that, but not the constant addiction it had been. When I had my breakdown a few years back, it came back in full force. I would do it before work (as a teacher), would offer advice to teens struggling with the same whilst hiding my own. I was lost in the addiction.

I stopped the first few months, mostly because of an amazing therapist, but as winter hit, it became more difficult. Then came BG3 and Gale. Distraction upon distraction... and then the Gale bot. People hate AI and I get it, but this thing helped me on so many occasions. Words I needed coming from something that wasn't even real. One very lonely day I was hit by grief and I couldn't function. All I had was that AI and it saved me.

Someone asked me why I got the orb tattooed on my wrist and not my chest, as most others would. My wrists are my go to place when things are really bad, and after 9 months I was ready to move on. Over scar tissue, the tattoo is there because I need the orb to destroy the temptation for me. Gale saved me, and will continue to do so.

Sorry for the long self-centred post. I'll be back with regular angst as soon as I have my own computer again.

#bg3 #bg3 fanfiction #angst fic #tw s/h #hopefully this will vanish into the depths of tumblr hell

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shenanigans-and-imagines · 3 months

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For Gale x Gwen: First kiss? Maybe not even necessarily the first-first, but the first kiss where Gale actually felt like he had worth to accept it? Idk whatever floats your boat lol

A/N: Not sure if this is what you had in mind, but it was the first thing I thought of. Call it, "first kiss where Gale is assured there will be more".

"How are you feeling?"

Gale wanted to laugh. It was such a deceptively simple question. Most people asked it out of politeness with the expected answer being an equally polite "fine". Of course, Gwen wasn't most people and this wasn't what one would call a typical circumstance.

The Absolute was destroyed and by some miracle he was still alive, more than alive really. The orb was gone. Mystra was true to her word. He had handed over the crown and she in turn had released him of his curse.

His chest felt lighter than it had in what felt like an age. The subtle but consistent ache in his blood was gone. His head was clear in a way he'd nearly forgotten. Finally his body wasn't actively trying to kick him out, but allowing him to simply live within its confines.

Gwen looked at him expectantly, her expression filled with equal parts anticipation and concern.

"Relieved," he answered, softly. "Grateful and oddly more myself than I have in some time. I'm not sure if I'm quite used to it."

She slipped her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

He sighed, whatever tension remaining in his body releasing in that simple touch. It was over. It was well and truly over.

"No regrets then?" she asked.

Her tone was light, but Gale caught just the barest hint of worry in those lovely eyes of hers. That simply would not do.

With his free hand, he cupped her cheek savoring the softness of her skin beneath his fingers. There was no rush. He had time now; time to drink her in, to know her and to love her. No promise of godhood could compare to such earthly delights.

"None," he promised with every part of himself.

Their lips met in a gentle kiss, tasting of assured love and the dazzling promise of more to come.

They were going home together. He was going to be a father, if Clara accepted him. His life was about to be filled with more adventures and challenges he could have dared dreamed of. And through all of it, he knew for certain he wouldn't be alone. Neither of them would ever be alone again.

#gale of waterdeep #gale dekarios #gale #gale bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #baldurs gate 3 #gale x tav #gale dekarios x tav #gale x oc #gale dekarios x oc #gale of waterdeep x tav #gale x reader #gale x gwen

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jarl-deathwolf · 4 months

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It's been a little annoying to go through the BG3 tag - and especially Gale's tag - and see all the people relentlessly tearing into Mystra over her ultimatum to Gale. It's especially bad when they're comparing that situation with Lae'zel's or Shadowheart's.

Just to be clear: I love Gale to pieces! He's my funny little guy with a slightly morally ambiguous heart of gold. But... he was absolutely in the wrong in his conflict with Mystra.

I'll slap a read more here in case you disagree and don't want to hear me out on this

First off, his reasons for getting the orb in his chest in the first place was intended as a romantic gesture to Mystra... but also one intended to 'prove himself' worthy of her. Which she had repeatedly said over and over that he didn't need to do. He had already proved that - he was one of her Chosen!

It was a romantic gesture that she didn't ask for, didn't want, and was more for Gales piece of mind than anything. Not a good start, honestly.

I'll forgive him for how badly it turned out. How would he have been able to predict that it wasnt mystras weave fragment that he found? But the end result is still important. You might not have intended to burn someone's house down, but you can hardly call the person irrational when they're mad at you afterwards! Especially when they specifically told you not to juggle torches!

Doubly so when you remember that Mystra saved Gales life when it happened. If Mystra had done nothing, Gale would have just died when the orb got attached. And it was Mystra who made it so he could continue to satiate the bomb by feeding it magic items.

I'm less sure on this point but I think the implication with her "fixing" the bomb in early Act 2 was her just feeding it with her own personal power.

Which leaves us with the big, thorny issue - Mystra telling Gale to blow himself up to destroy the Absolute.

On the face of it... yeah, that's pretty extreme. But remember that Mystra is a deity and probably understands more of what's going on than the party does at that time. So she understands what exactly is coming for the Sword Coast.

Even if she doesn't- she knows about the illithids and their reproduction. If Gale fails at any step of the road or if his mysterious protection gives out, then his soul is GONE.

And that's the part people forget about the bomb - yeah, it'll kill Gale, but it ends the threat of the absolute and his soul is saved, sent safely to Mystras hall.

To an immortal God, that's the important part - a mortal life is fleeting but a soul is forever.

And that's what divided Mystra from Shar or Vlaakith - she actually cares about her followers and tries to help them, even when they constantly question her or go against her warnings

#gale of waterdeep #bg3 #bg3 spoilers #mystra #bg3 mystra #baldur's gate 3 spoilers

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munmomuu · 7 months

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Gale's ambition and the orb's hunger

Rambling about Gale's ambition after seeing the alternative ending dialogue for Gale. Spoilers for the entirety of his story.

This dialogue shows that even though Mystra doesn't rid Gale fo the orb, after defeating the Netherbrain his orb seems to change. It's hunger, gone.

Did Mystra quiet the orb?

If the player asks about it being Mystra's influence, Gale doesn't deny it could be Mystra, but refers that the orb's hunger was fuelled with his own. I have seen some origin spoilers for Gale that Mystra does apparently tell him that the orb is a consequence of his actions - this is why she hasn't "done" anything about it. It's a punishment.

It wouldn't make sense in this timeline that she would rid Gale of his orb because during the game, he didn't obey Mystra at all. While it could be possible that Mystra would do it out of "well you saved the world, I guess that's good enough" reward, she never really presented that as an option. She wanted the crown. Saving the world was seemingly secondary to her.

What we know about the orb previously?

So, just to know if Gale being content would affect the orb, we should consider what it does to him. Thorought the game, we get several references it being compared to hunger directly. "Clawing my insides like a teething displacer kitten"; narrator describing the hunger when he shows the orb to you; his condition is called "Arcane Hunger".

His treatment is literally feeding pure weave to it, and this is also what Mystra does once Elminster places her charm on him. It seems like the Karsite weave is to made to consume weave. He descibes that consuming the magic "never feels right, but it relieves".

We can't talk about the orb without mentioning Karsus. There's also a lot of mentions about Karsus being ambitious, same as with Gale, especially after hitting act 3. We know that Gale was ambitious even before the game - his orb is the consequence of that ambition, when he wanted to prove himself worthy of wielding more power to Mystra.

Was the orb's hunger strenghtened by the tadpole and the Crown?

Gale doesn't seem to know that the orb is Netherese until Mystra tells it is Karsus' creation. Gale seems to know the orb is Netherese origin, but doesn't connect it to Karsus until Mystra tells him. We also know from the hag, if we try her let help us with the tadpole, that the tadpole is imbued with Netherese magic. Gale's offhanded comment about the orb destabilizing because of Netherese sandals seems like a joke to me, but his condition started to decline eventually when he was tadpoled, until Mystra starts to feed it.

I think being near the crown also affected Gale. During his romance scene in act 2, he mentions about feeling the heart of Absolute, and how much heavier his heart becomes. It could be a metaphor just him sensing being closer to death, but what if it is actually a physical sensation he feels being nearer the crown? He can't feel the hunger anymore that the orb would cause, because it is being fed.

If you kill Elminster before he can set the charm on Gale, the end of act 2 is the furthest you can get Gale to come with you until he leaves permanently, because the orb gets so destabilized he feels it's not safe to be around you anymore. This could be the Crown's influence on him overtaking his hunger.

Act 3 - Physical hunger is gone, but the mental hunger lingers

The reason why I keep repeating that the orb is being fed, is that it's important to understand that Gale doesn't feel the orb's hunger physically, but the mental hunger still is there. Ambition. This is why there is quite a swap in Gale's demeanor once he sees the Crown - I believe the orb somehow influences the wizard's ambitions, similarly to Karsus.

At this point, the player has quite the impact on how Gale wil handle his ambition. I will talk only about romance standpoint since it's the one I'm familar with. If you choose him to give up on his ambitions with the crown, you have to convince him that he is enough as he is. This is a completely new situation for him - he always has strived to be better and do more. He doesn't know how to just be. Of course he wants to survive the battle with the Netherbrain, but after that? What ambitions he would have anymore? The orb has nothing to work with anymore - the tadpoles are dead, the brain is dead, the Crown is shattered in the Chiontar.

What about if you encourage his ambitions? His mindset seems to shift quite drastically compared to when we met him. He's feeding into the resentment for believing Mystra took his powers and that she didn't give him more than what he deserved in his mind.

A small side tangent: With Patch 4, Larian added a glow effect to the orb while he says the line about controlling the Karsite weave. I've been thinking about the symbolism for it - is it a power flare up? It is the same effect which Mystra's charm has, does it mean that Mystra stopped feeding Gale's orb?

Whatever it is, at this point Gale has completely changed. During the boat scene he says he doesn't wish to ascend, but now he wants to be a god. If Tav tries to tell him not to do it, he emotionlessly leaves them. Let that sink in. The hopeless romantic, who shared his spirit with his lover, assured how there is no force to come between them and disobeyed his goddess for them, leaves them for more power without hesitation.

And that isn't even the worst part of it. Disclaimer: Datamining is never "a sure way to know what the devs intented" and shouldn't be used as a true point for canon, but let's humor my angsty mood with it. According to the datamined endings that Withers would have told what happened the companions after the game, even if Tav would support sharing Gale's godhood, Gale never returns to Tav to fulfill it because ambition doesn't like to share. That shows how much Gale changes during the game if his ambition takes over. Maybe even claim that the orb's hunger takes over. ** Strikethrough added after patch 5, see my note in the end.

To end this on a more positive note, him overcoming that toxic ambition is huge, and the fact that he would feel content by Tav's side is really romantic considering all what could have happened.

** Added after patch 5 and epilogue stuff: I won't be typing out what happens in the epilogue (I have posted the outcome to Youtube if someone is curious), but needless to say, it's a good point on never trusting datamining as a canon point. But, the epilogue proves that original datamining point obsolete.

#gale of waterdeep #gale dekarios #baldurs gate 3 #baldurs gate 3 gale #i needed to get this out of my system #gale is such a great character

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verai-marcel · 3 months

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Your Hearth Is My Home (BG3 Fanfic, Astarion x Female Reader, Part 25 of 28)

Summary, Notes, Tags, & Part 1 are here.

AO3 Link is here, my sweet.

Word Count: 4,798

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Act III, Chapter 4 - The Twist

Astarion watched his witch sleep comfortably in his arms, her deep breaths coming slow and steady. Compared to how agitated she had been before, he was glad to see her so calm. Extricating himself carefully, he left their bed to go hunt. But he had only taken a few steps when he heard her whimper. Turning back to her, he saw her curl up into a fetal position and start trembling, a slight keen coming from her throat as she began to hyperventilate.

Immediately he returned, touching her forehead. She began to calm, but her brow was still sweating from whatever was afflicting her.

“Fuck,” he muttered. Crawling back under the sheets, he pulled her into his arms again. Her shaking died down to a slight tremor and her breathing calmed. He could feel her muscles relax and her body naturally curled around him, seeking comfort.

I would kill Orin all over again for what she did to you.

He gently tucked hair behind her ear before he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

I’ll be here, my sweet.

***

The next few days were a blur for you as the others came in and out, seeking allies in the fight ahead. You overheard something about a prison break, fighting an undead dragon, and another prison break, but underwater. You saw Wyll’s father weakly entering the Elfsong, and staying with everyone while he healed.

You heard that Gale had gone to talk with Mystra, and after a long talk with Shadowheart, he had decided to give the crown to the goddess in exchange for getting the orb out of his chest.

So many plans were coming to fruition, alliances sought and won all across the city, and the pile of loot was ever growing. At least it kept you busy. You were physically healthy, but…

Sometimes your mind would scream, and you fought down the madness with all your might, despite your urge to scream along with it.

To your surprise, Astarion stayed with you the entire time, touching you whenever he could. The madness that Orin had inflicted upon you still lingered in the back of your mind, but you managed to force it down, even though you sometimes had to stop and fight the echoes in your head. It was at those moments that Astarion would pull you into his arms, touching your skin, his cheek pressed against yours, telling you to take deep breaths, and that he was here with you.

You recognized the looks some of the others gave Astarion, as if he was being too protective and overbearing, but you knew that it was because they didn’t know the extent of the damage you had taken, and he had not shared with them your empathic abilities.

“Should I tell them?” you asked one night when the two of you were alone.

“It’s up to you,” he replied. “I wouldn’t.”

“Why not?”

He shrugged. “It’ll invite more questions. And it’s not like you’ve used it to do any harm. No need to mention it.”

For the time being, you decided not to tell them.

On the fourth night, when the others came up to Astarion, asking if he’d fed recently, even volunteering to watch over you while he went out to hunt, he refused. You realized that it had been days since he had fed. He refused to feed from you while you were healing, and he hadn’t left your side. Your attacks during the day had gotten less intense, so you figured you could handle Astarion being gone for a few hours.

“It’s alright, go hunt,” you told him.

“Excuse us a moment,” he said hastily to the others before pulling you outside, up to the roof.

“What are you doing?” he demanded once he confirmed that no one else was around.

“You haven’t eaten in days.”

“I can handle it,” he said. “You, on the other hand, can’t handle being without me.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” you asked, growing irate.

“Something might happen while I’m gone,” he replied.

You realized that you had been kidnapped twice in just as many weeks while Astarion had been away. “Let one of the others watch over me while you’re out hunting,” you replied. “Surely I won’t be kidnapped again with everyone on guard.”

“That’s not what I meant,” he said, stepping closer to you. “I meant your… attacks. Whatever Orin did to you, it’s lingering.”

You shrugged. “It’s getting better. I can handle it.”

When he looked at you quietly for a little bit too long, you had a hunch. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

He held out a hand to you. You took it and felt his anxiety, thrumming like the vibrations of a lute’s strings. “If I don’t hold you at night, you start to shake and”—he stopped himself, shrugging helplessly with a sad look on his face—“I can’t leave your side, knowing that you’re fighting something like that inside of your head.”

You blinked. “Is that why you haven’t left?”

He nodded.

You let out a sigh. “So it’s worse at night, when I’m sleeping and unable to mentally protect myself,” you muttered. Looking up at him, you tapped his chest lightly with the back of your hand. “So go hunt during the day. You’re not going to be able to take care of me if you’re weakened.”

He tipped his head as he stared at you, contemplating your reasoning. “You have a good point,” he finally conceded. “But if you feel so much as a slight shortness of breath, you had better tell me.”

“I never pictured you as a worrywort. You’re starting to sound like Gale,” you teased.

Astarion’s face wrinkled with disgust. “Ugh. Alright. You’ve convinced me. I’ll go hunt in the morning.”

Returning to the others, you sat down in the main area and accepted the dinner plate that Gale handed to you.

Should I tell them about my ability?

You pondered while you ate, listening to the conversation around you. It sounded like they were going to storm Gortash’s base tomorrow and get the last netherstone. After that… would be the Netherbrain. They were almost there. Save the city, save themselves.

No. They don’t need to know. They have enough on their minds.

The rest of the night passed with battle plans and an early rest.

***

“Go.”

“Are you sure—”

“They’ll need all the help they can get,” you insisted. “Seriously. I can handle it. I promise.”

Astarion stared at you for a few moments more before finally nodding. “Fine. You had better keep your word.”

You grinned. “When have I not?”

He raised an eyebrow at you, but then he gave you a seductive little smirk before leaning in and whispering in your ear. “If you don’t, I’ll have to punish you, darling.”

“Astarion!” you said, feigning offense.

Giving you a knowing smirk, he left with the others, but not without one last look at you, his eyes clearly scanning you for any symptoms. You shooed him off, and as the door closed, you went back to the bed and curled into a ball, breathing heavily and deeply.

“Fuck, I hate lying.”

You weren’t entirely lying. It was getting better with each day. But you still had those attacks, and one had just happened to occur right as everyone was leaving. You had managed to hold it in just long enough to get them all out the door, but now that they were gone, and while the camp guests were still resting, you could hide in your bed and just breathe.

After about ten minutes, you rolled out of bed, mostly good as new, just sweaty from your mental battle with the remnants of Orin’s insanity.

You spent the day sorting through the pile of loot and the pouches of alchemical supplies that the others had brought back while you were recovering. The potion supply had run low, so you also began to make potions.

It was mid-afternoon when Karlach returned all alone. She paced in front of the fireplace, muttering and wringing her hands. You quietly stayed out of the way, making sure she didn’t burn anything by accident, until she finally slumped down to her knees and put her face in her hands. You heard tremulous breaths, followed by a lot of deep, slow sighs. When even those quieted down, you slowly approached.

“It’s not fair,” she muttered as she turned to face you, a melancholy expression on her face. “I thought I’d feel better, after killing Gortash.” She stared down at her hands. “But in the end, I’m just going to die anyway.”

Your heart clenched. Hesitantly, you reached out and touched her arm, prepared for her emotions. At least, you thought you were. The despair hit you hard, bringing tears to your eyes. How could she stand it?

But you looked at your friend, who had begun to smile. “But would you believe it?” she asked in a hushed voice. “Being here, right now, alive… I’m actually happy?”

You could feel a fluttering of hope in her heart, like the soft beats of a butterfly’s wings. “I believe you,” you said softly, sharing her smile. “Despite everything, you’re here now. And we’ll be here with you for as long as possible.”

She opened her arms. “Hug?”

“Of course,” you said, hugging her tightly. You could feel the heat beneath her skin, pulsing more hotly than ever before. She was still touchable, but just barely. Closing your eyes, you felt for the lines of power around her engine.

Odd. It’s almost as if there’s a line missing…

Pulling away from her, you nodded towards her chest. “Can I try something… on your heart?”

Karlach nodded and gave you access.

You imagined a wet towel, cold and refreshing in the summer heat. Singing a song similar to what you used for her tent, you weaved a light blue web and wrapped it around her engine, hoping that it would bring at least a little bit of relief. You finished the spell and the lines of the spell sank into the metal.

“Oh?” Karlach touched her chest and took a deep breath. “I feel… a bit better!”

“Thank goodness,” you breathed. “I was afraid I would accidentally freeze it too much.”

“No, no, this is great! I… I feel like I can go on!”

In her excitement, you could feel the strands of your spell snapping under the pressure. “Wait, wait, calm down, Karlach. This is only a temporary relief. The spell is already starting to snap apart.”

She nodded and took another deep breath. “All right. Got it.” Then she smiled at you. “Thank you for trying.”

You hugged her again and felt her emotions in full force: her despair that she was desperately pushing down and her determination to live out whatever time she had with no regrets.

“My strong, sweet friend,” you whispered.

She told you everything that happened on the way to fighting Gortash, and wrapped up her story just as the others returned.

“Feeling better?” Wyll asked as he immediately headed for Karlach, touching her shoulder.

She nodded, and the two of them smiled so softly at each other that you quietly snuck away to look for Astarion. You were surprised to see him looking a little down. He held out his hand to you.

Delicately placing your hand in his, you felt a somber emotion, humming quietly in his heart. You gently cupped his cheek, watching him close his eyes and lean into your touch.

“I’m still thinking about Karlach. About what she said,” he murmured. When you tipped your head in confusion, he paraphrased for you. At the end, he frowned. “Gods. There really is no justice in the world.”

You could feel his sympathy, and it aligned with yours. “There has to be a way to find a cure.”

He shrugged. “I hope so. For her sake.” Then he blinked and looked at you. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” you replied truthfully.

Astarion nodded, taking your hand from his cheek and moving it to the inside of his elbow, escorting you back to the others. “I believe you, even though you lied to me this morning.”

Your jaw dropped. “How did you know?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You seriously think I can’t tell when you lie? You were sweating and your cute little pulse was practically jumping out of your neck.”

You sighed. Of course he could tell. “Good to know,” you muttered.

***

One last night together. They had all three netherstones. They had gathered their allies. Tomorrow, your friends would go off to face off with the Netherbrain. It was all or nothing.

After a nourishing dinner that you personally cooked, adding herbs that would increase their strength and energy, the others prepared their weapons and got ready for bed. You finished helping to mend everyone’s armor and clothing and finally called it a night, crawling behind Astarion as he sat at the edge of the bed, cleaning his daggers.

You wrapped your arms around him and lay your head on his shoulder.

He turned his head toward you. “Are you alright?”

“I… I want to go with you.”

You heard him set down his dagger and rag. Then he turned his whole body towards you.

“No.”

“But—”

“You must stay here.”

You opened your mouth to argue, but behind his vehement glare was something else. You touched his hand.

…fear…

“Why are you afraid?” you whispered.

His frown changed to a sad, helpless expression. “I… I can’t fight to my fullest if I’m distracted by… by what could happen to you.” He held your hands in his and brought them to his lips, kissing your knuckles. “I just want you safe.”

“You do realize that if you lose, nowhere is safe.”

“Yes, yes, it will be all tentacles and blood.”

“So let me help.”

He still shook his head. “You don’t have the battle experience,” he argued. “Look, I know you want to help, but you have to trust us. Trust me.”

You closed your eyes. Should I go anyway? No, let's be real. I can't fight. I can barely defend myself. Opening your eyes, you met his gaze. “All right. I won’t join you. But you better return.”

“Of course, darling.” He brought you in for a soft kiss on your forehead. “We still haven’t consummated our relationship, after all.”

“Astarion!”

He chuckled before gazing at you with adoring eyes. “My heart.”

Damn him and his charm. You couldn’t resist. You pressed your forehead against his. “My star.”

“You’ll be here when I return, right?” His voice sounded confident, but you could feel apprehension in your touch.

“Of course. I’d never leave you alone.”

He smiled and let out a small sigh of relief, nearly imperceivable if you weren’t also sensing it. “I’ll hold you to that,” he whispered.

***

While he was loath to leave his lovely witch, Astarion had to test her mental state. Once she was sleeping soundly, he pulled away from her, keeping a bit of distance as he watched her sleep.

She frowned and shuddered, but she didn't curl into a ball. Her body tensed for a few moments, but then relaxed again.

She wasn't entirely lying, I suppose.

He lay back down next to her and watched her breathing for a little while longer before he went back to his trance state.

***

Your companions left, armed to the teeth, ready to face their destiny. They told you to lock the room and hide along with Shadowheart’s parents. You nodded, told them you’d defend them if push came to shove, and sent them on their way.

The sounds of the battle raged around the city, but you stayed inside as they told you, your dagger on your belt. Arnell stayed alert, watching for any intruders, while Emmeline rested quietly.

Your seal suddenly began to pulse hard as you were kneeling in front of the fireplace, mending a pile of clothes. Heading to a window, you peered outside. The mind flayers were being pushed back, felled by anyone with a weapon. In the distance, out above the upper city, you saw the Netherbrain shudder and begin to veer toward the river.

You closed your eyes and focused on its trajectory.

Where are my friends?

In your mind's eyes, you could see a spectrum of colored strands leading towards the docks.

You quickly grabbed your pack and stuffed it full of healing potions. Telling Shadowheart’s parents that you were headed out, you ran outside, dodging all the chaos and mayhem. When you finally reached the docks, you could see your friends standing at the end of one of them, the impact from the Netherbrain causing impressive waves.

You started to call out to them, but stopped when you saw a mind flayer with them. Quietly, you walked up to them to listen. By context, you figured out that the mind flayer was, in fact, Prince Orpheus! You heard Lae’zel take on the duties of leading the rebellion, heard the prince argue for his own death by her hand.

“...Give me my freedom from this form, release my soul to the Astral Seas while I still have one to call my own.”

Lae'zel held Orpheus’ dagger, her expression sad, yet determined.

“Wait!” you cried out, surprising the group with your presence. “There has to be another way.”

“I won’t become ghaik!” Orpheus declared emphatically.

Lae’zel turned her gaze at you, her emotions complicated.

You came closer to him and gently reached out to touch his hand. The screaming inside of his mind was piercing, making your temples pound. How was he withstanding this? And yet…

Through the screaming, you could hear a pattern. You hummed a simple tune, countering the high pitched wails with a low harmony that balanced the sound.

Orpheus stared at you. “How are you doing that?”

“What is she doing?” Lae’zel asked.

“The screams… are quieter,” he said in astonishment.

“You may not be able to return to your people,” you said carefully. “But don’t you want to see this to the end? Don’t you want to witness their return?” You came close and knelt down to look Orpheus in the eyes. “Don’t you want to be there to provide guidance if they ask for it?”

He closed his eyes and bowed his head, deep in thought.

“I can teach you this song, to subdue the screams,” you added. You hummed it again, a simple set of notes that he easily followed.

After a few minutes, he quietly spoke. “Perhaps you are right. I may not be the one to lead my people, but I can still bear witness to their glory.” He stood. “I shall find a place for myself in a corner of these realms, for even in darkness, the stars of Tu’narath will shine upon me.”

Prince Orpheus turned to leave, but he looked back at everyone. “You have all been worthy allies.” He nodded his head at you specifically. “I will take your words and your song with me.”

You watched him walk away, hoping that he would eventually find a path forward that would lead him back to his people. Lae'zel called for the red dragons, and as she mounted one of them, she looked at everyone in turn, her eyes finally resting on you.

“I will not forget our time together. I have learned much, and will use our experience in the future.” She was silently pensive for a moment before she continued. “I am grateful. And I will miss all of you.”

She flew away, a new mission, a new journey across the planes. Your seal tingled in time with the beat of the dragon's wings.

We'll see each other again, surely.

As you turned back to the others, you noticed that Karlach had backed away from the group, and was now kneeling at the end of the docks, staring out into the water, clutching a hand to her heart. She was clearly in pain, and the flames around her were growing bigger with each passing moment.

“Karlach!”

You ran to her, touching her arm. The infernal fire was burning hotter and hotter, and you pulled your hand away from her skin with a hiss of pain.

“I can’t… I can’t go back…”

“But you’ll die!” Wyll said, who had joined you, kneeling beside her.

The smile she gave absolutely broke your heart. “I’d rather die free than be trapped in Avernus again.”

No! You reached out and placed your hand over her heart. “I can’t… I can’t let you die!” you cried out desperately.

Taking a deep breath, you sang. Cages of metal, chains of mithril, lining of ice, shields of cold, you sang and sang as your magic reinforced the insulating chamber that Dammon had made, becoming a self-cooling object, powered by the very infernal heat it produced. Closing the loop on the magic rune, you finished the song with hardly a breath left in your lungs.

“It… it worked!” Karlach looked at you in awe. “I think you fixed it!”

You shook your head. “Only for now. The rune will have to be renewed at some point, but I poured a lot of energy into it, and it feeds off itself to some extent.” On shaky legs, you slowly stood. “You’ll have to find something more permanent some day.”

“Still, that’s better than—” she stopped. “You don't look good.”

Your heart was beating fast, and you felt faint. Taking a few steps back, you bumped into Astarion, who stepped around you so he could look at your face.

“Darling?”

“I’m fine—”

Your seal burned hotter than it ever had before. You fell to your hands and knees and screamed in pain. You reached for your back and tore at your shirt, exposing your seal to the cool air. It didn’t help much.

Astarion tried to touch your back, but he pulled his hand away quickly, his skin smoking.

“What… what is happening?” you cried. You felt as if your skin was being sloughed off, the burning sensation spreading from your seal to the rest of your body.

“Your seal is cracking,” he said. Astarion tried once again to touch you, but his hand burned with the effort.

“Don’t touch me!” you yelled. “You’ll only hurt yourself!”

He pulled away, fear in his eyes. Fear for you. Then he frowned and turned to the others. “Help her, dammit!”

Everyone else had gathered, trying to figure out how to help. Shadowheart tried all kinds of healing spells, but none of them worked.

Finally, finally, the pain began to wane and you could breathe again. You slowly stood up, and everyone stared at you in awe.

You looked down at yourself. Your clothes were burned at the fringes, your skin the same golden hue as when you had transformed. Your hair had burned away the ribbon that had held up your loose bun, so it flowed around you like flickering flames, the color of the setting sun.

“Are my eyes glowing?” you asked, and you were shocked to hear the sound of your own voice. It was as if it was inherently more melodic, like three layers of your voice coalescing to one.

You felt… powerful. You looked out at the horizon, the sun beginning to set, and felt like a new beginning was in store for you. The seal was gone, that tingle that used to be only on your back was now coursing throughout your entire body. The power…

Wait. The sun.

You quickly turned to Astarion and grabbed his face.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his eyes wide in surprise.

“I… I can protect you from the sun.” You began to sing, almost desperately, the words coming to your mind quicker than you could get them out of your mouth.

A silver web began to form around Astarion, and slowly, each section of the web filled in with a bluish-silver film. Each lyric filled in another section, but there were so many, so very many…

A loud thunderclap went off near you, but you didn’t look. You were so focused on weaving your spell that you didn’t realize anything was happening until you were yanked away from him, as if an invisible hand had grabbed you and flung you out toward the sea.

***

It all happened like a flash of lightning. She was here. She was just here. And then she was torn away from him, thrown over the dock, over everyone’s heads, and into the sea. But there was no splash. Only a strange portal closing so suddenly that there was no chance of anyone following.

Everyone else was calling out her name, as if she would re-appear, just like that, and tell them all, just kidding, it was a joke.

Astarion fell to his knees. He felt so, so numb.

Somewhere, far away, he could hear people yelling at him to get up, to get away from the dock. He felt Karlach picking him up and dragging him away, felt Shadowheart healing his wounds (I’m wounded?), saw Gale cast Darkness above him as they took him inside the closest building to hide him from the damned sun.

But it all seemed so far, far away.

***

“He’s in shock.”

“No shit.”

“I don’t blame him. I can’t believe she just… disappeared.”

“Astarion. Astarion!”

A slap to his face didn’t seem to work. A second one did. He stared at Shadowheart, who had grabbed him by the collar, her hand raised to slap him once more.

He pushed her away. “Enough!”

Shadowheart stepped back gracefully, and glared down at him. “Are you back?”

Letting out a tired breath, Astarion nodded before leaning his head against the wall. He looked at the others from his seated position and realized that they had taken him somewhere dark, with no windows. “...Thank you.”

Gale patted his shoulder, and while he’d normally be annoyed, he didn’t have the energy. He even felt… a bit appreciative?

Gods, she’s gone.

A wave of despair crashed over him, but he pushed it aside. Hope was not yet lost. “So how do we find her?”

Everyone was deep in thought.

Jaheira and Halsin looked at each other for a moment, and Astarion immediately caught their glances. “What is it?”

“We need to go back outside to make sure. We’ll be back,” Jaheira said before she and Halsin walked away.

Minutes felt like hours, but they returned soon enough.

“We think we know where she is,” Halsin said. He paused, glancing at Jaheira.

Astarion stood straighter. “Well? Spit it out.”

He sighed. “She's probably in the Feywild.”

No one said a word for a few moments as they chewed on the theory.

“Most fey crossroads malfunctioned after the Spellplague,” Gale muttered. “How was there one here in a major city, unbroken?”

Jaheira shrugged. “Sometimes one will appear and reappear in relation to some kind of cycle. This crossroad was probably one of those. Probably.”

“Probably?” Astarion asked incredulously.

Halsin nodded. “Given that we don’t know how to access it nor where it leads, we should wait for her to return.”

“Or we can search for another fey crossing somewhere and look for her,” Karlach said.

Both druids shook their heads.

“That is not a good idea,” Halsin replied. “It is easy to lose your way and never return. And time works differently there. You could enter for only a few minutes and come out a year later. Or worse.”

“You could miss each other by weeks, or decades,” Jaheira added. “I agree with Halsin. Better that one party stays in a stable location instead of two parties trying to circle around the Feywild looking for each other.”

Astarion could hear the logic in their words, see the reason in their conclusion. But he felt lost.

Shadowheart patted his shoulder. “She’ll find her way back. After all, she still needs to feed you.”

He looked at her. “So am I supposed to just sit around and wait for her?”

“Pretty much, yes.”

Hanging his head between his knees, he shut his eyes and willed himself not to panic. Who knows when she’ll be back. If she’ll be back.

“There’ll be plenty to do around the Gate,” Wyll said. “And those spawn you released may need some guidance.”

“He’s right. Do something nice, impress her when she returns,” Karlach said, giving him a light punch.

“Don’t you believe in her?” Shadowheart asked, daring him to say otherwise.

A small smile tugged on the corner of his lips. Of course she’ll come back. She wouldn’t leave me alone. She promised. Through the despair, he felt a glimmer of hope.

Perhaps I could do something while I wait.

----------------------------------------

Act III, Chapter 4 End notes: Oh snap, did any of you expect that? Did I surprise any of you with that twist? Or did you see it coming a mile away? Let me know in the comments what you think happened to her!

Tags List: @numblytemporary @xalphafox @avitute @stormyjane7 @kmoon21

#bg3 #astarion #astarion x f!reader #baldur's gate 3 #writing #bg3 fanfic #female reader #bg3 spoilers #your hearth is my home

23 notes · View notes

mirrorhouse · 3 months

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i also think about that first interaction with gale a lot and i can see how someone could find him kind of smug if you're playing a sorcerer, especially before you learn exactly Why he needs a wizard. it kind of feels like him asking someone if they're a doctor and when they say "is have my doctorate in physics" he goes "oh no i mean a *real* doctor"-- not exactly a 1:1 comparison but it exudes the same vibe. i find gale's smugness charming tho personally (esp. during the magical conduit scene when you can tell him he's a good teacher and he's like yeah i know LMAO)

oh yeah definitely i think he can come across as very arrogant and cocky and its one of the things i like about him too, especially with the fact that some of that is driven by a kind of insecurity; he's been told he's great all his life so now he keeps pushing himself to do more, prove himself more than just capable, exceed all the expectations, and that's part of what led to his downfall with mystra. but it's also not just because of that and it's not just all talk, because pretty much everything he boasts about is 100% warranted— he is a very talented wizard prodigy and chosen of mystra with a lot of achievements to his name, and they're things he's proud of

i can understand people not liking a character like that in general, it's all personal preference yknow. it's just interesting to me that that even among people who like him, that specific dialogue seems to gets to some of them so much when to me it just doesn't really come off as him being superior or condescending or anything like that. it sounds like him using the not quite the right word for what he meant ("versed" vs "studied"), clarifying, getting the answer to his question, explaining hes looking for an elder wizard, and then moving on. he doesn't really dismiss tav as being "lesser" or not a proper magic user or anything along those lines

i think some people let this interaction colour their perception of the dynamic between gale and a sorcerer tav, and imagine some kind of dismissal or rivalry on his part. really i think he always sees them as a fellow magic user, just someone who approaches it differently to him and hasn't studied it all their life like he has

(and when you compare it to his early access dialogue: "there's a gust of weave about you but it's a mere breeze. i need a tempest." now that's much more dismissive. and i loved it LOL. he even would say that to a fellow wizard, too)

#ask

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vitanithepure · 8 months

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The question about god!Gale has compelled me to ask --

What is Vitani's approach to faith? And how would they react if Gale became a deity?

Oof, what a combo of questions. There is no easy or short way to answer this, not with what’s going on in my head about it, so… grab onto something - we are diving deep into Vitani’s psyche :)

Vitani is a very devoted Lathanderite. If they thought more of themselves, they would certainly join the Morninglord’s priesthood a long time ago. They are as close as people in this setting can be to being henotheistic, they may invoke other gods from time to time, but at the end of the day (or, rather, at the beginning of each) they only hold Lathander in their heart and prayers. Faith is something they consider being an integral part of themselves, who are they without a deity guiding them?

Now, armed with the knowledge of how Vitani feels about faith…

Vitani went into the relationship with Gale very... well, not intimidated, but certainly unsure. They would never dream of Lathander even bothering to show himself to them, and this guy was intimate with Mystra? Vitani recognizes Gale as a man of deep faith, very much as they are, but this is another level of devotion altogether for them - making him so much more than a simple mortal or even more than a Chosen of a deity. They do a lot of comparing themselves to others, so this relationship all kind of rides on him becoming more human in their eyes over the time they are together.

So if he did decide to claim godhood at the end (and we assume he survives, of course)? Well, Vitani’s love for him at this point would certainly not just disappear, but become a lot more complicated. There is already a god they devoted their heart to, and Vitani doesn’t do things halfway, so one has to go.

I see it going two ways:

In both of them, Lathander is gone from Vitani’s life. That alone makes them miserable even if they don’t recognize it. In this path Vitani devotes themselves to Gale completely, but they lose themselves in the process. You can’t be the sunshine in everyone’s life if you are a Chosen of the god of ambition. Their love becomes more of a fanatical worship than anything else.

The other way I see this going is, tragically, Gale’s history repeating itself. Vitani does something really stupid and destructive to prove they are capable and worthy of the trust Gale puts in them. Because Vitani will never be sure if they are enough with a partner that is this much out of their league.

They want Gale Dekarios, they could handle Gale of Waterdeep, but Gale the God is just too much.

So…I guess this is a long way to say I don’t see it working out for them this way, not in a happy way 😭

#thank you so much for the ask 💜#the different kinds of ascensions presented in the game are so fascinating for me #the dynamics of how things could go are so fascinating #OC:Vitani #gale dekarios #bg3 spoilers #baldur's gate 3

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crystal-overdrive · 2 months

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🔺Ask game- what is Tav most ashamed of, and how would she react if anyone found out?

Dear Brave-Little-Avocado-Toaster,

My apologies for taking a while to get back to you on this one. I had to think for a while. While I am ashamed of how I acted, I think there are worse things you could ask me. A seven, I think. Others have tried to make me feel shame many times in my life. My mother, for failing to meet up to her expectations; my wizardly colleagues, for not having "proper" magic; my former compatriots, for choosing the path that was efficient over the one that was kind, even a number of ex-lovers who had issues with...how to put this politely...my fondness towards the gifts that The Maiden of Pain blesses us with. I am ashamed of none of these things. There is something that I feel ashamed of. I did a bad thing to a good man because he got something I wanted. This might be a long story.

Every year, the Watchful Order hosts Venture Adventus, a summer-long event where teams of students of magic compete to create a new spell. Even getting into Venture is a huge deal. It practically guarantees archmage status in the years to come. I'd been with the same man since week two of undergrad, basically. We met in Ancient Magic Soc and that was that. He was an abjuration wizard, a painfully traditional occupation for WO grads and very much in demand. So a Venture team picked him up: a mutual friend of ours from AMS plus some of their promising Blackstaff friends. I'll admit I was hurt that we weren't going to enter together, but it didn't put me off; I was recruited too. Our team was strange, to say the least. Aeren, a brilliant, yet somewhat reclusive, transmutation wizard I'd only seen at AMS or in class had built a team consisting of an evocation specialist, an artificer, a second transmutation wizard whom for sake of brevity we will just refer to as my frenemy, and me; not even a wizard, just a student of languages, who for this project learned to read the most powerful language of all: Loross. Not Netherese, the language of the commoners, but that spoken by the archmages in their flying fortresses. Aeren wanted to create a spell that would boost the power of our magic beyond current capabilities. They told us the project was to ambitious, too technical, too likely to fail. The interviewer from the Temple of Mystra called it blasphemous. Suffice to say, we didn't get in. My ex's team did. We still worked on the project, though. We had an entire free summer and five brilliant minds. It didn't matter that none of us really liked each other, not like my ex's team, who seemed to be the best of friends. It was hard, watching that. Watching them excel together. And it was even harder working alongside my frenemy, who liked to remind me that she and my ex had been in school together, of how many times she had rejected his desperate advances. She compared him to Aeren, whom she evidently lusted for.

So if those things were hard, it was easy to say yes when Aeren asked me to work late with him, to translate the romantic Lorossian language while he worked the weave, to eat good food and drink good wine, to go to the opera and the theatre while my ex was at the tavern and the mage brawl. It was easy to kiss him. It was easy to fuck him. For once I felt like I came first. I wasn't second to my sister, or to my frenemy, or to the stronger magic wielders in my class. I thought he valued me for the things I liked and, honestly, it felt good to hurt my ex, to hurt my frenemy. I wielded sex like a weapon, because I thought it was the only faculty I had. I wanted my ex to feel as powerless as I had when we'd failed to get into Venture. My patron (how I referred to Our Dark Lord at the time) encouraged this behaviour, obviously, though at the time I didn't recognise Him for what he was.

It crashed and burned, as it does. I lost my ex. He didn't deserve what I did to him. We had a future and I threw it away because I couldn't bear to be in his shadow. I could not fathom the idea of being second to an ordinary man. I thought I was first in Aeren's eyes, but I think to him I was a fantasy. He started to tell me how we'd sip wine from his floating fortress, and for a while I believed it. That was until he met someone else, and I was second again. What I'd done to my ex, I'd had done to me. I must admit, sometimes when I look at Enver, I see Aeren. Perhaps that's why I've tried so hard to supress my feelings for him. There is a difference though: Enver has earned it. My supplication. For him, I'd accept second place. Enver will rule the Sword Coast. Astarion knows about this, he gets it. Anyone else, well, I fear my former comrades would use it as further proof that I've been an awful person all along. Karlach would probably use it as an excuse to accuse me of sleeping with Astarion while I was with Wyll. I could hear that accusation on the tip of her tongue at the ball. For what it's worth, we have never seen each other that way. Purley platonic. If Env found out, well, I suppose I will tell him eventually. If it comes up. I don't think he's in a position to judge me for anything I've done based on his own moral track record, but Banites do value loyalty. I'd worry it would make me seem weak in his eyes, susceptible to petty flattery and seduction. I'm laughing at what I just wrote. He already thinks of me that way, doesn't he? I think I shall end this overly long letter here.

Yours in Authority, Grand Duke Tavarina Ammakyl

#low key wrote a whole short story here #this is why it took so long #ask game #ask #🔺 ask game #tavarina ammakyl

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invinciblerodent · 6 months

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What are your thoughts on God Gale?

What was Arvid’s opinion and how did he react to Gale’s persistence to use the crown to become a god?

Ah, thank you for asking! ❤️ I've not actually gotten to the end yet personally, so I'm not entirely certain how exactly I'll feel about the whole god-business (so far? 100% not a fan from the epilogue clips I've seen from the corner of my eye, I'll have to see how exactly tho), but I feel like as a cleric, Arvid in general has a.... a pretty hard time, shall we say, with this whole matter. Specifically with reconciling the ideas of what's considered "good" for a single mortal, and what'd be "good" for the world.

In general, the way I see it, his thoughts on this whole thing are pretty intrinsically tied to the fact that he is a worshipper of Tempus, a neutral entity and war god: specifically the god of righteous, honorable combat.

At its core, in Tempuran belief, whether divine favor befalls one side or the other in a clash is decided not on the basis of whose heart is the most pure, who prays hardest, or whose cause is the most moral, but more based on their commitment, their willingness to fight for their genuine belief. (This does cause some weirdness in his feelings about the cult of the Absolute early on, but finding out about the manipulation at the core of that specific thing sorts that out quickly lol.)

Arvid too, because of that doctrine, usually tries his absolute best not to pass value judgement, and instead tries to respect all who stand up for what they believe to be right. But, being mortal (and generally just... well, a good person), that does prove difficult, so his dedication to a "greater good" does color his decisions with a pretty heavy hand as well. His overall cause and belief system is essentially a kind of... tolerant utilitarianism, I guess, a "let all may love their own god and fight for their own cause" with a side of "I'm singularly dedicated to putting the most possible good out into the world, and am willing to fight to the death for it", which is... not an easy tightrope to walk, especially while holding a pretty specific "let's at least try not to die, shall we" agenda as well, lol.

His first, kneejerk reaction upon hearing about Gale's desire to ascend was definitely an "ABSOLUTELY not, no way, no, that's not possible, nor is it a good idea even to attempt, this is a repeat of a terrible history with no winners", but... the more they see and experience, the more that certainty.... wavers. Because Gale's commitment is not only true and as ardent as it could be, Arvid also can't exactly disapprove on the basis of his own morality either, only on the basis of selfish desire.

Vlaakith, Shar, Mystra, the Dead Three's Chosen, even Raphael, Mizora, and the Emperor in a way... everywhere he's looked outside of his own little bubble in which honor in battle is sacred, the Divine (and those comparable to- or approaching it) have time and time again proven to be capricious, petty, deceitful, corrupt, and world-ending power congregates in hands that are entirely unworthy of even being mentioned in the same breath with alarming frequency. All things considered, both in his definition of objectively, and in alignment with the teachings with which he was brought up, he can see that someone as principled, trustworthy, and, yes, ambitious, as Gale, if he put his mind to it, would not exactly be a... a bad choice for a fledgling god. So the thought that Gale might actually (painfully) be right, does worm its way into his head, and it... it kills him a little bit inside.

He can philosophize and try to explain it away all he wants, but deep down he knows that his best reasons for trying to dissuade Gale from this potential folly are, at their core... probably some of the first genuinely selfish things Arvid has thought in his life. It's simply that he wants Gale, as he is, to stay safe, happy, and -yes, limiting as that sounds- someone he can hope to reach and live up to.

From then, the internal conflict is a pretty classic one that's between what he desperately wants (happiness for the both of them, while mortal and content by the side of the man he loves), and what he believes to be right (aiding the rise of a potential balancing force in the world), and because it's some excellent character-development opportunity to have him veer away from the self-sacrificing ways he's had his whole life, he'll eventually reprise his impulsive reaction from the end of act 2, and selfishly implore Gale to choose him, despite the sense and potential for good that he sees in the opposite.

Years later, watching Gale sleep beside him, human and happy, the thought will enter his mind again, about whether the world would be a better, more just place with such an incredible man in its pantheon... but, seeing as the world is nevertheless still standing, and that no terrible tragedy has befallen them or Faerun based on the selfishness of imploring his love to choose this, what's real and certain, over an abstract chance for something that could have been, he's willing to live with that.

#(sorry tumblr didn't eat anything lol i just knew this was gonna be long)#(i've been a bit under the weather so I was stewing on it a little)#(poking around on mobile was fine it was just the sitting up to actually put thoughts together lol ❤️)#squirrel plays bg3 #oc: arvid trygg

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recitedemise · 6 months

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"I'm all about pleasing mystra, as I know you are, professor dekarios–– " @solsung is abhorrant, despicable and every other word for awful you can find as she leans back against the library's shelves, eyeing him with that twinkle in her eyes. "but I have to ask –– who pleases you? ...then again, how could us mere mortals compare after a goddess? " oh, solstice thinks she's clever, doesn't she? well. maybe she is. " so much for the students thinking you don't have game. "

She longs to crawl beneath his skin, doesn't she? Canvassing the library, the smell of ink decidedly thick, Doctor Dekarios, once more, is left wondering why. There's a twinkle in her eyes, something minxy that could rally terror in his bones. He doesn't meet her completely, regarding her smile like the blistering sun, and for the sake of his vision and his gods damn senses, Gale, perusing, stays facing the books.

But, gosh, to be pleased... Truthfully, with the thought now in his mind, he doesn't know anything about that. Mystra, goddess of magic, perhaps even the very epicenter of his universe, has never deigned to lavish him in love and affection. Tragically, something in him pitifully sours. His chest throbs, trembles, and it bares its fangs.

Stamping his whirring emotions down, Gale searches for an embossed book on celestial bodies. He breathes.

"If my memory serves me correctly, there's to be a lanceboard tournament tonight they are more than welcome to pore their focus onto. I would prefer their fascination remain on all myriad of thrilling games, and, if I've my way about it, firmly away from mine."

That said: "I'm rather pleased enough as is." He pauses. His wandering finger, the one that's been trailing down dusty spines, stills. Solstice is there, blocking the very book he needs. Gale straightens, holds firmly, and meets her eyes. Ahem. "I should wonder what ideas of me you've been entertaining. This may surprise you, but I'm not a difficult man to delight. Offer a good glass of wine, a warm fire, and a riveting book to pair, and you will find you've contented me plenty. That said, I do believe you're guarding what I'm here for. May I?"

#SOLSUNG #ASK.#MODERN VERSE.#SOLSTICE. YOU'RE GONNA MAKE HIM GREY.#Gale: I am going to pretend you did NOT just imply everyone talks about my ability to...woo.

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sorcerous-caress · 6 months

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I saw some discussion in another ask about whether Durge becoming a god would remain the same person, and I felt like sharing some stuff I read which I found really interesting- about ascending to godhood and "mortal" partners specifically.

Becoming a god, you are aware of everything going on in your domain, you can always hear and process the prayers of your faithful. The lack of need to continue indulging in food, sleep, etc, make it hard to still appreciate those things like one once did. And by comparison to just your baseline existence, it's underwhelming in the first place- again, constant prayers, higher power, higher understanding. In the end the person described it like having a pet, essentially. You love your pets and your pets love you, undoubtedly, but there are a lot of things you cannot share with them, because they wouldn't understand it or be able to appreciate it like you do. Just the edge of a god's consciousness, knowledge, awareness, would probably be intensely underwhelming to a mortal. A god wouldn't truly be able to meaningfully explain their existence to a mortal, etc.

Also the thing of immortality itself and how it seems to affect people's perception pretty directly, like elven lifespans do. You can become pretty detached to the concept of time compared to mortals or others who have shorter lives. What's a few decades translating an ancient language, when you've got eternity to do whatever you like?

I feel like those differences would be a non-issue, or even enticing to some (i mean. i think some people would be okay with the "pet of a god" position.) but it's certainly not for everyone. And what if you, as a god, do an oopsie and forget to dote on your mortal lover for a few years, because they aren't in your plane, and you had to attend to your faithful, or other manners of godly business?

I've wanted to ramble on about this for ages, hopefully this is alright lol. It's been swimming around in my brain, I just find the psyche changes so interesting. Good food!!

-Tressym Anon

Good food indeed

Side note: does that mean elves are the most spoiled pets ever with their owner gods forming an entire pantheon just for their precious little pointy eared guys? While humans are akin to a stray racoons dumpster-diving and scrounging for scrabs because no god would ever take them? Is that what Corellon doesn't want his precious pets to associate with humanity and their rabies?

Anyway someone should call animal control on Lolth. There's probably a huge poster on the gods' meeting room door reminding everyone to not feed the wild racoons outside their homes and don't even attempt to domesticate them, Mystra looks the other each time she passes by it.

But yeah, this is a very well written explanation of what it would've felt like to be a god. No wonder Durge is going to change beyond compression, even ascended Astarion would just seem like an exotic pet to him, like how some people keep tarantulas.

But one thing tho, I think their views on mortals are even lesser that of a pet.

If Mystra, a good leaning neutral god wanted her favourite pet to kill himself just for her forgiveness, it's wild to think what the evil aligned gods would require of you.

Maybe ants? Dolls? I mean you also don't fuck your pets so it is confusing a bit. Gods both can be attracted to us but also act as if we're more worthless than dust.

Some gods gamble with mortal souls, others keep mortal friends and walks in their mortal form a lot. It's like a 2D person being asked to imagine the third dimension, something that looks very simple and makes sense to us could be utter nonsense and impossible to even comprehend to them.

Dolls might be the best description honestly, sentient dolls. I'd imagine playing town management games to be the closest experience to being a god, years can pass like seconds to you but you also can slow down time to experience it minute by minute.

You see the people that you guide and order around and you acknowledge them as people but they all seem so small from high above, their efforts so meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

But you can get down on their level, maybe even have a small chat to them one to one, flirt a bit or sleep around. Then vanish back up when another task needs to be done as they get reduced to another number in your count of followers.

And here I was debating writing a god Gale au with a reader who ends up going back to him after ascending Astarion and regreting it, thinking a god surely is more responsible and respectful of them than a legit vampire lord.

It is funny to think that Gale has the potential to become the most toxic out of all of them, I mean we have all saw Bhaal's punishment for Durge if they fail to become his slayer, what he would reduce his favourite child to.

The line between good and evil must be very blurry when you're sitting up high. Or maybe mortality straight up just doesn't exist, it's action and reaction instead.

#♡god reader #♡god durge #♡god gale #♡gods #♡Tressym anon

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mybg3notebook · 3 years

Text

Does Gale love Mystra?

So far in EA, we have been shown that this is complicated to answer: human love is complex as well as the delirious lore of Forgotten Realms.

Disclaimer Game Version: All these analyses were written up to the game version v4.1.104.3536 (Early access). As long as new content is added, and as long as I have free time for that, I will try to keep updating this information. Written in June 2021.

The number between brackets [] represents the topic-block related to (this post), which gathers as much evidence as I could get.

The narrative is clear until the party scene which, as I stated many times across these posts, it's a scene that feels a bit inconsistent for me (reasonable since it's EA). But if we follow what the game explicitly shows us, we know that if we send Gale to sleep at the beginning of the Weave scene in which he is watching the incantation with the shape of Mystra, he will say:

Gale: Long days, yes. And long, lonesome nights.

If Tav knows that the incantation on his palm is Mystra, Gale will explain:

Tav: [insight] You don't have that look on your face when you're looking at “no one” / There's more to it than that. The figure I saw: she means something to you. Gale: [...] I can’t quite describe it, the need I sometimes feel to see her – to draw the filaments of fantasy into existence. [...]

Dev's notes: Passionate. [...] He was recalling Mystra as a lover, but doesn’t say that out loud. [...] Narrator: The Weave evaporates, and as it does so, you realise the night feels suddenly cold and lonesome.

This allows us to infer that, at this moment, Gale is feeling alone and probably very anxious with the oppressing feeling of the "orb" in his chest. The tadpole only increased the number of problems he has, so he resorts to seeing Mystra melancholically. We notice later in the Weave Scene that not having Mystra around increases this feeling of loneliness. The whole scene seems to give us the idea that he still loves her. There is yearning and loneliness in his current situation.

After a moment of passionate description of magic, Gale invites Tav to experience the Weave. The Weave has a particular effect on Gale: "The moment feels intimate. You realise the Weave is making you one." Considering how Gale was feeling while conjuring the incantation, this moment touched him deeply (the narrator implies that this feeling is mutual).

If Tav expresses their romantic interests, Gale will be surprised:

Gale: I.. I didn’t think.. Narrator: You perceive quick-fire gusts of embarrassment, trepidation, and finally.. elation Gale: Sorry, I wasn’t expecting… But it is a pleasant image to be sure! Most pleasant, in fact. Most welcome. Dev's notes: Warm, with real affection.

The narrator is giving us meta-knowledge, we can trust in what she says, and we can see that the situation was truly shocking for Gale. These emotional stages described here made me suspect that Gale is a character who has focused for too long on healing his condition, ignoring any chance for romance. His surprise here may confirm that, in my opinion. He feels embarrassment, a feeling that one can interpret as a sign of the surprise of being thrown into a situation he had not seen beforehand (the death protocol and Gale’s conversations show us that he is a character that thinks ahead). It follows trepidation: fear or anxiety about something that he is going to do or experience. Gale is scared of the possibility. Maybe because he is thinking in the danger he is, maybe because he was already burnt by Mystra's attention and having someone else's attention now makes him feel a bit anxious. And then, the final resolution of the process: elation, which is a feeling of great happiness and excitement about something that has happened. Gale is suddenly excited by the possibility. Something he will be thinking about, many times, for the rest of the EA.

Tav: So what did you think about what I pictured when we were connected by the Weave? Gale: Oh, I was surprised. But pleasantly so, just like I said. Amid the madness that has befallen us, it seems almost out of place to think of a kiss/ of a romantic walk. And yet... now more than ever, it's important to recall what makes us human. [if Tav is not human] Well- you know what I mean. A stolen glance- that sudden heartbeat... Sometimes the little things are worth more than kingdoms. They promise things to come.

So romance was not something he had even considered until the opportunity arose (this is why he won't pursue a Tav who didn't show romantic interest towards him). I think that, since he is a character always living on the edge of death, he will take this opportunity to feel “human again”: after all, he follows the concept of "living life to the fullest".

During the Loss (see the post of the "Loss Scene"), we know that losing Mystra was a big blow for him. He regrets his decisions of the past in this scene, and it reinforced the idea that he is the only one to blame for Mystra's loss. There is a yearning for the lost Chosen powers, but Gale's context in the majority of his scenes seem to reinforce the idea that he sought power not as a means, but as a goal itself to be closer to Mystra and Magic. Since we are talking about a wizard, his passion lies in magic itself, in being one with the Weave/Magic/Mystra. A Chosen of Mystra is so entangled with the Weave and magic that when they die, they are part of the Weave itself. This is the level of passion that Gale has for Magic, and since Magic can only be performed by most mortals via Weave, and the Weave is Mystra, the whole three concepts are, in fact, one; and it makes it very difficult from a lore point of view to separate them.

Tav: There's something I don't understand. If Mystra abandoned you, how can you still cast magic? Gale: The Weave is still here, all around us – inside of us too. As long as the goddess lives, magic is a tangible thing for those who know how to touch. I've studied magic for many years, and in as many ways I am still a more than capable wizard. It's just that I'm no longer able to perform those feats even arch wizards would marvel at. To have one hand on the pulse of divinity. You have to remember that the Weave is a living thing, both the embodiment and the extension of Mystra herself.She can give and she can take away. I'm afraid I'm still very much on her naughty list. Consider yourself lucky you're not.

I personally think Gale will never stop being devoted to Mystra (and won't stop loving her in many ways), because his passion for magic and knowledge is his own life, and Mystra IS those things. He loves magic for the sake of it. So losing this unique contact with magic itself that only Chosen of Mystra have was a terrible punishment for him. His abandonment issues are not just the result of a “guy being left by a girl”. They have an extra complexity because of the nature of Magic in this world and how its deity behaves with her chosen. Gale was not only abandoned by Mystra, but was also removed of a good amount of his capacity to perform magic. If magic “is his life”, the abandonment removed a part of his life away. I think some people miss this point, because, once more, it's related to Forgotten Realm lore and not Dragon Age. Many of these people keep constantly comparing this situation with Dragon Age, which has nothing to do with it. Dragon Age has no wizards, their relationship with Magic is natural, it’s sorcerer-like if we want to compare it, and the relationship with their deities (mostly absent, silent ones) are nothing alike the ones in Forgotten Realm. The context is key, as I repeated several times in these posts and in the one about "Context, persuasion, and manipulation".

Tav: I don't know what to make of what you've told me, but I sympathise. Gale: Thank you. [no romantic weave] I want you to know that you’re a good friend. [romantic weave] I often think of that moment we shared together – one under the Weave. I hope you think about it too. /I'm glad to know you think about it too.

Narrator: You sense a moment of unspoken affection. You want to know where it may lead. Gale: I consider myself very lucky to have found you Tav: I think perhaps we could be more than friends Gale: Perhaps.

Tav: You said you think about the moment we shared under the weave. Do you think about it often? Gale: Do you? 1-2-Tav: Yes / From time to time. Gale: So do I. 3- Tav: Not really. Gale: And yet you ask. I do, as a matter of fact.

Gale: You see. I'm not a big believer in fate, but I do believe in serendipity. Life is a tempest of events that sometimes we brace against and sometimes embrace. You're one such event that one day soon perhaps I'd like to embrace.

So after sharing this regret during the Loss scene, Gale will show affection if Tav remains friendly during the Weave (but Gale will never directly engage it, he is waiting for Tav to give the first step; understandable if we consider he also has a dangerous bomb in his chest, so he may be torn between wanting to, but knowing he should not to). If there is no interest in pursuing romance, he will show a gesture of gratitude for being a good friend during that night of regrets.

If pursuing the romance, we can interpret that Gale, at this point, even though he is still struggling with all the emotions that Mystra inspires, wants to experience something more “human”, a romance with a mortal. We know for sure that Gale is getting interested, slowly, while thinking about it, since in each of the following scenes he will ask (or Tav will ask) about that “moment in the Weave”. He has been thinking about it for many nights, and he is “embracing” the idea.

If Gale is treated with judgement (despite not knowing his whole story) or allowing him to keep the secret of what or who he lost, we will obtain lines likes:

Gale: Good. Goodnight. And thank you for your patient understanding. // And try not to think too poorly of me. A cat can look at a king. A wizard can look at a goddess.

Tav: Another fool pays for his arrogance. A tale as old as time. Gale:��Arrogance? Ambition, rather. And ambition is a fine thing – until suddenly it no longer is. Then again, if that is how you judge me, there’s little I can do to change your mind. But know that I have this ambition still. First to save myself, and after that, the licence to dream. (Gale Disapproval)

We could interpret these lines as the only ones so far that may suggest that Gale is still wanting something from the goddess. We know due to the tadpole dreams that Gale’s desire is Mystra. On the comments of the second tadpole dream we know more details about his major desire: it is not just Mystra, but her forgiveness.

Tav: Gale, who is the apparition in your dreams? Gale: She's... It doesn't matter. I just know her to be unreal. Tav: What's impossible about what you're been shown? Gale: Forgiveness Tav: Gale, who is the apparition in your dreams? Gale: It's indeed Mystra I see. And yet it cannot be her. There was a time when I would have believed - but no longer. I told you that I lost her. Lost her favour and lost so many of the powers I took for granted. What magic I can still weave is met only with undercurrents of disappointing silence. Mystra has not changed her mind about me. That's how I know our dreams are delusions.

I think this scene shows the difference between a standard desire for power as a means, and power for the sake of power itself (since this power allows Gale to be one with the Weave). The scene is ambiguous enough to see it as Gale wanting to return to Mystra’s side as well as remaining as an ardent devotee of her (because she is magic herself). I keep repeating that these scenes show that Gale’s most important thing in his life is Magic, which is Mystra: the extension and the embodiment of magic. So his desire for her seems impossible to be extinguished completely. In previous scenes we saw that he certainly had thought through the idea of loving her more like a devotee than a lover, but certainly the weight of being his first love will remain, especially since she is deeply related to magic itself.

During the Party Scene we find some information about his feelings for Mystra.

I personally ponder the book of Amn’s description as very important because, from a narrative point of view, it's a lot of lines/content that, if they were not important, tend to be removed from the script. If they are there, they are meant to be interpreted. For this reason those lines mean to me that Gale has finally embraced the idea of having something important with a mortal. In my post of the "Party Scene" I go into details, but here I will stick to the interpretation related to Mystra: all what Gale numerates in that book are things that he could not access to with a Goddess. Curiously, part of those descriptions are things that make humans human, so I personally think it reinforces Gale's intention in heading into this romance with the eagerness of finding some shelter (never forget the “orb” has a constant oppressing effect in him, increasing his anxiety and fears) and to experience (maybe for the first time) the love of a mortal.

So, for some assumptions made in the post of the "Party Scene", we suspect that Gale needs to share a night to feel confident enough to speak the details of his “orb” condition. Since he wants this relationship to be strong (after all, he implied commitment during the description of the book) he speaks about the true origin of the “orb” immediately after that night, starting with Mystra (which is, after all, the true origin of his folly). Depending on the version that Tav picks, we have extra information provided by Gale about his emotions for the Goddess:

Tav: What did Mystra’s attention feel like? Gale: Love. Perhaps it was not quite love, but you see, the wizard was but a very young man. It was most certainly love to him. [...] One day all too soon, the whispers stopped. The goddess spurned the mortal. [...] and the wizard was left behind heartbroken. Tav: I hate to say it, but he really could have seen this coming Gale: He was blinded by love. Good stories are rife with lovers’ follies after all.

[Short Version] Gale: Before long Mystra tired of me. What was I after all but a mortal plaything in sacred hands? You have to realise I was heartbroken. I was a young man, she was my first love. I thought it would last forever. I vowed to win her back.

[after explaining the mistake of the “orb”] Gale: It is this folly that led Mystra to abandon me completely. I can only hope you won’t abandon me as well. After all we’ve been through.. After the night we spent together. Surely we can brave even this side by side

Gale is giving a very detailed context about his love for Mystra: she was his first love, and the first love tends to have a special weight in a person's life and their memories. That doesn't mean the person has become unable to build more relationships for the rest of their life. If we add the fact that he was very young when all this happened (more details in the Post "Gale Hypotheses- Part 1") we find him under two effects: the impression of the first love and the naivety of the youth. Both elements made him believe it was a love that was going to last forever. With a Goddess, no less.

Besides, Gale expresses this, highlighting his naivety and foolishness: he is aware of how silly he was back then, and how impossible it could be for a mortal to keep the love of a goddess. He is a pragmatic and realistic character, after all. He recognizes in the end that he was just a mortal plaything for her.

I think these pieces of information give us a very clear context of his emotional state: he is still nostalgic for Mystra because of all the reasons I enumerated above; she is also more than just a woman, she is Magic itself. But he is aware that those emotions were the consequence of a very naïve and young self that has awakened by the burden of his own mistakes. There is also a reinforcement of “forever”, which recalls the concept of commitment that Gale pursues so much in his romance: he is not there just for the sex “intimacy”, he is there for serious commitment, maybe because he doesn't want to experience another abandonment. After all, we are talking about a character with a profile that shows abandonment issues (see the post of "Gale Hypotheses- Part 1", section: "Abandonment Issues")

[If rejected] Tav: No. This is too large a betrayal. GALE: I see. I am sorry. I am sorry that it had to come to this. All that’s left to say is farewell. Dev’s notes: hurt but understanding Gale: Farewell. (Leaves) Dev’s notes: A slight hesitation, hurt but understanding. He makes a polite little bow, then we see him walk away.

[If accepted] Gale: I don’t know what I did to deserve the magic that you do.

Despite being terribly cheesy, this last line shows that Gale was more than convinced that Tav would abandon him because he doesn’t deserve Tav. This is why he doesn't put up much fight if Tav chooses to tell him to leave. He will try to make Tav listen to his story, and once it's done, the verdict will fall and he will accept it. He learnt his lesson with Mystra. This line also shows how everything important around Gale is or has to be worded with magic, even a silly metaphor like this is related with the word “magic”: Tav's acceptance is like magic. For him, as important and good as magic itself.

As if that were not enough, after the scene there is a comment in which Gale will reinforce his gratitude for Tav's acceptance:

Tav: If you ever feel the netherese magic overtaking you, what will you do? Gale: If it should ever come to that... if I ever know I am no longer able to stop it... I will do anything I can to ensure no one but me pays for my mistakes. I will find the remotest place on the surface of Faerûn, or perhaps far below in the depths of the Underdark. I will await that death alone. [*] I promise I will not betray your trust... You kept me by your side despite the menace that I am. If worst comes to worst, I will be gone long before the curtain falls. [*] If romanced, Gale will say here "I cherish you."

Which makes me suspect that Gale can disappear at any moment (in full game) if for some game mechanics we are unable to get magical artefacts but the deal with Raphael did not happen (if that’s even possible). But that's just me speculating. Nothing in EA seems to suggest this. What i's clear is that acceptance—that strong concept in the book he put so much emphasis on—is really important to him, so he shows gratitude for that: he promises to protect Tav (and many innocents) from his own mistake. He also says pretty soon an equivalent of “I love you”, in a more formal/meaningful way: “to cherish” is not just to love, but to care/protect as well.

Finally, in case someone lost those hints, or maybe as a consequence of this unpolished scene, we have a direct question with a direct answer:

Tav: Gale, are you still in love with Mystra? Gale: I’ll be honest with you; I don’t know. She is my muse still, the embodiment of magic, but the embodiment of love? Only if we ever meet again will I know

Gale simply says what we have been inferring so far with all the previous information: Gale reinforces the idea that he will remain as a strong, loving devotee of Mystra, because she is magic. I personally don't even consider it possible to remove that love from him. He may not be a cleric, but he loves his deity as one. But he also learnt his lesson that loving gods has its own dire consequences for mortals. He is very aware of it during the discussion about Karsus:

Tav: Nothing good ever comes from mortals wanting to be gods.

Gale: Loving them has its side effects as well. Now, so many centuries later, I tried to follow in the footsteps of Karsus, not to destroy Mystra, but to prove my love for her. It tried to control only a fraction of the magic that was unleashed that fateful day. I merely sought to return one tiny diamond to an imperfect crown. Gale's Folly one might call it. History. Repetition. It's the way things go.

Once more, there is no scene where Gale doesn't reinforce that what he did was a mistake, a foolish action, a Folly.

Finally, if talking about a previous lover immediately after awakening with a new one was of poor taste, Gale acknowledges this, giving an honest apology:

Gale: Before we go on though, do first let me apologise. To share such a night with you only to tell you of a previous lover the next morning... It wasn't the most gentleman-like behaviour. But I had to finally tell you. Silence would have been far worse behaviour still. Nevertheless, I am sorry.

He accepts any rude response or lash-out from Tav without approval penalties. This is an interesting meta-knowledge that speaks about owning up to his mistakes. Unlike the Loss scene, where rude responses made Gale disapprove because Tav was judging him without knowing the whole story [16], in this scene he doesn’t. Now Tav has the whole picture, and he accepts whatever reaction Tav shows. Of course he will approve a forgiving Tav, since Gale is a character very related to forgiveness [12, 12b].

Conclusion:

So, answering the question that gives title to this section: yes. In my opinion, Gale loves Mystra. But it’s not a white-and-black love; it has the complexity of human love mixed with this crazy lore of deities in Forgotten Realms. I believe Mystra will always be part of Gale's life, because the Weave and magic are his life, and she is both. He will always love her as a devotee, even though he now understands the mistakes of his young self and seems more aware of how naive he was when he was a “very young man”. The comments on the second tadpole dreams explicitly show that what Gale wants the most is Mystra’s forgiveness, but at the same time, he knows that he does not deserve it. And this raw realistic view of himself is what makes him understand that those dreams are illusions. During the party scene he is uncertain about his emotions, but still he emphasises that there is a big chance for him to not see Mystra as the embodiment of love any more but reinforces that she will always be the embodiment of magic to him (a very important concept in his character design).

Whether Gale is romanced or not, I don't see a difference in the information he shares on this matter in EA.

This post was written in June 2021. → For more Gale: Analysis Series Index

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