#he just didn't plan it to be Karlach she was too useful too good of a bodyguard

[maegalkarven]

I have an awful idea of Karlach and Durge actually knowing each other in the past, quite well, actually.

(The reason Karlach did not recognize Durge is because Durge always used that shape-shifting mask of theirs and looked like someone else).

Durge and Gortash met for the first time 11 or so years prior the game.

Durge was already a cult leader, Gortash was not yet Bane's Chosen or even banite, but was starting to work on the cults angle.

Durge hang around just enough for them and Karlach to hit off; it was actually Karlach who is the first person Durge felt genuine connection with.

Father Bhaal disapproved and Urge started to act up; Durge blacked out several times killing innocent tieflings, acted a lil weirder than usual.

Gortash, being Gortash, noticed.

He had a list of candidates from whom he was planning to choose the right person for Zariel's engine.

But he discarded them and sold Karlach instead; he explained it to himself as there's no better candidate for the role. She would survive the engine being installed and, if she was tough enough, would survive Avernus and emerge victorious.

It had nothing to do with his unstable ally acting more unstable than before.

Durge, who at that point had caught up what Father demanded Karlach dead and, for the first time ever, were hesitating to kill someone, visited Gortash and found out Karlach was gone.

"Good," is all they said. They did not elaborate.

[lendeah]

Thank you very much, Gale. Goodnight.

Pairing: Gale x Fem!Reader/Tav

Summary:

Upon reaching the Last Light Inn, your party is informed about the room arrangements: you will have to share rooms in pairs. Fate has it that you find yourself paired with a particularly charming wizard. To add a twist, there's only one bed. or Gale and Tav relive the "there was only one bed" trope.

Tags: Fluff and smut. They are so cute.

Word count: 3.5k

Warnings: NSFW (minors dni), thighs, frottage, heavy petting, mutual masturbation, touch starved Gale.

Note: This was going to be a prompt but it got out of hand. Anyway, a small gift for the Gale girlies (me, I am the Gale girlies). Also, not proofread and english isn't my first language, so be gentle!🫶🏻

"You will have to share rooms in pairs" Yaheira had deadpanned. After our long journey, we finally reached the Last Light Inn. We were hoping for a comfortable bed and some privacy, but our hopes were crushed.

Yaheira didn't seem fazed by our reactions, her expression remaining stoic.

"After all the blood, sweat and tears we poured into saving you lot back there this is the beautiful appreciation we get in return?" Astarion exclaimed dramatically, his tone laced with sarcasm.

Yaheira's cold stare silenced him. "Many soldiers are residing here, sacrificing their own comfort for our cause. Four of them have given up their bedchambers for your stay. You should be grateful," she reprimanded sharply.

The creaky wooden floors and musty smell hinted at the age of the building, but it was a small price to pay for a warm bed and shelter from the danger of the shadows outside. The group stood in a huddle, debating their next move. Wyll's voice rang out confidently "I propose we stay at the camp like we have been doing.".

Karlach's response was immediate and determined: "What, and die in the shadows? No, thank you."

You let out a frustrated sigh, feeling about to faint from weariness. "Guys, we're all exhausted. We should just accept the offer and get some rest. We practically sleep on top of each other every other day anyway."

"Yeah, but not on the same bed." Shadowheart chimed, giving Lae'zel a sly side glance. "And how would we determine who sleeps with whom, anyway?"

Gale, the ever-practical one, interjected: "Perhaps we could employ a method of chance, such as drawing straws, in order to make a resolution?"

So that's how Gale and you end up entering the old dusty and messy bedroom from the last Light Inn. The single bed in the middle seems to be laughing at us.

Gale sighs. "I knew sharing rooms wasn't a good idea. I should just crawl under the bed." He scans the room, eyes coming to rest on the window, with the dark sky looming outside. "I could sleep out there too." He pauses. "The prospect of such a cozy rest is indeed quite alluring. The brisk gusts brushing against my face, as I gaze upwards towards the unobstructed expanse of the starry heavens. Delightful, wouldn't you agree?"

He moves to get out of the door, but you grab his arm, your voice pleading, tinged with desperation from the exhaustion. "Please, Gale, I know it's uncomfortable, but can we just please do this tonight and figure out a better plan tomorrow?"

He swallows, glancing down at your fingers wrapped around his arms. "I-I don't think you realize just how difficult it'll be for me. This bed's too small, and it's too close, and—I can't."

I look at him with my eyes narrowed "If you don't get on the bed in the next five minutes, I am going to use my maze on you. And let me tell you, it hurts"

He looks at me dumbfounded ."...You wouldn't?" You give him a pointed stare. Of course, you don't mean to hurt him, but you are too tired to fight or move for that matter.

He swallows, looking you up and down again. Then he nods and turns toward the bed. "Uh, fine. I guess I'll, uh, get on the bed. However, I cannot guarantee that any peculiar occurrences will not transpire. I mean, not that I expect anything weird to happen. Just, you know, putting it out there. Okay, I'll stop talking now."

Your roll your eyes fondly at his rambling. As Gale awkwardly settles onto the edge of the bed, you quickly change into your undergarments and crawl into the other side. The bed creaks under both of your weight, making Gale flinch. The space feels narrow, forcing you close together. There's barely an inch in between, and any movement sends you brushing up against him. You can feel his body heat radiating off him, a little toasty.

"The dimensions of this bed are rather diminutive," he whispers, staring up at the ceiling under the blanket, unable to make eye contact with you.

"Aren't you sharp" you whisper teasingly.

"It's... it's tiny! How do you expect two fully-grown individuals to successfully sleep in this thing?" He says in an exasperated whisper. It is small, though. Feels like I'm being wrapped in a blanket... Except the blanket is another person.

I sigh in exhasperation, "Gale I am trying to sleep for god's sake!"

Gale shifts uncomfortably, trying to make himself as small as possible on the narrow bed. "I apologize, I didn't mean to disturb your slumber. I just...I can't get comfortable in such confined space."

You let out another sigh, feeling a little bad for him. "I'm sorry. This isn't your fault, but is it possible that we exchange our positions? I don't mean to inconvenience you, but I feel like I can't relax like this. I can sleep on the edge of the bed, and you can sleep in the middle."

You look at him, one second away from grabbing your maze for real. "Gale, there is no middle, every part of this damned bed is the edge!"

Gale, is still fidgeting on his side.

"This is ridiculous," you mutter under your breath.

"I know," he responds quietly. "I'm sorry." He bites his lip, looking up at the ceiling again. "It seems as though you are now stuck with me as your blanket," he says, turning his head in your direction. "I hope this arrangement does not cause any discomfort for you... I would not want to impede upon your sleep."

At that, you can’t help but smile fondly back at him "It could be worse," you remark softly. "I could be stuck with Halsin and his incessant snores."

"Halsin snores?" He blinks in genuine surprise. "I never would have guessed. Is it disruptive? Like a storm tearing through the night?"

You roll your eyes. "You wouldn't know, you sleep like a rock all night." Your words are playful, as you nudge him lightly with your elbow.

"I do not! I am an extremely light sleeper, in fact, the slightest noise can jolt me from my slumber. It's quite a remarkable feat, really." His brow furrows. "Wait, does this imply that you have observed me in my sleep?" He blurts out. He is now on his side too, both of us facing each other.

A soft chuckle escapes from your lips, banishing all thoughts of sleep. "Yeah," you remarked with a playful smile, "I must say, you look really cute when you're sleeping."

The moonlight streaming in through the window cast a gentle glow on Gale's face, making your heart swell with affection. His tousled hair and big brown eyes look even softer in this ambience.

His mouth drops open, his eyebrows now shooting up to his hairline. "I do not look cute while I sleep!"

"So cute, with your cheeks all puffed," you say, reaching out to pinch his cheek playfully.

Gale's face flushes a bright red and he turns away, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"I—I'm not cute when I sleep," he whispers." I am powerful! A talented wizard, a master of magic. I do not need to be "cute". And I'm not!" But as he protests, you can't help but notice the way his cheeks flush and how his hair sticks up in all directions, making him look endearingly disheveled. You can't resist the temptation and reach over to tickle his middle. "Cutie!"

"I am not!" he protests, giggling as you tickle him. "Stop it! You're making me... gahahaha!" His laughter bubbles out of him despite his attempts to hold it in.

You laugh too, enjoying the sound of his laughter. "See? Cute."

"I'm not cute!" he gasps out between laughs. "I'm... hahaha... I'm powerful!" He tries to sit up, but you pin him down with your hand on his chest. "You are cute, Gale. And you're adorable when you laugh," you say, looking into his eyes. He looks at you, his cheeks still flushed with laughter and embarrassment. For a moment, the two of you just stare at each other before Gale clears his throat and lays on his side again.

"Gale?" I call out softly, hoping to break the silence.

"Yes...?"His voice is barely audible.

Smirking mischievously, you decide to push his buttons a little more.

"You know, I have trouble falling asleep unless I'm cuddled up next to someone." you whisper

He flinches. It takes a moment for your request to fully register, and he stares at you with a mixture of shock and confusion.

"...Are you serious? You want me to cuddle you?"

You nod eagerly, a hopeful smile playing on your lips. "Usually it would be Shadowheart offering, but she's not here right now."

"You want—me, to wrap my arms around you, to..."

His eyes narrow. "Am I hearing you right? You're asking me, to hold you?"

You roll my eyes "Yes Gale, that is usually how cuddling works."

Gale looks at you, taken aback by your request. His face flushes with embarrassment as he considers your words. "Um...I-I'm not entirely certain if that would be a prudent course of action," he stammers out, looking away from you.

"Forget it," Frustration wells up inside of you and you let out a low grunt before turning away to face the opposite side of the room.

"Er- I mean, wait, that wasn't a rejection... " He scoots closer, careful not to touch you. You turn yourself, so you are looking at him again. He looks down at you with a nervous expression. "So if I were to, hypothetically speaking, encircle my arms around your form, you wouldn't object?"

For some reason, your heart skips a beat at the thought of his arms around you.

"Well," you respond playfully. "I would probably say something along the lines of 'thank you very much Gale, goodnight'."

He hesitates for a moment before finally inching closer, his arm hovering uncertainly in the air. With a deep breath, he takes the plunge and wraps his arm around you, pulling you gently against his chest. You let out a surprised gasp, not expecting him to actually cuddle you, but the warmth and comfort that radiate from him are welcome in the cold room. You nestle into his embrace, feeling the steady beat of his heart against your ear and inhaling the intoxicating combination of an old book's musty pages and his rich cologne, laced with a subtle hint of sweat. You wrap your arms tighter around his soft body, savoring the feeling of being held in his strong embrace.

"Thank you, Gale" you whisper, intertwining your fingers behind his back. "Goodnight."

As the exhaustion of your journey settles over you, you feel the familiar pull of sleep in your body. However, the moment is disturbed by the feeling of something hard poking your stomach. Your eyes snap open and meet Gale's, who stands there frozen with shock and embarrassment.

"I... I'm sorry," he stammers out, mortified. "I didn't mean for that to happen. It's just been so long and you are so close and..."

Your bodies are still pressend, and you try to make sense of everything. Finally, you laugh softly and pat his arm reassuringly. "It's okay, Gale. There's nothing to be embarrassed about." you say reassuringly, though you can feel a blush creeping up your cheeks.

"But... but I didn't mean for this to happen," he repeats, still clearly flustered.

"It's natural," you say calmly, trying to put him at ease. "It happens sometimes when people get close like this."

Gale nods slowly, still looking a little uncertain. He shifts slightly so that the bulge isn't pressing against your body as much anymore. "Thank you for understanding," he says quietly. Your heart swells with affection as you watch him; there is something endearing about his vulnerability in this moment. You have an overwhelming urge to pull him close, to shield him from any harm and take care of him.

A twinge of guilt tugs at your conscience as you watch the flush rise in his cheeks, a direct result of your teasing. You chew on your lip for a moment before an idea strikes you. "Do you... want me to lend a hand?" You offer tentatively, gazing up at him with soft eyes and a gentle tone. His big brown orbs widen in surprise at your unexpected offer. You are also taken aback by your own words, but don't take them back.

He opens his mouth to speak, but no words come out. You can see the struggle in his expression as he tries to process what you just said.

"I mean, it's completely up to you," you quickly add, not wanting to pressure him into anything. "I just thought maybe it would help alleviate some of your... discomfort."

He takes a deep breath and looks away from you, clearly embarrassed. Gale hesitates for a moment before nodding slowly. "Okay," his voice barely above a whisper.

Your heart races at his acceptance. You were not expecting him to actually agree to your offer, but you are weirdly glad he did. "Okay," you repeat softly, moving your hand down to his waist and pulling him closer. You slowly reach down between both your bodies, gently taking hold of his erection through his pants. Gale gasps softly as your fingers brush against him, sending shivers down his spine. You can feel his breath hitch in anticipation as you start to move your hand up and down. As you gaze up at him, his arms still holding your body, a deep stirring awakens within you. The wizard before you, with his eyes squeezed shut in pleasure, is more attractive than you had ever realized. His tanned skin is like velvet against your fingertips, and his long hair falls over his face in gentle waves. Each reaction to your caress, every soft moan that escapes his lips, only adds fuel to the fire growing inside of you. Looking so eager for your touch.

Without hesitation, you lean forward and capture his lips in a gentle kiss. To your surprise, he responds enthusiastically, his hands moving to rest on your face as he pulls you closer to him. You deepen the kiss, your heart racing at the feeling of his warm lips against yours and the subtle tickle of his beard on your cheeks. As you continue to kiss, your hands never stops the gentle strokes on his erection. Gale's moans are becoming louder and more urgent. You can feel his need growing as he grinds against your hand, seeking more friction.

"L-let me touch you" he says between ragged breaths.

You smile at him, feeling a sense of satisfaction at the effect you're having.

"I have a better idea," you say softly, moving your hand away from his erection. You take off your panties, and move on your side in front of him again. Gale lets out a small gasp as you straddle him, feeling the heat of his arousal pressed against your bare thighs.

"What are you doing?" he asks, his voice thick with both curiosity and lust.

A mischievous grin plays on your lips. "I'm going to give you something even better than my hand to relieve yourself," you purr, swaying your hips in demonstration in a slow, enticing rhythm, that elicits a delicious friction between his cock and the warm heat of your thighs and cunt.

You take one of his hands and guide it to your breast, letting him feel its softness and moaning quietly at the touch. Gale's eyes widen in surprise, gently squeezing it but with his eyes fixed on yours.

"You're so beautiful," he whispers, reaching up to touch your face with his free hand.

"Thank you, so are you," you reply, leaning down to capture his lips in another tender kiss. He seems to find your praise very arousing, as his breathing quickens and he thrusts his hips upward, seeking more contact with your body. In response, you arch your back and press your chest against him, savoring the feel of his erection against your core and thighs.

"I want you so much," he murmurs, his voice rough with desire. "I've been dreaming of this moment for so long but I never- I didn’t think-“ he gasps at a particularly good thrust.

You're not sure how to answer, so instead you keep whispering sweet nothings in his ear. "You're an amazing kisser, Gale," you say, "you touch me so good..."

He moans in your mouth, gripping your hips harder as he keeps pounding erratically. Your hands move to his hair, pulling from the strands and eliciting a small whine from his throat. You can feel the hardness of his erection brushing against your wet folds with every movement, and it sends shivers of pleasure down your spine. You let out a moan into his lips as his fingers find their way to your clit, rubbing small circles that send sparks of pleasure throughout your body. Feeling his arousal growing even more, you know he won't last much longer, so you move your hips in a faster rhythm, grinding against his cock with more urgency.

Gale lets out a low growl, his hands gripping your hips tightly as he matches your movements. The friction between your bodies is almost unbearable, but in the most delicious way possible. As you continue to move together, your breaths growing heavier and more ragged, you can feel the familiar sensation of your orgasm building within you too. Gale seems to be close as well, as he begins to thrust deeper and harder into your thighs, his breath hot and ragged against your neck. You can hear the slap of skin and the squelching sound of your now wet thighs.

"Oh, gods," he gasps out, feeling himself getting closer and closer to the edge. "I'm gonna..."

His body suddenly tenses up as he comes undone, his hips bucking wildly as he spills himself into the soft skin. For several moments, Gale lies there panting and gasping for breath.

"Oh, gods," he gasps out. "That was...amazing."

You lean and press a gentle kiss to his lips, smiling at him as you do.

"I'm glad it brought you pleasure," you whisper softly, running your fingers through his hair.

Suddenly, his skilled fingers find their way back to your core. He seems to sense that you didn't reach climax with him earlier and now he's determined to make sure you do. His touch is intense as he circles and rubs against your clit, sending waves of pleasure coursing through your body. You let out a moan, arching your back and grinding against his hand. He watches you with intense desire in his eyes as he continues to pleasure you.

"Gods, you're so beautiful," he murmurs, his voice husky with lust. "I am not going to be able to forget this."

His words only fuel your desire even more, and you can feel yourself getting closer to the edge once again. Your nails dig into his shoulders as you ride the waves of pleasure, your hips moving in sync with his fingers.

"I want to make you feel good," Gale says breathlessly, kissing along your neck and collarbone. "Tell me what feels good."

You guide his hand lower, signaling for him to enter you with his fingers. He complies eagerly, sliding two fingers inside of you and curling them just right to hit that perfect spot. You cry out in pleasure, your walls clenching around him. You know you are not going to last long, still sensitive from the previous ministrations.

"Thank the heavens and hells," Gale groans, looking at me like I am a work of art. Setting a steady pace with his fingers, he kisses down your chest and takes one nipple into his mouth. The combination of sensations has you teetering on the edge once again.

"I-I'm close," you manage to say between gasps.

"Come for me," Gale whispers against your skin, increasing the speed and pressure of his movements.

With a final thrust of his fingers and a flick of his tongue against your hardened nipple, you come undone in a powerful climax that leaves you panting and shaking in Gale's arms. He holds onto you tightly as he continues to pleasure you through the aftershocks.

"That was incredible," he murmurs against your skin as he peppers kisses all over your face.

"Yes it was," you reply dreamily, still basking in the afterglow.

Gale pulls out from between your thighs and settles down next to you, his strong arms enveloping you in a warm embrace. As you press your body closer to his, you feel a subtle shift, an unspoken understanding passing between the two of you. Instead of voicing it out loud, you turn to him and whisper,

"Thank you very much, Gale. Goodnight"

[spookyjuicefiction]

Violets & Plums: Astarion/Tav, Part 1

Got an idea for an Astarion fic that I just need to start working through and here is as good a place as any. Part 1 of ?

_______________________________________

He had been wrong about her. And he hated being wrong.

He had seen her on the nautiloid, stuffed into a pod and infected with a tadpole just as he had been. He recognized her when he spotted her trudging up the path toward him away from the crash site. He himself had just clawed his way out of the wreckage and was getting his bearings when she and the she-elf emerged from the smoke. An easy target, he thought, quickly preparing a ruse to trap her. She fell right into it, and he was ready to kill her - that is, until their parasites connected.

When he agreed to team up with her and Shadowheart, it was because he planned to use them as human shields should he meet any attackers. Sure, they had the common goal of finding a healer to remove the parasite, but they certainly had no value as serious allies as far as he could tell. Even only being a vampire spawn, they were slow and weak compared to him. Not to mention stupid. He was the obvious choice to lead the pack.

Then why was it that he was standing at the edge of the campsite alone, scowling to himself as the rest of his merry band of companions passed around a bottle of wine and enjoyed each others' company? And why was she the one in the middle, with every adoring eye on her?

Yes, he had certainly underestimated her. Within hours she had every one of them wrapped around her magical fingers, and within a few days they had all deferred to her as their de-facto leader when decisions needed to be made. She seemed to have a gift for reading people, knowing exactly how to charm and persuade them. Her skills of deception even rivaled his own, though he was loathe to admit to his admiration of them.

His pointed ear pricked toward the campfire as new sounds arose; she - Tav - had started plucking a tune on her lute and leading the group in song. He rolled his eyes. Of course she sings, too. How irritating.

It was truly annoying how easily she gained the others' favors. Wasn't he supposed to be the one so well-versed in flattery and charisma? Yet she deigned to engage with them in ways that made his skin crawl, like listening to Wyll's obviously dramatized renditions of his escapades as The Blade of Frontiers. Or allowing Gale to ramble on about his cat - his tressym, as the obnoxious wizard was so fond of correcting them. Shadowheart seemed to like her just because Tav left her alone and didn't ask her too many questions, but chuckled along at all of her jokes at the others' expense. She had even gained Lae'zel's trust after asking her for fighting tips and electing her as the group battlemaster in case of combat. And Karlach took nothing at all - the two have been practically joined at the hip (from a fire-safe distance, of course) since the tiefling joined their camp. She must be hiding something, he thought. No one can be that good at gaining peoples' trust without good reason. He would know.

She tried to read him, too. She made little jokes and comments under her breath only for him to hear, trying to be conspiratorial. She complemented him often, trying to appeal to his vanity. But most obnoxiously, she went toe to toe with him in battles of wit. Any time he threw loaded grenade of snark and vitriol at one of their companions to entertain himself, she threw it right back. It was infuriating, being undermined and bested at his favorite game. That was probably why the others' liked her so much, because she was fond of shutting him up and making him seethe quietly in the back of the line. Nobody else liked him.

Good, he thought. Best to go it alone anyway. Never needed a friend before, don't need one now. As soon as I get this bastard out of my eye, I'll be gone faster than a rat in Cazador's dungeon.

The thought of rats unpleasantly reminded him of his thirst. Typically, he waited until the others were asleep to go off and hunt so they wouldn't suspect the truth about his condition. But seeing as they were all singing (except Lae'zel, of course), he guessed no one would notice if he stalked off.

He took no joy in his kill tonight, feeling grumpy as he continued to brood over his distaste for Tav. Two hundred years thinking of nothing but Cazador and he was finally free, only to spend every moment bemoaning his luck at being stuck with the spellcaster. He drained the boar of its blood and left it carelessly on the side of the path, electing to wander around for the remaining nighttime hours rather than returning to camp. He was too restless to trance anyway. And she was there. She probably conjures butterflies in her sleep and dreams rainbows, the foul beast.

"The hells is that?" asked Karlach, squinting at a large lump on the side of the path.

"Looks like a boar," said Wyll, going over to toe it with his boot, Tav close behind. "It looks... it looks like it's been drained of blood. There's no stain around it. I can't even see a wound."

"That's odd," remarked Shadowheart, quirking an eyebrow. Astarion shifted on his feet, agitated. Shit. He should have taken more care to cover his kill last night. Looking around, he started as he realized Tav was staring right at him.

"Oh, who cares, it's only a boar," he said impatiently, looking quickly away from her, unnerved. "Surely there are more interesting things to investigate. Look, I see goblins mounting an ambush through the gate up ahead. Let's go and kill something." He stalked off, not waiting for a reply and removing his daggers from their sheaths.

"Something on your mind?"

FUCK. Astarion couldn't remember the last time someone had snuck up on him. He had been pacing in a clearing just outside the camp, wondering if Tav somehow knew his secret. He was debating with himself whether he should abandon the group and set out on his own when her voice - the last voice he wanted to hear - startled him. Rounding on her with daggers drawn and his hair standing on end, he fixed her with his most murderous expression.

"Do you make a habit on intruding on people's private contemplations?" he hissed angrily.

"You know better than anyone the advantage of catching someone off-guard," she replied coolly, folding her arms and shifting her weight.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" he asked, voice dripping with sarcasm as he lowered his weapons. He loathed her completely in that moment.

"Only wondering where you were. Looted some good food for supper from those goblins, if you're hungry." She tilted her head. "Or perhaps you've already eaten today."

They regarded each other cautiously as her words hung in the air. He was certain that she knew. Was she afraid he would hurt her, or the others? She could tell them his secret, and they would all turn on him. So what did she want in exchange for her silence? Was she shaking him down?

"I'm not hungry," he replied slowly. Slowly, he raised his empty hands, daggers now sheathed. A gesture of surrender. "I'm happy to keep watch while you all eat. I will ensure no harm comes to anyone."

She narrowed her eyes, seeming to understand the duality of his words. He was promising not to drink from them. After a beat, she replied with a stiff nod. He allowed his tense shoulders to drop. She was promising not to tell them. For now.

Satisfied at their new agreement, Astarion spent the next 2 days coming up with a new plan to manipulate Tav. With her being the the leader of their group, it seemed prudent to ensure that she would protect him should the others begin to turn on him. Much as he despised her, he conceded that she was his best chance to finding a cure for the parasite, and thus his best chance for true freedom from Cazador. If she was already willing to hide his condition from the others, it would not take too much more effort on his part to get her to play completely into his hand. All he had to do was try a little seduction. Even she couldn't best him at that game.

But even has his plan took shape, he could feel his thirst, an ever-present beast clawing up his throat, undermining him. It made him irritable, weak, and unfocused. Instead of charming her, he more often found himself arguing with her, stabbing her with vicious insults about her sorcery, her class, and even her looks. He didn't really even mean them; she had proven herself an adept spellcaster in both battle and everyday application, she seemed to come from a fine, middle-class family in Baldur's Gate, and her looks were perfectly adequate to the average person. Not beautiful enough to tempt Cazador, maybe, but enough that Astarion caught Gale's eyes lingering a little too long a little too often. For some reason, Astarion found that infuriating.

He had lobbed a particularly nasty mockery at her earlier in the day after she had insisted that they all run in to a burning building to rescue some helpless fool, so he was quite surprised to find her clearing her throat outside of his tent that evening.

"Come to shoot a firebolt at me since you didn't quite singe all of my eyebrows off this afternoon?" he inquired bitterly.

She rolled her eyes. "Can I come in?"

This was unusual. No one had ever asked to enter his tent before.

"I suppose," he replied cautiously, and she shouldered past him through the flap. He followed her back inside and she turned to face him, crossing her arms defensively.

"You've been a real arse these last days." She said it with a finality that left no room for argument. He poked at her anyway.

"Well, thank you," he broke into a smile and a shallow bow. "You should see me when I don't have a parasite in my head."

"I've had enough," she continued, as though he hadn't interrupted. "This ends now."

"What are you going to do?" he hissed, joking manner aside as he closed the distance between them threateningly. She was going to tell the others. "You'll be dead before you reach the door."

But as usual, the moment he had the upper hand, she pulled the rug out from under him. "I'd rather you not drink so much as to kill me, since I'm offering it out of the kindness of my heart."

He never could quite get his footing with her.

"Excuse me?"

"If you drink some of my blood, will you stop being such a devil's shite?"

It took considerable effort for Astarion to clamp his jaw shut and rearrange his features to mask his shock.

"You want me to drink your blood?"

"Want is a strong word. But I'm willing to make a small sacrifice for the good of the group if it'll shut you up long enough for us to find this Halsin without your moaning and whining."

"I do not moan and whine," he protested petulantly. "And I absolutely do not promise to shut up. But it will almost certainly improve my mood drastically." He licked his lips at the thought of it, eyeing her pulse point.

"Very well then. I suppose I'd better lay down in case I pass out."

Astarion watched motionlessly as she lowered herself onto his bedroll and swept her hair off her neck. His body seemed unable to move, yet his every instinct told him to tear her open right then and there. At the same time, the sight of her on his bedroll made him feel slightly nauseous - not because of her, but something akin to shame stirred in his abdomen. Just another victim for him to ruin. It was almost too easy. So why the sudden... guilt?

"Can we get on with it? I don't much fancy falling asleep in your bedroll."

Composing himself, Astarion dropped to his knees with a flourish and bent his body over hers. It was horribly intimate, and he could sense her discomfort. He lavished in it.

"Comfortable, darling?" he smirked at her and winked, and she rolled her eyes.

"If you accidentally kill me, you know that Karlach will make sure you burn alive. So, not a drop more than you need."

"Of course, my sweet. No need to worry. Only a teensy little sip and I'll be out of your hair."

She looked like she didn't believe a word, but she turned her head with a sigh, exposing her neck to him.

"It'll only hurt a pinch," he breathed as he lowered himself to her pulse point. He was struck for a moment by her scent - violet and plums and something smoky - before he bared his teeth. He felt her take a breath, and then he sunk his fangs in.

They moaned almost in unison, her in pain, and him in pleasure, as he began to drink. Gods, it was perfect, even better than he had ever imagined it could be. He could've sworn that her blood tasted like violet and plums as it splashed over his tongue. She was clutching his arms for support, and he felt his hand clamp down on her hip to hold her in place. But she didn't try to get up, laying stiffly beneath him as he suckled her lifeblood.

He could kill her. It would be so easy. She would feel like she was falling asleep, and he could drink her as dry as the boar on the side of the road. The image of it rose in his mind; her, pallid, bloodless, slack-jawed. No more stupid singing. No more butterfly dreams.

He retracted his fangs from her quickly, as though she had burned him suddenly. Her grip on his arms had weakened significantly, and her head seemed to loll on her neck.

"Oh dear. Don't pass out, darling."

He scooped his hand under her cheek and turned her face toward him. Her eyes were placid and unfocused, but she was blinking like she was trying to maintain consciousness. Already she looked pale. He bit back the resurgence of the guilty nausea and pulled a pillow under her head.

"Just a moment, love. We'll get you all sorted." His tone was light and airy as he rummaged in his pack for a healing potion, but he was more unnerved than he would've liked to admit.

"There we are." He uncorked the stopper and held her head up, tipping the potion down her throat slowly so as not to choke her. After a few deep breaths, she brought her hand up to her forehead and rubbed her temple.

"I said 'not too much', you arsewipe," her voice was weak, but clearly irritable.

"I can't help that you're so delicious," he cooed, relieved that the potion seemed to recover her somewhat. He noticed that her fingers were trembling, and a shiver wreaked through her whole body. Sighing, he pulled a thick blanket up around her. Her eyes on him were daggers, but she didn't push it off. "Just relax here for a bit. I won't be sleeping anytime soon, after that. It was quite... invigorating."

She eyed him curiously. "You say it like you've never done it before."

Sharp as ever. How did she always know?

"I... haven't. You're my first. My first... thinking creature, that is." He smirked at her, wiggling his eyebrows. "I bet you didn't guess I was a virgin."

She didn't take the bait. "So what did you eat?" Her fingers had stilled against her temple; he had her full attention now. He didn't like how her scrutiny made him feel. Somehow, even though she was so weak she couldn't raise her own head, he was the one feeling vulnerable.

"Oh, rats, flies, roaches, whatever one could find on hand 'round Cazador's dungeons," he said with forced nonchalance, examining his fingernails. "Cazador is - was - my master. I am his vampire spawn." He couldn't bear to look at her, sure he would see pity in her eyes that would make him want to claw his skin off. "How did you know about my condition, by the way?"

"You aren't as subtle as you think you are." His head snapped up at that, insulted. "And I've spent some time studying the condition. One of the guildmasters was hoping to imbibe a potion with some of the properties of vampire blood."

"To what end?" Astarion asked, curiosity piqued.

This time it was she who smirked. "The official story was that the research was focused on creating a more potent healing potion, since vampires are known to have such rapid regeneration. However," she pushed herself up gently on the pillows, "I always suspected they were hoping to create a potion of immortality."

"Well, that would be something," Astarion mused. "However did they get a vampire's blood to experiment with?"

"They didn't. It was all theoretical. I was trained to learn to recognize a vampire if I spotted one, with the hope of obtaining its blood for the research. With permission, or... by force." She looked as though the idea left a bad taste in her mouth. His face must have given his thoughts away as well, since she looked at him and chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm not going to steal your blood. I doubt it would have worked anyway."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well," she sat up further, the color beginning to return to her cheeks, "for one, I don't believe vampirism works in the way most mages think it does. It's not some kind of magical curse imbued with some mysterious arcane properties. I think it's... more like an illness. Like a plague, that can only be passed one way."

"Well, it certainly feels like a curse," Astarion intoned bitterly. "And if it's an illness, I've never heard of a cure."

She shrugged. "It's only a guess. But it is a little exciting to meet one up close, after all my research." She was smiling at him earnestly now, again making him feel uncomfortable.

"You're a strange creature. I just drank your blood and you're excited. One might think you have... odd predilections." He grinned wickedly at her.

She chuckled. "How are you feeling now? Less cranky?"

Astarion took stock of his body as he climbed to his feet. "I feel strong. I feel..." he trailed off a moment, searching for the right word. "Happy."

Tav clamored to her feet as well, with far less grace. She wove unsteadily for a moment, and he caught her waist to ensure she didn't pull his tent down in a fall. They were standing quite close again, and he felt his guard drop for a moment.

"Thank you," he said quietly, "for trusting me. I... this is a gift, you know. I won't forget it."

"I suspect neither will I," she murmured, smiling at him once more. "Well, good night then."

"Sweet dreams."

He watched her walk slowly and tiredly back to her tent on the other side of the clearing, head reeling with everything that had just happened. She had offered herself to him, but not in the way he was used to. She had offered her blood, and she had trusted him to take it. But why? What is there for her to gain?

She wanted him placated, clearly. Perhaps she was as annoyed by him as he was by her and really did just want to shut him up. Maybe she was mounting her own manipulation plan, forcing him to be dependent on her blood to do her bidding. He hated knowing that if she offered again, he would greedily accept. But what reason did she have to trust him so easily not to kill her, when all he had done since they met was insult her? What was she reading about him that he didn't even know himself? The questions plagued him as he hunted that night, wishing every sip of animal blood was hers. He had a taste for it now, and it ruined him. If he had thought about her constantly before, he was doomed now.

As he lay down in his bedroll to trance, he raked his hand over his face. Then, he began to laugh bitterly. All around him, the only thing he could sense was aroma of violet and plums.

Part 2

[darth-ted2745]

Started an Astarion origin playthrough and I've been trying to play him as close to his "canon" as possible in terms of how he interacts with others. In doing so I've been thinking about who on earth he would romance out of the other origin characters as there is obviously no Tav to seduce and manipulate. Who would he latch on to for protection? My first thought was Shadowheart, since both of them have their secrets. But thinking further, my mans is nosy as fuck and would want to be all up in her business. If he found out from the rip that the artifact she was carrying was what was keeping him from turning into a mindflayer, I think he would steal that shit so fast and dip out. If he didn't know it was what was keeping them from turning, I think he'd probably try to at least figure out what it was and if it was worth anything. I don't think he'd care about her following Shar, but I do think he wouldn't be convinced she would protect him if Shar demanded Shadowheart abandon him. I think she would see through his bravado if he tries to seduce her and not fall for it. Next thought was Lae'zel. She's strong, fierce, good in a fight, and closer to morally grey like Astarion. She doesn't care about helping others over herself, and actively disapproves of it. I think it's possible he could worm his way under her stony exterior, but unlikely that he could keep her on the hook. She seems much more interested in something casual romantically and (in my experience) will choose to sleep with either Astarion or Wyll at the tiefling party if Tav rebuffs her. I think Lae'zel would view Astarion as an asset, but she gets real spicy about his vampirism. They're also inherently at odds as she will stop at nothing to rid herself of the tadpole, but Astarion wants to control it. In my personal headcanon, Gale and Astarion bicker constantly, so trying to imagine them together at all doesn't really make sense to me, but for the sake of the thought experiment let's do it. I think Astarion just finds Gale insufferable and can't get past it. Having to find magical items to feed to Gale would annoy him since they're now completely useless to the party at a point where Gale's damage output is pretty low. Additionally, Gale is a slowburn romance and Astarion is tryna FUCK. Gale has a lot of emotional baggage (and this isn't me saying Astarion doesn't because we all know he does), and Astarion doesn't have time to sort through all that if he's trying to secure an alliance with seduction. I think Wyll is a top contender. He's such a do-gooder that I think he would protect Astarion no matter what, even from the rip. I do, however, think Wyll's desire to help people would grate on Astarion, as we see it does in a "good" Tav run. That may not put Wyll out of the running, but I think his need for a more "traditional" romance would. Once again, Astarion needs to seduce or his plan won't work. I think it's possible Wyll might still fall for that seduction, even without the sex, but Astarion's tried and true methods will not work. Karlach is the other top contender in my mind. Yes, the seduction would physically not work since he can't touch her at the beginning of the game, but we know she's satisfied with just words for a while. Karlach is so starved for touch and affection that I think Astarion would pick up on that right away and use that to his benefit. I think in trying to keep her on the hook without being able to touch her, he would absolutely fall for her. She's so endearing and the second she gets her engine fixed and he can touch her, I think he would TRY his typical "seduce to protect me" tactic but at that point he might be in too deep. She's also v strong, BIG, and always warm, and we know our baby boy is always cold!!

[noisycroissant]

The Ascendant's Bride

Part 1

Summary: A vampire wedding to consolidate power. The companions see just how wretched an ascendant can be.

Here's part 2

*******

The invitations had reached them just a week ago. It had landed in letterboxes in Waterdeep, a Selúnite post near Candlekeep, it even reached Karlach and Wyll in Avernus via an imp.

The wedding of Astarion Ancunín, Vampire Ascendant...

....with Lady Eirene Maximilian of the esteemed Vampire Court of the city of Greyhawk...

*******

"Tav, what do you make of this?" Gale asked. He'd been the first one to gather his wits and use a sending stone to try and contact the others.

"Always knew he was power hungry. Didn't think he'd go this far," Shadowheart said, rolling her eyes.

Tav was quiet. She knew all eyes would always be on her when it came to talk about Astarion.

He had been so sweet to her. So eager to find freedom and happiness. Till she'd refused to help him finish the Ritual of Profane Ascension. He'd turned his back on them all that night.

"I hope you die screaming."

That was the last thing any of them had heard from him. Of course they knew where he was and what he was upto. His gathering of power was an open secret. Everyone in Baldur's Gate knew that the new lord of Szarr's Palace was three things:

Handsome. Charming. Ruthless.

People who crossed him were few and far. There were never any witnesses or evidence to nail him to the stocks but people knew as they always have.

The lord in the high castle was not of the realm of men.

"Say what you will about Astarion, I know in my bones that this wedding will be something people will talk about for centuries," Karlach adds with a grin, "We should go and add to the story."

And so it was decided.

*******

To the party's surprise, they were the only mortals at the wedding. The grand hall was filled with people adorning the richest fabrics and plushest furs. Rubies and diamonds winked and twinkled off ears and throats. And the hall itself? Polished and decorated with the finest crystal and teakwood furniture this side of Faerûn.

A thousand crimson eyes watch the party as they walk in and make their way to the hall.

And they see Astarion for the first time in ten years.

He looks absolutely the same, down to the curl in his hair. But the aura of power and strength radiating from him was hard to miss. There was a glint in his eye, but it wasn't mischievous anymore. It looked dangerous. Cruel. Unforgiving.

"There you are, my dearest comrades!" He gestures to the rest of the guests, "Everyone to me!! Meet the saviours of Baldur's Gate. In the flesh!"

The same haughty tone in his voice but laced with something evil now.

Tav felt something drop in her belly. She feels Shadowheart grab her hand, lacing their fingers together. "I feel it too. The...evil emanating off him. I think I might shed a tear after all."

"Fan-Astarion! Good to see you too, buddy," says Karlach good-naturedly, "Seems the years have been uh..kind to you."

"Wish I could say the same for you, dear Karlach. The reek of brimstone was evident before you stepped inside the gate. And Wyll Ravengard! How goes your life as a monster hunter in Avernus?" Astarion simpers.

"I'm on the clock, if that matters to you. So watch yourself," Wyll replies meeting Astarion's eye.

"Oh my! Threatening the groom on his big day? Plan to make off with my bride too, Baby Duke?" Astarion mocks.

"Your bride...who is she? Why do this, Astarion?" Tav asks, finally finding her voice.

"Oh my sweet Tav," he says, tone honeyed just like Tav remembers, but this time it scratches her spine with dread, "For power of course. Eirene is a dhampir, born of a fullblood father and an elven mother. Marrying her makes my reach grow. Maybe I'll even be blessed enough to hear the flutter of little bat wings of my own."

"A lamb to a slaughter. For shame, Astarion, I'd assumed you less cowardly than this," Lae'zel spits.

In less than a blink of an eye, Lae'zel had a dagger at her throat. "Spilling blood at a vampire wedding is not unheard of, Lae'zel. I'd advise you to ensure its not yours," he whispers in her ear.

"To your seats, my friends. The ceremony is about to begin."

*******

[jynxeddraca]

Hi yes, more Baldur's Gate brainrot. Sorry not sorry.

First of all look at my Tav:

She's adorable yes?

So fun fact I did not at all realize that 'Tav' is the default name given to all custom origin characters. I thought it was randomized and liked it so I kept it. So meet Tav Moonridge y'all!

Tav is a tiefling bard who grew up in the Outer City of Baldur's Gate, lives in the Lower City, basically raised her sister - Temerity Moonridge, and is currently 'on an adventure' that she really didn't want to be on and desperately wants to get back to her sister. I am also picturing her as like 5'2"/157 cm and often described as "willowy" or "reedy".

And now head canons of Tav interacting with the other characters. There are some spoiler-y things ahead.

No one has any idea how or why she ended up leading them, not even Tav. Tav is constantly baffled why anyone listens to her, but accepts it if it means she can talk everyone out of killing each other.

Tav broke Astarion's nose when they met via headbutting him in the face.

Karlach and Tav gossip in Infernal at camp. They never use anyone's names while doing so, but Astarion has a suspicion about which phrase might refer to him. Spoiler, it's Infernal for 'pretty boy' and it absolutely is referring to him.

Tav is a flirt when she's been drinking and kissed Shadowheart (during her first romance scene) and felt awful about it the next morning.

When they found the hat that is located near Alfira, Gale was able to tell it was enchanted but not really sure how. Tav laid claim on it and wears it at night to cover her eyes when she doesn't want Gale to bother her because he doesn't really get social cues and she doesn't want to hurt his feelings by just telling him to leave her alone for a bit. Gale thinks she's doing it because she had a headache or is about to go to bed.

Tav winds down in the evening by using her long tiefling talons nails to essentially fingering out tunes on her lute, without actually plucking the strings, and quietly humming along. She often does this leaning back against a stump or a rock with her eyes closed. She hasn't noticed that the camp tends to get quieter around this time because everyone likes to hear the humming - even if they refuse to admit it. She sometimes does this while wearing the hat.

When Astarion accidentally reveals he's a vampire and Tav ends up offering her neck to him - he ends up concluding that Tav has zero survival instincts. She also jabbed him in the armpit with her thumbnail to keep him from making her a corpse.

Tav fully is aware Astarion's flirting and seducing is him using her - but she thinks he's using sex as a way to secure blood from her willingly rather than his actual plan.

Lae'zel, after having to save Tav's ass one too many times, teaches Tav how to use a sword. Wyll helps out. Everyone learns that Tav is not good with blades and she is informed that she is to stick near Astarion and snipe using her crossbow.

Halsin can pick Tav up one handed and has done so to keep her from rushing into potential trouble without a plan. Tav deeply dislikes when he does this and Shadowheart has compared her acidic looks to him to a disgruntled cat. Karlach calls this 'air jail'.

Karlach will also put Tav in 'air jail' from time to time after her heart gets fixed. Astarion nearly doubled over laughing at Tav's betrayed expression when it first happened.

Astarion constantly thinks Tav has some ulterior motive for letting him drink her blood that she is really good at hiding. He eventually begrudgingly accepts that she doesn't.

[momonica05]

Jack Jack - my tav for the "jack of all trades" achievement!

My urge to info dump about an oc won so now please, meet my son: Jack Jack (I don't know how to make a good blog post on tumblr, so I apologize if the images are a little too big)

JJ wasn't born a tiefling. He actually came from a family of humans, but he has no recollection of it outside of his father and grandparents, whom he hates with all his heart

At the age of 6, his father disobeyed his patron (for a good reason, but he doesn't know that, hehe). But instead of punishing his father directly, JJ was the target. He was turned into a Mephistopheles tiefling that day, and his family was horrified. He remembers the look of pure hatred and fear from his grandparents, shouting at him, saying he was now a devil. He doesn't remember his father's face, but he remembers his fingers, pointing at the door, and his husky voice "get out"

Since then, he had to live at the city of Baldur's Gate all by himself. He had some friends, partners, and even a mentor (which the dream visitor had taken form of)... but he never got back what he lost that day: love and identity

He spent a good portion of his life, mainly his adolescence, trying to "fit in". He even cut his horns off, which he regretted later down the road as he's now more confident in who he is. Beeing cursed by a devil at the age of 6, as one might imagine, was no easy feat. And aside from gaining an appearance that everyone deemed as "hellspawn", he also gained powers. Powers in which he can not control very well, but powers nonetheless (sorcerer wild magic)

After a whole life of stealing, performing, trying out magic and needing to run because uh oh you accidentally sumoned a troll in a bar! He... well, his life continued shit, but he never gave up. He had some not so trustworthy friends, but hey, as long as they're not a devil or a warlock, he's a very social guy!

Before he was captured by the mindflayers, he was actually planning on traveling around! He wanted to get all his skills worked on. Maybe study a bit more of his magic, as a wizard.... maybe becoming a bard with his musical talent... hell, maybe he'd finally accept his calling for the rogue life! The opportunities were endless!

That is until, of course, he got a tadpole in his mind... but eh, he was planning on traveling one day anyways, so why not use this as an excuse? (definitely not frightened at all haha what do you mean?)

So far, he's really enjoying his adventure! Here's what he thinks about each companion:

Lae'zel: heh, she wants to kill me! (nervously sweating and trying to do what she says because he's terrified, but also really likes her interrogation methods!)

Shadowheart: she's hiding something. She ain't fooling me...

Astarion: he's also hiding something, never EVER trust the snobs from the upper city.... unless, of course, you want their money/sleep with them. (thinks Astarion is a less hot version of him, with how similar they act. Except JJ actually has a soft spot for children and little rascals, so he'll always help them. He's more chaotic good)

Gale: i really liked him and wanted him to teach me how to do magic safely, but never mind! He just ate my magic spear, which doesn't seem very safe...

Wyll: he makes me angry with how he challenges my morals, okay? you shouldn't be nice! You're a warlock! (has a mental breakdown watching Wyll get transformed like he did and wonders if his father was a good man like Wyll all along)

Karlach: I was deadset on killing her... turns out she's not a devil! just a person like me! i really like her (wants to kill Zariel and enter rage like Karlach one day)

BONUS:

He knew damn well what he was getting into but opened the door anyways and said he was gonna write a smut about it (he's batshit insane)

Anyways... I guess that's it. That's all I have for now, I haven't progressed much into the game... sorry if his information is a little scattered around, I don't have it organized and probably didn't mention somethings (he chose his name, for example)

[okminer07]

Slave to the Light Pt 6

A Baldur's Gate fanfiction

Gale blinked, shook his head, and then look back down at Lorelai with a nervous laugh, "I'm not quite sure what you mean by that."

"What do you want?" Lorelai repeated slowly.

He looked to Karlach who looked down at Lorelai with a pleading look, "I already told you, all we wanted was to make sure you were okay."

Lorelai shook her head, not falling for any of this bullshit, "Well, as you can see, I'm fine. So may I go now?"

The two towering figures shared a worried look with one another, "You uh.... don't look completely fine." Gale weakly gestured to her flimsy once white dress that was now completely torn in the back as well as many of places and was stained with dirt and her own blood.

Lorelai raised a brow, not wanting to reveal that his comment had made her wonder, would she be able to survive the elements of this plane in this piece of garbage? and what if other predatory creatures could still smell the dried-up blood?

"I'd offer you some extra clothes but sometime tells me they wouldn't fit you" he gave a weak chuckle, Lorelai glared back at him with instantly shut him up.

"Well, since you're so keen on helping me, why don't you get me some fabric?" she sneered, expecting them to finally show their true colors and fess up whatever it is they wanted. Though to her surprise, Gale nodded, turned, and walked out of the tent, his footsteps sending tremors beneath her feet.

She stared for a moment, before shaking her head. Was he actually-

"You want any more to eat?" her attention focused back onto the Tiefling who was nudging the plate of food closer.

Lorelai stared for a moment, before pulling herself up onto the plate itself. She ripped off a chunk of the slightly burned sausage and began tearing into it.

"Hope that still tastes okay" Karlach gave her a sheepish smile, Lorelai responding by raising a brow.

"I could also use a needle, or at least something sharp."

Karlach beamed, "Oh I'll go find you one!" Lorelai gasped as the ground quaked with the Tiefling's hurried retreating footsteps. Throwing out her arms, she steadied herself.

It didn't make sense, but for some reason, these big folk acted as if they wanted to help her. Now she was almost sure that it was just that, an act. Though when it came to the Tiefling.... she was either an extremely good actor or she wasn't let in on whatever plan that Gale and whoever else had going on.

However, why not play into this plan of theirs? act as if she didn't know that they wanted something in return for their good deeds? See how far they'll go? She might even be able to give them whatever it is they wanted, maybe they were stupid enough to believe that lie of pixies granting wishes to those that help them?

And if you can't give them what they want? or at the very least fool them?

Well, there is always the option to run.

Lorelai felt the ground beneath her tremble erratically and a second later, the massive form of Karlach poked her horned head into the tent. "I got one!" she held up her hand, show her the needle that was beginning to glow orange in the Tiefling's burning grip.

Right, infernal engine, whatever in the Hells that is. She would have to keep that in mind, case the Tiefling ever tried to get too close.

Karlach made her way into the tent, followed by Gale who was holding an old looking nightshirt, "Karlach, why don't you um.... leave the fetching stuff to me?" he gave her an awkward smile, the sort a mother gives a child who is unsuccessfully trying to help.

"If you say so, here" Karlach haphazardly deposited the needle into Gale's hand before making her way back over to Lorelai. He let out a yelp and promptly dropped the burning metal on the floor, though Karlach didn't seem to take any notice, "So Lorelai, you from around here?"

She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, "No".

"Well, where are you from?"

Lorelai glanced up at her before looking away with a wince, "Do you mind... not standing?"

Karlach gave her a confused look before she dropped into a kneel, nearly throwing Lorelai off her feet, "So, where are you from? Why were you covered in blood when we-"

"Karlach please, let's not bombard her with questions" Gale approached, setting down a sea of black folded up fabric with a spool of thread on top.

Lorelai waited for him to back off before approaching the pile of cloth that was nearly as tall as her. She ran a hand across it, flinching when Gale once again approached. He kneeled down and held out the needle to her.

"Will this do?" he vaguely gestured to the given supplies. She said nothing, quickly snatching away the spear-sized needle and backing away.

He promptly left afterwards, attempting to take Karlach with him but she simply wouldn't budge. Lorelai kept an eye on her looming form as she began to rip off bits of fabric, using the needle to split them into more precise pieces.

The thread was hard to work with. Though considerably easier to pull it through the needle eye, actually using it was quite difficult on her arms. She felt annoyed that she had an audience to her struggle but was grateful that she had so far stayed silent.

She had begun to sew together the front and back of the shirt she had cut out when Karlach decided now was a good time to start asking questions again.

"You've sewn before?"

"Yes."

"Figures. Never learned myself, found it boring."

Lorelai simply nodded, only sparing the Tiefling a glance.

"You ever been to Baldur's gate?"

She paused, glaring down at the fabric before shaking her head, "Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Oh well that's where I grew up, though I've never seen any of your kind there. What were you doing there?"

Lorelai rounded on the Tiefling, her fists clenched around the needle like it really was a spear, "that is none of your business."

Karlach held up her hands, "Okay" her mouth then quirked into a smile as she looked down at her.

"What?"

"Just a bit funny seeing you all fired up."

Her eyes widened and she froze. Handings tightening around the needle, she screwed up her face and glared back at the Tiefling, "You find me amusing huh?" she spat out, fuming, "Think it's funny?"

Karlach smile fell, now looking dumbfounded. She shrunk away from her, her eyes trying to look anywhere else other than down at Lorelai, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

Lorelai stared at the Tiefling, taking in her expression of confused guilt and her eyes softened. She sighed, her body relaxing. She couldn't blame a big folk for finding her... well interesting. It was seemingly in their nature.

"It's.... it's fine. You didn't really do anything wrong." She looked away, not sure what else to say, "Just a bit... you know at the moment."

The Tiefling met her eyes and smiled, "Can I help you with that at all?" she nodded at the half sewn together shirt.

Lorelai almost felt like laughing, "No, but thank you."

"Guess I wouldn't be all that much help anyway." Karlach let out a forced sounding laugh.

"You've help me enough. I never thanked you for getting rid of that horrid creature."

"Horrid creature?"

She repressed a shiver, "That vampire."

Karlach's eyes widened, "Oh uh.... no problem. Though I think you're still owed an apology."

"Already told you, you did nothing wrong,"

"No not from me."

Lorelai paused, her mouth quirking into a smirk, "What? from the vampire? that's funny. I think you'd be hard met to even try."

"Well why don't we?"

She raised a brow, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Suddenly, Karlach stood, "Wait right here. I'll be right back." she hurried out of the tent, leaving Lorelai fumbling to keep her balance.

What in the Hells? what was she on about?

She was about to resume her project when she heard a commotion outside. Two voices that she couldn't make out were arguing and maybe even getting physical. It became louder as it seemingly got closer. She was able to make out Karlach's voice.

"Come on, it will only take a second."

Karlach suddenly popped her head back in, turned it to look outside, and beckoned eagerly.

"Just get over here."

Lorelai narrowed her eyes in confusion, what was she doing? who was she talking-

Her blood ran cold. Karlach had stepped aside to let someone in. Two black leather boots stepped in. Lorelai began to slowly look up, connecting the boots to legs, a body and then to a face, a familiar face. The face she thought would be the last thing she'd ever see.

Two red eyes fell upon her, seemingly pinning her to where she stood. She was trembling, her legs felt like they'd fail her at any moment. Her heart was fluttering within her chest like a frantic caged bird.

"Lorelai, Astarion. Astarion, Lorelai." Those red eyes shifted away for only a moment to glare over at Karlach.

Run, now!

She took the fraction of a second to make a run for it. pivoting on her heels and running as fast as she could in the other direction. She didn't care that it was a dead end, it was further away, and that's all she cared about.

"Hey! where are you going?" Karlach called out.

Lorelai darted behind one of the piles of books, peeking out and pointing up at the vampire with her needle, "What is that thing still doing alive!?"

The vampire raised a brow, narrowing its red eyes.

Karlach stepped forward between the two of them, "He" she shot a look at the vampire, "Is here to apologize."

Lorelai felt a shiver run through her as the vampire scoffed.

"Are you crazy?!" she inched further behind the books.

"Exactly what I thought." the vampire grumbled.

"What is going on?" Lorelai took her eyes off the vampire for a moment to see Gale entering the tent. His eyes widened at the sight. He looked from the vampire to Karlach, "What is he doing in here?"

"He is here to apologize."

"She dragged me in here" grumbled the vampire.

Gale looked around the room, "Where's Lorelai?"

"Over there" Karlach pointed, Lorelai ducked behind the pile, "Ran the moment we came in."

"I'm not surprised, " Gale murmured. He pushed past the two and kneeled down, meeting Lorelai's gaze, "Are you alright? I'm sorry about all of this."

She glared up at him, still holding up her needle, "Why haven't you killed that- that thing yet!?"

Gale glanced over at the vampire, "Well, he is.... apart of our little group here."

What?!

"Believe me, under other circumstances, I wouldn't be one to keep his kind of company."

"The feelings mutual" Gale glared over his shoulder.

"But... he has promised us not to prey upon any thinking creatures. Though he seems to have an odd understanding of what that means. Nevertheless, I promise, he has learned his lesson and will not harm you."

[astralcities]

i dont wanna get involved in fandom discourse, but i wanted to point out that using player!karlach as an example for why a sexless astarion romance is possible is beyond ridiculous.

karlach is a unique case because she's canonically horny and super dtf, she just physically cant. astarion's plan to manipulate player!karlach with sex still essentially works, even if it frustrates him that its not according to his usual script. astarion's romance arc just straight up doesn't happen if the player doesn't cooperate with his seduction plan, intentionally or otherwise. you gotta have sex for him to fall in love with you its just how it is

ya. ya. it's full of strife w her as well! it's abundantly clear that on some levels he resents her for it too

frankly my biggest complaint is this widespread idea that we should be doing things based on what's Best For Astarion based on our metagaming knowledge of his trauma rather than treating it like a real narrative. i didn't really intend to start discourse i just love yapping. but in act 1 tav doesn't know anything of astarion's trauma. not really. tav is also a person/character as much as a conduit of us as a player. they are not a panacea to his trauma. people treat his potential relationships more like therapy than they do an actual relationship. saying things like we need an option for a sexless romance because it's "good for astarion" or "he has a bad relationship with sex". tav doesn't know that he has a bad relationship with sex! you, the player, do. it doesn't make sense narratively on that front and is just a clear aversion to actually dealing w the story at hand. if that makes sense

[silver-horse]

So in order most to least excited, which companions arcs are you the most eager to see play out?

That's so difficult to answer because I can't wait to find out more about all of them but for different reasons.

If I only take into account who my favourites are then it's Shadowheart and Astarion. I'm super curious what she might discover about her past. Also Shadowheart is absolutely the most important companion for the main story! She carries the artifact that is the key to everything probably and everybody wants it. Larian even talked about how difficult it was to write around this. (Because what if somebody doesn't recruit her and they want to allow complete freedom in that.) With Astarion I feel like there is actually a bit less mystery. But I am very curious who that Maiden Fel is and why she sent the hunter after him etc.

If you had asked me a year or two ago, I would have said Lae'zel is third, then Wyll and then Gale would have been my least favourite. (not that I didn't like him, I am interested in all of their stories) Anyway their stories are changing and I dunno who my favs are anymore. lol

I'm curious if we can turn Lae'zel against the githyanki or maybe she could gain influence among them and then we could use them as allies against the mindflayers and the absolute??

In Wyll's case I am mostly concerned. Maybe that worry will go away once I see that they didn't change him too much. His story still the same, they just added extra scenes. But right now I can't be sure. And if they had to change the voice actor then they had to record every single line again, so they could have thought… oh we might as well change it more. (Plus it will be a bit difficult to get used to a new voice after 2+ years of playing this game.)

Gale is quickly becoming more interesting. When they added those circles under his eyes it was an improvement. lol Then he had the whole makeover with the earrings. And of course now we know about his intent to usurp Mystra. So yeah, I do like ambitious characters.

With Jaheira and Minsc I expect they won't do anything too drastic because they are far too beloved. I have now played the original games (in a rushed fashion so I will have to return to them) so I am curious what they will do with them. For me Jaheira is more of a fav than Minsc.

Karlach is in a very bad position so I wonder how that will play out. But I don't know her all that well yet. Ofc that means there is more to discover...

And Halsin wasn't originally designed to be a companion, so I dunno how important he will be? Fans liked him from the beginning (which was almost 3 years ago) and Larian immediately noticed and commented on it. lol So they had time to integrate him into the story more, I suppose.

Minthara was originally the one I had the least interest in. Just because in my main playthrough I know I will have to kill her. So that will be it. But I am planning a playthrough where I will recruit and probably romance her. And the panel from hell made me more interested because they showed a scene where she is attacked by the bigger baddies and we have to protect her. So I wonder if even she can be swayed to become a bit less evil after her own allies treated her like that. In truth an evil playthrough is sooo tempting. I might actually end up playing it simultaneously with the good.

[vole-mon-amour]

Going with Minthara and her plan is truly something else.

My Durge broke a Vengeance oat as soon as I pointed the grove on her map.

Wyll left immediately, wasn't even at the camp when I came back.

Karlach left as soon as I entered the goblin's party (and Dammon was killed by Minthara, which is another yikes moment.)

Gale hates me and himself and wanted to leave, but I convinced him not to. Gale going "...and I participated" like... Yeah? You did? You could've left? Or does the mechanics of the game do not allow the character to leave if they're in your party? Either way, he blames my DUrge.

I haven't saved Halsin and haven't even met him. I just didn't enter the prison room and went straight for the slaughter, so Halsin hasn't appeared just yet. Maybe later, I don't know, but I fucking miss him and his voice.

Minthara's sex scene is very nice and horny (she literally sits on a dragonborns' face), but then she tries to kill you just like Lae'zel (btw, in this run I saved her but didn't invite her to the camp. So no idea where she is.)

Shadowheart is simply drunk and doesn't really care and thinks that the ambush was meh and that a child could've done it.

Astarion rejected my DUrge with "I'm flattered, but I think not. I have standards." The approval was negatively neutral. Like? He seems in the elevated mood because the wine is way better and he really doesn't mind the killing, but what's the point when there's no Astarion romance? Maybe I should've went full into killing and doing everything to earn his approval, IDK. At the beginning I still tried to help the tieflings and look where that got me. (Sure, on my first playthrough I spent WAY more time exploring the map before the party happened & I was still struggling getting Astarion's approval until I figured it out and the romance happened. But to have that approval for the romance without exploring the map much? Yeah, I should have probably went full on with killings, hmm.) UPD: Oh, and Astarion hasn't tried to bite me even ONCE, which I find incredibly weird. I can't use his bite either cause its not showing.

Zevlor screaming that I betrayed them and watching all those spiders and goblins attacking the tieflings... :/

And all the time I was forcing myself to choose all those options that come with Minthara bc I'm curious what all fuss is about, but I don't think I enjoy it very much. The tieflings were frightened and didn't fight back. It really IS like slaughtering children (Shadowheart's words) & I felt awful about it.

It's obvious that Larian wants you to go with the good path. Sure, they give you the option to go this path, but the consequences are awful.

And to play the entire game just to see what comes out of romancing Minthara and from trusting the Absolute? I'm sure that nothing good. I'm surprised the sun is still shining tbh. With the slaughter and the betrayal that happened at the grove, the shadowcurse should just spread on those lands, too.

Like, going with the same choices (Saving Halsin, helping Karlach, Wyll etc) is boring, but going with this path? Yiiiikes. Maybe I'll just look it up on YouTube. I want new achievements, but I'm not ready to explore the map all over again & I'm not sure if there are any for the choices you make with Minthara.

Oh, AND the game offers you the dragonborn for DUrge by default, yet many options as you answer Minthara are, "There was no honor in this" or "I did not enjoy that." So they want you to resist the urge? And kill Minthara and save everybody?

[theycallmeratt]

A little something for Wyll week :)

Date

Many years had passed since Wyll left his hometown, and while he hadn't planned on returning with horns he was glad to be back. Glad, too, that most people weren't as hostile here as he'd feared they could be, and glad to be sleeping in the finest (cleanest) room in Elfsong, Karlach alive and ready to play cards whenever they weren't needed. He could nearly pretend they weren't gearing up to fight a giant brain. A monster hunter's pinnacle! That was how he would think about it.

Bird song filled the morning air, his tea steamed, Karlach had claimed the table they liked outside and he'd just opened to the crossword when a familiar tickling hit his frontal lobe and a voice like rotten treacle cooed, "Wylly!"

Twenty-four. He didn't answer. He never answered when Mizora used his sending stone. If she wanted an answer, she could talk to him out loud, not through his eye, in a voice that didn't sound like she was trying to cover up poison with honey.

"It's her, isn't it?" Karlach said. "You always get this look like you're going to vomit out of your ears."

"Glad I've finally taught the pup not to jump all over me when I call," Mizora crooned.

Nine. Nine more words until the stone stopped working for the day and she would be out of his brain.

"Today's a special date."

Five. Gods, whatever she was going to say would be awful.

"Why don't you just—" Karlach tapped the side of her eye.

Excellent idea. He popped his eye out and set it on the table, catching a faint, "Happy—" before she was gone. Only four words left in the spell, but they were probably vile.

"She's reminding me that today the anniversary of the day I signed," he explained.

"Really? The day you single-handedly saved the city? That calls for celebration. We should make a day of it! We could buy you an eye. A shut-up eye."

"Or go to the circus again. This time without a deranged clown attack. We could get more makeup and sneak it into Astarion's bag."

"One day he's going to kill us."

"Nah, it's all in good fun. Now, if we put it on him while he was trancing…"

"Wyll. I thought you were a good guy!"

Wyll held up his hands, palms out. "I am! I am."

Karlach picked up the eye and made a face. "Gods, she is so mean in only four words. How do I work this again?"

"You simply think—"

"Fuck you, too!"

"No, you think… wait. I have a better idea."

Wyll took it. He wasn't a musician, but he did currently room with a bard who loved to come up with the most earworm-y diddies and even Mizora had lost her cool over the most recent song. In his thoughts he sang, "Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, you know my lodgings, call on me, maybe."

Just to give Mizora something to mull over. Enrichment was very important for devilish contract holders.

Karlach leaned back, looking up at their room. A tenday ago Tav finally hit a breaking point—Tav, of all people!—and turned Mizora to stone. Luckily the spell didn't trigger anything in their contract, which made sense; Mizora was technically still alive and technically able to communicate. "Wanna go dress her up? What would she hate more? Clashing pinks or something that actually covers skin?"

"According to her, I have the worst taste in fashion. So, my clothes."

"Your clothes in pink!"

Wyll could do that. He looked good in pink.

"All of the above, with clown makeup," he suggested.

"It's a date."

[aladaylessecondblog]

2:12:08 (raphael x tav pt 7)

Tw: Panic attack, oral sex. Raphael is his own warning.

By the time Raphael let her return, Wyll was finally awake, and she brought him his soup with a smile. Cald stood on the other side of the room watching--not wanting to intrude too much but obviously burning with curiosity.

everything is FINE

"Finally awake," she said, "I'm sorry I put a sleeping spell on you, but it was the best way to ensure you recovered properly. Do you feel alright now?"

Cald went and got his own bowl, then quickly returned. Wyll took the soup and started eating, answering in between bites.

"Well enough...better than I have in quite some time, in fact. I knew I needed to tend that wound, but...I kept thinking I was fine."

"Until you weren't." Tav gave a slight smile. Wyll was, for certain, not the one that remembered, then. He'd been feverish before, she could excuse him not realizing then. But now he was awake and well...there was no reason he shouldn't be realizing--if he WAS the one.

Or...maybe Raphael was simply fucking with her. Maybe, she thought, Cazador didn't remember either...maybe no one but the two of them did, and she'd sold away her body and time for nothing--

Deep breath.

"Your wound is cleaned and healed now, and you should be well."

"I wish I could--"

"There's no need to worry about payment, all of what I treated you with can either be regrown or regained in time. The swamp is a bounty of herbs, and as for my magic...well...my god ensures I am capable enough to aid anyone."

"I was actually planning to ask if you had seen someone, but you've already done so much."

"Who are you looking for?"

"A tiefling named Karlach," Wyll replied, "I keep hearing that she's been seen around here...and, well...I ended up crossing paths with a Gur who'd had a few too many."

"I wonder if he was looking for anyone...I don't know why you'd be looking HERE, of course, there's nothing much here."

"Nothing?" Cald asked, "There's us."

"The boy's right," Wyll replied, "You're alone here and you're a follower of Ilmater. If anything you're the person the monster would probably go for. Those Paladins of Tyr--"

"They're not paladins," Tav said automatically, and when she saw Wyll cock an eyebrow she added a little white lie, "In my line of work you learn the fakes, and those men are no more paladins of Tyr than I am. They're...servants of Zariel."

Wyll couldn't seem to find words.

"They were here some time ago, asking about Karlach," Tav went on with the lie, raising a hand to silence Cald when he looked like he'd say something, "And they thought I might be hiding her...I wasn't, of course. They were...well, they won't be back, if they know what's good for them. So if you meet those two fools again, just remember what I've said."

There was a pause.

"And try to remember that someone who has gained freedom from a master may not be the same now as before."

"Would you hide her, should she come to you?"

"If she causes no trouble to me or mine, then yes," Tav replied. She gave a slight smile. "Ilmater instructs us to help all who ask it of us, not merely those most would find deserving. I've even healed a few wargs and goblins."

"But she's a servant of Zariel herself."

"And no less deserving of care than you," she replied, "I have heard whispers of her...she is hurting no one, from what's going around."

"Yet you've heard nothing of where she is?"

"No," Tav replied. "Now please do me a favor and finish your soup. I'd rather not have you fall ill from not eating."

She moved off and whispered to Cald to play along with the lie, but then said he was free to question the man once he'd finished eat, as he looked like he was feeling well.

And when the boy approached him, Wyll perked up.

From the other end of the room, Tav couldn't help but smile.

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

Wyll stayed through lunch since Cald didn't seem to want to stop talking to him, and then dinner--and naturally, Tav jokingly thought to herself, the sky opened up and let loose a torrent of rain.

"It looks like you're staying the night," she said, giving a slight smile. "I'm sure the famous Blade of Frontiers would prefer a better bed, but..."

"I sleep in tents most of the time," Wyll replied. "It's been nice to be in a bed again."

"If you've gold to spare I could sell you a quilt to make the tents easier to bear," Tav replied. "But--"

A sudden touch on her shoulder, then a stroke over her abdomen.

"I--pardon me, I need to...check on my mushrooms down below. The--heavy rains tend to make the waterfall a bit...overenthusiastic..."

"If you need any help--"

"No. No, it's fine, you can..." Tav turned her back to him just in time to avoid him seeing the wince that came next. Haarlep was stroking lower, and all she could think was that she couldn't let Wyll see her face.

He might understand having a patron but she still didn't want him knowing.

She practically ran through the fireplace, and was incredibly glad the next touch waited until she was on the other side to happen. Then there was groping, and stroking further down--

It's never going to stop.

The thought struck her hard, when the feeling of fingers slipping into her cunt echoed through her body.

Even when you've paid him off, this will go on.

A stroke a bit higher, a thrust of fingers a bit deeper. She squirmed, her hips automatically moved, jerked, when the next touch was deeper.

It was too much and not enough at once.

Her heart was racing a moment later; panic and pleasure tied themselves into a knot. It was humiliating, it was--

It's never going to stop

It's never going to stop

It's never going to stop

Sitting down didn't help at all. Despite the pleasure rising in her gut, she couldn't relax. From nowhere it seemed her breathing was getting harder, her chest aching, lungs burning...

Raphael's face above her.

When had he shown up?

"Not now," she managed to grate out, hardly looking at him. "I can't--I can't breathe--"

A hand at her shoulder, a whisper in her ear, and suddenly the rushing river of utter panic was gone. The sting of humiliation from being so touched by Haarlep remained, but at least she didn't feel as though she were running away from something while being rooted to the spot.

She let herself be held against his shoulder. He'd ask for it anyway if she didn't, it was easier just to let him do it.

"Poor little mouse," Raphael's voice came in a purr, "Not doing as well as you thought you were, hmm?"

"I--can--" She wanted to say she could handle it on her own, but her voice choked itself rather than be party to the lie.

"Perhaps if you would stop being so stubborn, things wouldn't have gotten to this point. But you struggle and fight...for what, really?"

Tav couldn't find the words. Her mouth opened and closed uselessly, the words in her mind refusing to speak themselves.

Because you're an evil piece of shit and I don't want the world to suffer under you.

I can handle this. I can handle this. I just need to wait.

"Now, now, dry the tears. You can hardly be the hero of Baldur's Gate if you're a sobbing mess."

Where had the tears come from?

Tav didn't remember starting to cry, or...

Deep breath.

"Take a deep breath and remember that I am here. Shut off your mind, simply obey, and all will be well."

Raphael's words were a soothing balm to her still aching head. But there was one lingering concern--

"I have--someone in the house--"

"They're not going to be a problem."

This was not the submission she'd enjoyed with Gortash, eager and waiting for the pleasure that always followed. This was the submission of exhaustion, of being too tired to go on, and she couldn't make herself like it even if she wanted to.

"On your knees, my pet."

Tav's body automatically obeyed, and she reached up to unbutton Raphael's trousers without him saying another word. There was no need to ask what he wanted when she was in this position--it was always the same. It was predictable, something she could not fail at.

He was already half-hard, and it only took a few strokes of her hand to complete the process. She lowered her head to take him into her mouth and heard a slight hiss from overhead. One of his hands moved to the back of her head, and stayed there as she started to bob over him. Haarlep's work went on below, and her hips rolled against nothing. The pleasure rose...

"There we are...very good, my little mouse. You see, don't you?"

She could say nothing, and she knew he didn't really want an answer anyway. Raphael never did when she was on her knees...he simply wanted to talk at her. She moved back, caressing the head of his cock with her tongue and stroking the rest of him with her hand.

"All you need to do is take your place, and all those pesky little problems will go away. No more fear over petty vampire lords and what they might do to you or yours. The tadpole? A thing of the past. Anything that would attack you would find itself in a world of pain. Because you are mine...and anyone attempting to take what is mine will find themselves cursing the day they dared to do it."

Tav was about to move down, and groaned when he pulled her back and off of him.

"Give me the Crown of Karsus, my pet," his voice softened and soothed, "And you need never worry again."

Before Tav could respond he pushed her head back down, and began to thrust against her head. She let herself relax, let him do as he wished, riding against her face. She zoned out, until all that remained was Raphael. His voice filling her ears, his hand gripping her hair, his cock in her mouth.

"Give me the Crown of Karsus, and your master will see you kept safe and well-cared for until the end of time."

A groan. She sucked in a breath when given a chance, brought her tongue up--and suddenly his cock pulsed, and filled her mouth with his seed. She swallowed it all down and felt her throat and stomach warm from the heat of him. After a short pause she tucked him away and fixed his trousers without being told to. Her own pleasure came, forcing a moan from her lips, and soaking her thighs with release.

"Are you not thankful I've made it so easy for you?"

She gulped one final time.

"Wildshape," he commanded suddenly, "I know you're able to."

"I-into what, master?"

Why was it so easy to say the word now?

"The cat."

Tav obeyed, shifting into the form she rarely took. A calico cat with dark eyes, fluffier than might be expected to be seen around here.

Raphael picked her up and sat her in his lap.

Why? Why are you doing this? What is this accomplishing?

He did nothing, that was the confusing part. Nothing of note. Merely stroked her, scratched behind her ears, stroked beneath her chin until she purred for him. He kept this up until she was almost falling asleep, and then he set her on the seat beside him.

"Change back."

She obeyed, rubbing her eyes for a moment before she found herself pulled into a soft kiss.

What IS this? What is he trying to do?

"Why me?" she asked quietly, once they'd parted. She forced herself to meet his eyes. "I helped kill you. I--"

"Because you're smarter than you think you are, and I am not averse to taking you under my wing should I get what I want. All I ask is that you lay down your pride--and serve. As you always have."

A pause, and a whisper in her ear.

"One hour, fifty seven minutes, and twenty two seconds. Less than two hours to go, o apple of my eye. A pity. I know you'll miss me."

Raphael was gone before Tav could reply.

[little-tyrant-gortash]

Oathbreaker

Pairing: fem!Tav x Enver Gortash, fem!Tav/Astarion

Tags: Emotional Manipulation, Manipulation, Manipulative Relationship, Paladin Tav (Baldur's Gate), Vaginal Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Drunk Sex, Unrequited Love, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Scars, Blood and Injury, Injury, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Torture, Psychological Torture, Implied/Referenced Torture

Word count: 1,691

Ao3 here.

Chapter 1.

Chapter 2.

Chapter 3.

Chapter 4.

Chapter 5.

Chapter 6.

Chapter 7.

Chapter 8.

Chapter 9.

Chapter 10.

Chapter 11.

Chapter 12.

Chapter 13. ⬇

Chapter 14.

Chapter 13: Innocence Lost

He should've expected things to go downhill. It couldn't be as easy as he imagined them to be, could they?

First of all, the way she screamed had a remarkable effect on him. Gortash quickly realised that the need to protect her went well beyond his sneaky little "safety measures"; he maneuvered so quickly around the office to check what was wrong that it was straight ridiculous. It was blind luck nobody saw it, and that she was too preoccupied with the pain in her feet to notice. But he couldn't blame her for that. The stench of burnt flesh made him crinkle his nose.

"Damn it!" He huffed, and he didn't even think, he picked her up, bridal style, to get the weight off of her feet. She clung to him for dear life in her agony, buried her face in his neck and sobbed loudly. "How can you be so clumsy?" He sighed as he started to walk through the workshop with her in his arms.

That was when the door burst open and revealed a very angry looking Shadowheart with her bright, silver hair. Gortash stopped in his tracks with a frown. The Steel Watchers should've stopped her-

"Your days are over!" She declared, looking every bit of feral as she summoned her spirit guardians – the green ones that would cause nasty necrotic damage to anything living they'd touch.

"Are you insane?!" Gortash yelled as he took a few steps back. "I have her right h-"

Organised chaos, was it? More like disorganised chaos. Most of the time he remembered where he left what, and he instinctively tiptoed over it in his workshop. Toolboxes, chests, pieces of armour. But Tav's injury and Shadowheart's sudden appearance shocked him enough that he couldn't remember fast enough that there was a chest just behind him – a chest he tripped over.

Falling backwards, all he could do was cursing out loud.

Hitting the ground wasn't that bad, actually. But when Tav fell right on him, she knocked the air out of him. There was an almost soft crack in his chest, then excruciating, horrible pain a second later.

"Oh shit", Shadowheart's voice was the first that made it through the ringing in his ears. Gortash's head was throbbing with murder. He kept Tav close, until she attempted to pull away and get up. "I'm so sorry, I didn't- I couldn't-"

"Heal me", Tav sobbed and remained sitting on the ground just beside him. "Please- it hurts- so much-"

"What the Hells happened?" Shadowheart made her way over to Tav, completely ignoring Gortash on the floor. Maybe she did that well. "I heard you scream-"

"Karlach's engine", Gortash groaned when Tav couldn't muster the words. "Her engine. Overheated. Melted… the pliers…"

Well, that broken rib really hurt. He barely could take a normal breath, let alone speak in complete sentences. I'm too old for this shit, he thought begrudgingly as he turned his head to look at Tav and Shadowheart. The latter dismissed the spirit guardians, and she already started to heal Tav's feet. The flesh knitted anew, making her accident a bad memory.

Good.

"You. Get. Out", Gortash groaned at Shadowheart, who stared back at him with a snarl.

"You don't order me around!" She spat back at him.

"Shadowheart-", Tav weakly protested.

"I knew you couldn't be trusted!"

"Shadowheart-"

"Is that your plan? Making us believe you're the good guy when you're attempting to kill us??"

"Shadowheart!! Enough!" Tav yelled. "He didn't do anything wrong! I held the fucking engine and I got too distracted, end of story!"

"Distracted by what?" Shadowheart asked with a raised brow. "He did it on purpose, didn't he?!"

Gortash also raised his brow. Really, what distracted her? Tav blushed and looked anywhere but at them. He didn't do anything out of the ordinary, just- oh.

"Ooh, Tav", he sighed – even if it was immensely painful –, a smile playing around his lips.

"You just be quiet", Tav huffed, taking her half burned boots off.

"You paid attention to what I was doing-"

Tav felt a rush of absolute fear when she realised he could expose her to Shadowheart.

"Gortash."

"What my hands were doing, to be precise- you got distracted by- my hands-"

Shadowheart looked like realisation dawned on her, then she made the realm's most disgusted face as she glanced at the flustered Tav. Who, in turn, angrily yanked her boots off and threw them to the far end of the room.

"Gortash! You're the absolute worst man alive on this gods damned planet!"

Tav pushed herself up to stand, thankfully, Shadowheart could heal her injuries in no time. Barefoot, she started to walk out of the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Gortash ignored the throbbing, sharp pain in his chest.

"Out! I'm done!"

"You won't even take Karlach with you?"

Tav's bare feet stopped stomping on the floor of his workshop. Enver finally got up, too; he resisted the urge to touch his aching side. It wouldn't do any good if he had his hand over it, anyway. He'd felt this so many times, growing up. He'd survive it again.

"I have no doubts she'd attempt to kill me, too", Gortash continued, walking over to his desk to sit down on the chair. "And believe it or not, you and your merry little band still need me."

"He's right", Shadowheart's shoulders dropped, and offered him an apologetic look. "Sorry about- what I said."

"Consider it forgiven. Now, please. You, get out."

"We'll talk later", Shadowheart told Tav in a serious tone, and neither Gortash nor Tav had doubts that the silver haired warrior would definitely interrogate Tav about their relationship.

"One more thing", Gortash told Shadowheart, "how come you weren't stopped by my Steel Watchers?"

"Well, Gale kept them… busy", Shadowheart smiled at him before she left the workshop.

Gortash sat back down, a bit harder than he wanted to, and closed his eyes at the flash of sudden, excruciating pain that shot through his chest. Gale. He was crushing the name in his head with mortar and pestle. Gale. Gale. Gale. He's going to make an ornate bowl out of his wretched, thick skull, and he'll use his brain t-

"He probably destroyed half of your Steel Watchers", Tav mused without turning to look at him.

"Wonderful", Gortash groaned, and this time, he couldn't hide the agony from his voice.

He gritted his teeth when he saw Tav turned to look him in the eyes. She noticed. What was more, she seemed like she… cared? That she was… worried? Enver seemed to rapidly sink in his chair when she started to walk over to him.

"What's wrong?" She asked him, and he scoffed.

"Oh, nothing. I'm fine. Just pulled a muscle."

She stared at him for a long second before she stalked even closer, stopping between his chair and his desk. This way, she had her back to Karlach.

"You're lying", she deduced.

He stared back up at her, challengingly.

"And? What are you going to do about it?"

"I'll get the truth out of you."

"Oh?" Despite the pain he was in, he smiled at that. "And how are you planning to do that?"

"I'm asking first", she crossed her arms and leaned against his desk. "Why did you have to embarrass me?"

"She rather should know about the truth than think that I'm scheming to kill you, isn't that right?"

"I don't want them to know about us", Tav shook her head and looked away.

"I can't understand why", he mused playfully, "we're making a good team."

"Good team?" She echoed. "Have you been paying any attention to us? We're making each other worse."

"Worse is always better in my book", he smirked now, a bit darker than intended. Tav squirmed where she stood, his smile awakening something inside of her. "You can't even take your eyes off me, can you?"

"You're a pompous bastard full of himself, nothing more", Tav spat.

Gortash laughed quietly, but not for long. His voice died in his throat and he let out a ragged sigh as he leaned back in his chair again. Tav was watching him like a hawk.

"If you're injured", she muttered, "why won't you tell me?"

"Complaining about physical injuries is weakness, and I'm anything but weak."

Tav needed a few seconds to absorb that. Then, she cupped his cheeks in her fragile little hands.

"I don't want you to be in pain", she whispered softly, "please, tell me, how can I help?"

"If you say that little word again, I may just tell you", Gortash teased.

He was disguising just how deeply it cut him to know that she cared. That she didn't lie. Every second he spent with her, he learned more and more about her expressions, the way she said words, what she thought of things, and to know that she did not lie now – that she truly did not want him to be in pain – was new and utterly terrifying.

Because nobody ever cared. Nobody ever asked. Nobody wanted to make sure he was alright. All the lessons he learned during his life were that the strong crushes the weak, and he never wanted to be the weak one. He was forced to be; many, many times.

"Please, Enver."

His name sounded like dripping honey from her lips. He crumbled at her touch, at her voice. For a moment, he felt like a frightened child again.

And then, he felt enraged. Enraged that he couldn't find her sooner, enraged that he had to walk this lonely path alone for so long. But not anymore. She was here, and Hells, he won't ever let her go again.

"I never get tired of you saying my name", he whispered back, placing his hands over hers as he closed his eyes.

Tav half smiled and ever so gently pecked his forehead.

"What the everloving fuck?!"

Their hearts skipped a beat at the same time when they've heard Karlach's voice from the desk where they left her, and they both thought of the very same thing.

Shit.

[blackjackkent]

Amusingly, I just stopped at the trader, so I have almost no useful equipment to pass to Wulbren; however, what I do have is Hector's quarterstaff that I unequipped because I'm trying out @zenjestrr's suggestion of running Hector as an Open Hand monk instead. And apparently a quarterstaff is a decent enough rock-breaking tool for him.

"Good work. We're gonna wait until it's quiet, then bust out the back wall. We'll grab the tieflings along the way - we'll need 'em if it comes to a fight. You, however, are the clincher. Once we move, keep the patrols busy. If the bastards spot us, all of bloody Moonrise will come down on us."

Don't worry, Wulbren. Hector is extremely good at both dialogue checks and stealth, so he is absolutely the right person to have in your corner for this.

I caved and did a little research on this - not so much for an ideal outcome as just to be sure that we're not triggering some point-of-no-return here, which it looks like we aren't. Since Hector, despite my sarcasm, is not really particularly good at anything sneaky, I'm thinking our best bet here might be to just clear out all of the prison guards before giving Wulbren the go-ahead, since apparently doing so doesn't turn the rest of the tower hostile. (It does also appear that we can't go to long rest before doing this, or the prisoners will simply make a break for it without our help, which seems like it will probably go badly.)

There's also a very tempting looking abyss right next to all the prison cells, and Gale has Thunderwave burning a hole in his pocket.

YEET.

The other guard was easily dealt with via a couple of blows from Karlach, which just leaves whatever's happening in the big central chamber, which appears to be the Warden's office, judging by the fact that there is a Warden in it.

Quick chat before the murder, I suppose.

"You spark of the familiar. Do I know you, True Soul? Hm. Perhaps not - your face is rather bland."

Wow, rude. >:|

"Regardless, know this - I am the warden. The prisoners are my charges, and I answer to Disciple Balthazar himself. Stay on my good side."

"Your face is pretty bland too," says Hector, because we're planning to fight this woman anyway, so if he's going to indulge himself in sarcasm, this is the time for it.

She is, of course, unamused. "My face might be bland, but yours - it is now carved into my memory forever."

Not really that impressive a rejoinder, to be honest.

We do have the option to ask her about Duke Ravengard, who is the last prisoner currently unaccounted for; seems like that might be a good idea while we have the opportunity. The Warden didn't know who he is, though - "he sounds important, and I'm afraid the mere dregs are the only ones left in my care."

"I'll do my utmost to impress you," Hector says humbly, with the intention of luring the woman into a false sense of security before they strike.

She snorts. "A pity you're already failing, then."

OK, you know what, I'm tired of you. Karlach, sic 'em.

----

As they all stand around over the Warden's dead body, Karlach nudges it with her boot toe. "That's for calling my boyfriend's face bland," she says, glaring down at the corpse imperiously.

Hector looks amused. "I don't know," he says, mock-innocently. "Are you sure she doesn't have a point?"

She grins. "Hector Carlisle fishing for compliments? What is the world coming to?"

"I just like to hear you say it," he says sheepishly.

"Yeah, all right, well. You're gorgeous and I adore you. Let's finish clearing this godsdamned place out so I can tell you properly somewhere more private."

[editoress]

I have Complaints to make about the dialogue options I get with Astarion. I've just completed his personal arc with a neutral good paladin.

The thing is, I love Astarion. I'll be his best friend even if he can't stand me. And often, he can't. He gets so bored and impatient with the good deeds routine. This is because he's a selfish bitch. And—listen, this is important—I still love him. I eventually got Kenzan to be mutual friends with him because she's so nice to and supportive of Astarion. Not because he changed his mind and decided to be a good person.

And yet! So few dialogue options seem to be aware of this! When it comes to Cazador, the other vampire spawn, and his plan to do the ritual himself, you only get to say 1. Yeah let's do it, 2. I can't believe you would do that! Think of those poor people! and 3. We don't have time for this.

I dunno man, I just hate the scandalized nature of the good-aligned options. Every one sounds like I have met this man for the first time and/or been tricked into thinking I've made him a saint. No!! It makes complete sense that he'd choose this! I understand his reasoning! And I know who he is! Why can't I disagree with him and still talk like I understand all that??

(Even the option I ended up using to talk him down didn't make any sense to me. 'This power will trap you' boy what do u mean. There are other actual arguments to make but whatever.)

My other complaint is that throughout the game, I have simply never been offered the possibility of being affectionate enough with him. I don't know if this is a problem specific to Astarion conversations or if I'm just more frustrated with it. Can't tell him I have his back. Or that I love him or consider us friends. :c

Especially in the debrief after his arc. The most affectionate option was "You did the right thing. I'm proud of you," but considering I talked him into it, that sounds a bit condescending or I-told-you-so. Game, let me be happy for my friend??

There things I feel are missing for some other companions, too (like the option to hug Karlach at any time, hello?), but the dialogue approach to Astarion frustrates me the most. Expect fic about it.