#i have way too many druids so they are. Not allowed

[wp100]

idk what class to play on pandaria remix :( lol

[lovermyme]

Was thinking about merlin and listening to mitski today and

Post revel where arthur reacts very well at merlins magic, unbans magic and merlin cant actually process that

Yeah, thats about "its just that i fell in love with a war, nobody told me it ended", he suffered too much to allow it to be this easy. Can u imagine? What do u mean arthur and the knights are laughing amused by him magically lighting the fire? It is a big deal.

Merlins saw many many sorcerers be cremated alive to be normal. He heard the screams and smelled the burned skin, the toasted meat.

I havent watched the shows in years but like, i guess he have a "privileged view" of the pire from his room too....... He thinks if uther did that on purpose, by giving gaius (the only sorcerer uther allowed to stay, in his conditions of course) this place of all in the castle...... Like a warning...

The only "mentors" merlin had where a dragon, that had been imprisoned for morethan 20 years. And a old man, that had been walking on eggs for more than 20 years too. They were shit at giving advices, yeah but. Its understandable at some point.

He has blood in his hands. Non sorcerer and sorcerer. Friends and enemies. Civilians. He released kilgharra. Fuck, he lied at the morgouse trials, about arthurs mother! Why is arthur ok w that? He think he is a traitor, of both his kind........

Bonus point if good mordred. Like, mordred adapting very well at the shift laws, and excited about doing magic in frnt of arthur and arthur liking it???? Merlin cant understand. He debated about killing this child.

bONUS BONUS POINT If merlin is struggling at doing magic in front of arthur and the knights, and arthurs doesn't know he is emrys the most powerful sorcerer to walk on earth aND YET IS SO AMUSED. And like, *merlin shaking while firing the fire* arthur and evryone: THATS AMAZING MERLIN 👏👏👏👏 And mordred is so confused

I need a fic like this

Mordred becomes court sorcerer because arthur thinks merlin is not powerful and everything (in a worried way not in a disposed way). Merlin is not jealous, he doesn't care about titles, actually he do like his job, its just about the irony of the thing. Mordred is so so confused.

He does his job amazing, he uses magic and its okay at doing it. When no one is looking. If someone, thats not gaius, is looking, he hardly can do.

He cant do magic w arthurs watching.

Unless its a Arthur's life treating situation.

Its not that he is actually scared of arthur, its just that he simple cant. Theres even a tecnical term for this. Its like a emotional block, but w his magic. He cant control it. He has been under pressure for so long he cant just let go ya know.

Ok, its my post, i like mordred, im gonna put my thoughts here.

Au where mordred was the one who changes arthurs mind about magic. Like, arthur is watching mordred, the one he know has magic and is a druid and asks him if he stills do magic and mordred thinks and chooses honesty and says "to make a fire when noone is looking" or some non harmful thing. And Arthur is like "a sorcerer can be a Knight, im shifting the law". And he shift the law and Merlin is like, was is that easy? *Mental breakdown * meltdown *burnout*

The thing is: it wasn't just because of mordred, like, Arthur's kingdom has been kind w the sorcerers already, not having burned a lot and no one in mordred presence, because arthur is a kind king.

And th thing is how mordred and merlin lived different lifes while in camelot, ya know. Even through mordred has heard stories and lost friends and family to camelots fire, Merlin lived in it.

Merlin, he is extremely suspicious about mordred coming out as sorcerer to arthur (because he is suspicious of mordred), he thinks maybe its a trick, to bring evil sorcerers to kill arthur, something, he even debates w arthur if shifting thelaw is the right choice. He feels awful about his position, but he cant process that everything is alright, he is so suspicious about everything and so scared arthur might put himself in danger.

He tells arthur he has magic after he lift the ban. Arthur is so confused because of merlins position about the law, but he is fine w merlin. And merlin islike "im gonna to protect u i promise, im super powerful", of course he cant prove he is powerful because this whole post.

Im tired now im stoping, but im still thinking alot.

[undiscovered-horizon]

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[Just a sunny afternoon with bear Halsin. What more can a heart desire?]

Halsin claims that sleeping in his bear form provides better rest. Whether that is true or not, you have no way to know. But no matter what the truth is, the druid comes out the winner anyway: he's lightly napping, drifting in and out of slumber, while you're leaning against him.

For the past week, it's been raining on and off. Cold wind nipped at your skin, even sneaking its way into your tent and making sure you shuddered uncomfortably for an hour or two before finally falling asleep. Nighttime storms left you carrying drenched clothes for long hours.

But today, the weather is exceptionally nice. Warm sunlight is peeking through the crowns of the tall trees. Wind, much gentler than for the past few days, is only strong enough to make long blades of grass sway from side to side. Even birds seem to enjoy the change - their melodic songs are carried by the forest's echo.

Halsin and you have decided to spend your day off from travelling in a small gathering. Although your companions-turned-friends are a delightful bunch, the rather crowded camp doesn't allow much liberty in terms of intimacy. Not to mention the sheer noise of so many people going about their day, cramped in one place...

The woods are as silent as nature can be - filled with rustling, birdsong, chirping and chirring. It's the whispering of nature, Silvanus himself enjoying the chatter of his creations. On days as pleasant as today, it wouldn't be too far-fetched to think that he's wandering among the trees, checking in on things, so to speak.

Your back is leaning against Halsin's massive bear frame. With each of his sleepy, shallow breaths, your entire body is moving along them. Every now and then, he lets out a snore and you can't help the loving smile curling your lips. When was the last time he was allowed so much peace?

Dry paper rustles as you turn over the page. Your voice resounds in this part of the woods as you continue reading aloud the book you found just a few days ago. It's a typical, run-of-the-mill court drama but written well enough to have you thinking about something other than the rather unwelcome guest squirming inside your skull.

But the tale of prudish ladies and cunning servants is suddenly brought to a halt as you yawn and stretch your arms. It's been at least an hour or two since Halsin and you have sat down.

The bear underneath you opens one of his eyes curiously. His careful gaze studies your visibly tired face.

"Lay with me, my heart," he says in a groggy voice. There is nothing pressuring about his tone but you feel so enticed to fulfil his words that you don't have the mind to argue against.

Soon you find yourself lying on the ground, cuddled into the side of a bear. Which, by itself, sounds quite funny. And you do chuckle quietly but not because you find the situation humours - no, it's the all-consuming cosiness that makes you uncharacteristically giddy. His fur is thick and soft, as though a moment of distraction could cause you to fall into him.

Halsin, consciously or not, shift his bear body to engulf you a little more. Although a frame of that size is awkward to manoeuvre, he tries to fit his body around your curled-up physique. If it wasn't for the absolutely crushing weight of his wildshape form, Halsin would probably lay himself on top of you to satiate his desire to take care of you.

For the first time in long weeks, snuggled up to a snoring bear, you feel content and safe.

___

I have thought about having a nap with bear Halsin like two weeks ago and that thought has not left ever since. Actually, I think it's already built a house in my head.

[nickmarini]

Hi there!

First of all, I just wanted to say thanks for being an amazing D&D players and a very kind and open person t the many fans like myself who saw you for the first time in Downfall and were amazed. I wish I got to play with people like you when I play and DM.

I was wondering about something. Ayden is a multi classing masterpiece and I wanted to know if you have any tricks for building a solid multi class that is both interesting and has a fair amount of powerful abilities. Every time I have tried my characters end up not good at anything or really good at a single thing thats not relevant.

Okay! That’s all! Thanks for being really cool and I hope you have a great day!

Well firstly thank you. I’m def gonna deep dive Ayden, but for multi-classing in general I will sort of talk my philosophy. When multi classing it is important to start with what you are hoping to achieve. I personally like multiclasses because I think it tells the story of a character. Mechanically though there’s a few things to think about. Is the character strictly martial a mix or a primary spell caster? If you’re a primary spell caster then if you’re heavily multiclassing you are likely trading away access to 9th level spells at minimum or simply grabbing something like spell points or a warlock pact. With Ayden being alongside the Archheart and Matron I felt like we had pretty decent 9th level spell access so I wasn’t too worried on that front and instead could focus on being as good of a support character as I could manage. A full caster multiclass will still get 9th level spells slots so your spells that scale based on level are still going to be powerful.

Martial or mixed spell casters multiclass builds are not as limited by the spell access issues full casters encounter but do encounter the same feat/ability score issues.

In terms of overall philosophy, first level dips can give a character an unusual saving throw proficiency or skills that might compliment a build. I look for abilities that compliment each other so for Ayden having guiding bolt (proficiency times a day from druid) and commanding rally (proficiency times a day from knight of the crows feat) let him shoot a bolt and then have someone follow up with a free attack with advantage 6 times a day. Look for combos that might take 2 separate 1 class builds working together to achieve, that you might be able to do pull off as a single character. Also coming from 3.5 I am a firm believer in feats. Feats allow you to customize your character in unique ways that can really shine when multiclassing.

And finally have fun! I am a huge nerd and enjoy pouring over books trying to find interesting combos or figure out how to make an idea I have work better, but to be honest few campaigns go from 1-20 so if you wanna play around with multi classes just do it!

[autistichalsin]

Halsin has gone through multiple, lasting traumas:

Has been kidnapped and held as a sex slave for three years, quite possibly as a teenager based on some comments ("takes me back to my youth" to the Drow twins; referring to himself as a "young Druid" when he was taken), which are psychologically formative years

He gets made archdruid at a young age, with no experience nor preparation, in the middle of a battle where most others besides him died, including the previous archdruid

His first (possibly only depending on how dark your reading is) childhood friend was a boy who was the spirit of the forest/nature itself; said childhood friend is later cursed, and when Halsin goes to find him, his Grove falls into the hands of an extremist, which depending on player choice can also lead to a child's death, and on top of that, he gets kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured in wildshape

And that's to say nothing of what can happen to him in branching storylines (I.E. if Orin kidnaps him, or if the player decimates the Emerald Grove, or if they fail to end the Shadow Curse)

And his responses to those traumas?

A hedonistic approach to sex

A tendency towards indulgence in many other aspects, though he admits he doesn't do it meaninglessly in terms of food

An intensely giving personality that also doesn't allow for reciprocation (dominance, but of the gentle variety, during sex, with no indication he would ever bottom; enthusiastically doing oral for the player character without the player returning the favor), which suggests there's an element of making up for lost control here

Immense guilt over the events that happen during and before the story, even when they were decidedly not his fault

Intense protectiveness over the defenseless- children, animals, and nature itself, as well as refugees

So... in other words, Halsin is reacting to his traumas, which involve themes of imprisonment, loss of control/agency, and being forced into impossible conditions where the blame falls on him even when it's undeserved, by indulging in the few pleasures he can find, and by taking control in the ways he can- sex and protecting those he can, and by blaming himself. (Paradoxically, blaming oneself is a form of taking control back; if it was your fault, that means you could have changed it.)

And, lastly, Halsin copes by... downplaying everything. Refusing to admit his pain. This, too, is a form of control-taking.

I don't think I've had a character's rape trauma/recovery storyline resonate this strongly with me since Katherine Howard from Six the musical.

[dark-and-kawaii]

─ ⊹ ⊱ The Realization ⊰ ⊹ ─

Prt. 1

Summary: Zevlor awaits for Lofn to return, and as she returns he finds her collapsing into his arms~

ᡣ𐭩ྀིྀི₊ ⊹ Pairing: Zevlor x F!Tav/Lofn

ᡣ𐭩ྀིྀི₊ ⊹ Content: Hurt/Comfort - Injury - Worried Zevlor - Realizing Feelings

ᡣ𐭩ྀིྀི₊ ⊹ Notes: Please Enjoy xoxo

The sun was setting, casting a warm golden glow over the druids grove, and the forest was growing quiet as all the animals and insects settled in for the night. Her steps were unsteady, and she nearly fell several times as she made it to the gates that kept those inside safe, but still she pushed herself forward, knowing that it was not much further.

Lofn leaned her hand against the wall next to the gate, her breaths coming in ragged gasps, her vision blurry before she steadied herself, wiping the sweat that adorned head with a shaky hand. Her entire body ached, and the exhaustion threatened to overcome her at any moment, but she was not weak, she wouldn't allow herself to give into that feeling… not when she was so close to telling Zevlor the good news.

As she made her way into the grove, she saw Zevlor standing at the ready, the worry on his face clear. He opened his mouth to say something, but she put up her hand to stop him, “I'm fine, please. Don't worry about me.”

He swallowed whatever he was going to say and simply nodded his head, “I assume you have something to report then...?”

“I do,” She smiled, her body slowly moving towards him, her hips swaying with that powerful, yet confident walk of hers, “The goblins... The goblin camp…” each step feeling heavier than the last, her words getting more strained as she pushed herself, “it's clear. You and your people... you can start your…”

“Lofn, are you well?” Zevlor's voice was filled with disquiet as he reached out to steady her. She tried to nod, to reassure him, but her body betrayed her. With a stuttering “yes,” her knees buckled giving way as her vision finally faded. The last thing she remembered was the warmth of Zevlor's arms around her as she collapsed.

Catching her just in time, his strong arms cradled her gently as he lowered Lofn to the ground. Her head came to rest on his knee, and he bent over her, his eyes searching her face for any sign of what was wrong. She was pale, her skin cold and clammy to the touch, “Lofn! What is it? What's wrong?” his voice urgent, but she didn't respond-

“Lofn!?” His voice cracked with the sudden realization of her condition.

Her hand slowly came up to grip her side subconsciously, and as his gaze followed the movement, that's when he saw it- blood, dark and ominous, pooling around her fingers, seeping through her clothes... the mere thought of losing her made his stomach churn...

“Oh Gods... No…” he whispered, his hands trembling, “no…” Being the commander of the Hellriders, Zevlor had seen many things, been on the battlefield countless times, but this- this was different... Zevlor had been trained to remain calm, to focus on the situation, to stay in control... But right now he couldn't, and he didn't care, the thought of her dying- “Tilly!” he shouted, cutting off his own thoughts, his voice carrying through the grove.

“Commander!-“ Tilly responded, rushing up to him, her gaze shifting from Zevlor to Lofn, “Oh- Oh Gods, Sir, I- what happened-?!”

“She's been injured.” Zevlor spoke quietly, the emotion clear in his voice. He couldn't look up, couldn't meet her eyes, far too afraid that if he looked away Lofn's heart would stop beating, “Badly.” he replied, his voice tight with fear as he quickly began to work on Lofn's leather armor, careful not to cause more damage. When he pulled the leather corset away, it revealed a gruesome wound. The edges were dark and swollen, purpleish green veins pulsating beneath the skin around the wound as if she had been poisoned... This was out of either of their hands, and they both knew it.

Zevlor's jaw clenched, they'd need one of the druids... But the druids all looked at the them like foulboods now too... No, they would save her- after everything she had done for them...

“Tilly…” He hesitated for a second fearing the worst should they deny their plead, “Fetch one of the Druids.”

“But! The druids hate us and wish to see us leave! They will not listen to-“

“Explain the situation. They can't ignore this nor will I let her die because the Druids are blinded by their pride- Or whatever it is that's going on with them.” He growled, the frustration and anger evident in his tone.

Tilly's mouth shut, and her expression softened as she realized the situation. With a quick nod, she turned and ran, disappearing down the path towards the center of the grove, leaving Zevlor alone with Lofn.

“Lofn, stay with me,” his hand pressed gently against the wound, hoping to slow the bleeding. She winced at the contact, and her face twisted in pain, her mouth gasping, “Forgive me.” he murmured, “Help is coming. Just hold on.”

“I'm sorry…” her voice was barely audible as she took a shallow, ragged breath.

“Don't be," he replied, his voice firm, You risked yourself to help us- to protect and save us. Now let us save you.”

A small smile touched her lips, before she faded once again into unconsciousness.

Zevlor watched her silently, his gaze fixed on her.

Minutes felt like hours as Zevlor held Lofn, his hands slick with her blood until finally Tilly returned, a druid in tow. Rath's expression was grim as he knelt beside Lofn, his hands glowing with healing magic, “Poison, and a nasty one too.”

“Can you save her?” Zevlor asked.

Rath looked up at Zevlor, “It will be difficult, but yes. I can save her.”

Zevlor moved his hand, allowing Rath to place his over the wound... The older tiefling watched anxiously as the druid worked, his heart in his throat.

After what felt like an eternity, the glow of his magic faded, and he looked up at Zevlor. “The poison was strong, but I've done what I can. She needs rest and time to heal. Keep her warm and let her sleep.”

“Thank you, Rath.” Zevlor nodded, relief flooding through him. Gently and attentively, he picked Lofn up, cradling her in his arms as he carried her back to where he slept, away from the others where she could get some rest and privacy. She had sacrificed her safety for them all, so sacrificing his bed roll was a small price to pay.

As he laid her down carefully, he pulled the blankets over her, his hands delicate so as not to wake her, “I know you can't hear me, but thank you… For everything.”

Pulling up his wooden chair, Zevlor sat by Lofn's side, his eyes heavy with exhaustion but unwilling to leave her for even a moment. The night had grown quiet, the occasional crackle from the candles, water dripping the caves walls, and the faint echo of the wind in the trees the only sounds to be heard.

For a moment he pressed his face into his hands, the weight of blaming himself for all the suffering that had come to pass heavy on his soul. As his eyes were shut an image of Lofn flashed across his mind, the smile on her face, the way her body swayed as she danced with the children, her eyes bright with wonder. The sound of her laugh filled his ears, and the feeling of her warmth as they sat together on the edge of the water. She was a light in the darkness that had been cast over their people…

And then he saw her laying before him, bloody and beaten, and the tears welled in his eyes. It wasn't her fault, he is the one who told her about their struggles. She had nothing to do with this, and yet... She refused to leave, choosing instead to stay and fight for those she didn't even know.

Hours passed, and Zevlor could feel how his eyelids grew heavy, how his mind had grown so weary, so lost in a labyrinth of thoughts, that the world around him had blurred into a hazy dream. He blinked, suddenly aware of a gentle touch on his cheek. Lofn's face materialized before him, her soothing voice whispering, “Don't blame yourself.” his own subconscious reaching out to console him. He wasn't sure if this tender moment was real or merely a product of his fatigued mind, but the warmth of her hand on his skin felt achingly real.

But as his head began to nod, and the illusion faded…

A sudden sound caught his attention- a deep breath from Lofn. His hand moved of its own accord, reaching out to gently press against her brow, checking for any sign of fever. As his calloused fingers brushed her skin, Lofn stirred, her lips parting as a single word escaped in a barely audible murmur.

“Zevlor...”

The sound of his name, uttered with such tenderness and vulnerability, sent a shiver coursing through Zevlor's body. His tail twitched, the spaded tip rising and quivering as a flush of warmth suffused his cheeks, darkening their hue. The melodic quality of her voice, even in slumber, was alluring, drawing him in closer to her. His hand poised to brush a stray lock of hair from her face, but just as his fingers were about to make contact, he froze, realization dawning upon him like a bucket of icy water.

What was he doing?

This was highly inappropriate, a voice whispered in the back of his mind. Lofn was so young, her life stretching out before her like an endless road, while his own had already traversed so many winding paths. He had responsibilities forhis people, while she had no ties, no allegiance, her destiny hers to choose. She had a future ahead of her, the whole world, and he-

Zevlor closed his eyes, taking a deep, calming breath as he tried to quell the emotions that raged within him.

He was old enough to be her father, the voice whispered.

The realization hit him like a blow to the chest, stealing his breath and causing his heart to stumble in its rhythm. He had caught feelings for her- feelings that ran deeper than mere gratitude or camaraderie. Somewhere along the way, his admiration for her bravery, strength, and beauty had grown into something more. It was a dangerous path, one he hadn't intended to tread, but now that he was here, he couldn't deny the truth of it. These emotions, unbidden and unexpected, had taken root within him, blossoming in the fertile soil of her unwavering courage and selflessness.

Zevlor's hand fell away from Lofn's face, his fingers curling into a tight fist. How could he have allowed this to happen? He was supposed to be a leader, his priorities getting everyone to Baldur’s Gate, not a lovestruck fool pining after one so much younger than him.

Yet, as he gazed upon her peaceful features, bathed in the soft glow of the candles, he knew that denial was futile. His heart had betrayed him, surrendering to emotions he had long thought himself incapable of feeling.

With a heavy sigh, Zevlor settled back into the chair, he knew he had to be careful, to keep these feelings in check. Lofn deserved better than to be burdened with the affections of an older tiefling. She deserves someone who could provide for her, who would not put her in danger and endanger her life- a non foulblood. He laughed, the bitterness evident, he was a fool for even thinking she could care for him the same…

With a deep breath, Zevlor would be there for her, as a friend, a protector, whatever she needed. And perhaps, in time, he would find a way to reconcile his feelings, to find peace in simply being part of her world. For now, that was enough.

As the first rays of dawn crept over the horizon, their warm light filtered through the cracks of the cave, gently rousing Lofn from her slumber. Her long lashes fluttered open, blinking away the lingering haze of sleep as her vision slowly came into focus. Disoriented, she leaned up on the bedroll, her brow furrowing as she took in her unfamiliar surroundings.

This wasn't her tent.

Lofn's gaze darted around the dimly lit space, recognition dawning as she realized she was in the cave where Zevlor had been staying. Her heart skipped a beat as she glanced down, noticing the bedroll beneath her- Zevlor’s bedroll. A flush of heat crept up her neck, blooming across her cheeks as her pulse quickened, hammering in her ears.

Her eyes were drawn to the stark white bandages wrapped around her torso, and the pieces fell into place. Zevlor must have tended to her wounds, removing her leather armor to... A wave of embarrassment washed over her, her face darkening to a crimson hue as she buried her face in the thin blanket, trying to hide from the realization.

How foolish she must have looked, collapsing into his arms… She was stronger than that, she was a Thay! The ancient red dragons bloodline coursed through her veins! The humiliation stung more than her injuries, the wound to her pride far greater than the cut across her ribs…

Yet, as the fabric enveloped her, a familiar scent enveloped her senses- a warm, earthy aroma mixed with a hint of sweat that was distinctly Zevlor. Unbidden, her mind conjured images of him carefully dressing her wounds, his calloused hands gentle yet firm as they worked. Heat pooled in her chest, spreading through her body like a slow burn, and she found herself clinging to the blanket, breathing in his lingering essence.

Lofn couldn't help but remember the warmth of his arms as he held her… Her eyes softened, and she slowly lowered the blanket, her gaze catching on Zevlor's sleeping form. He was slumped in a chair beside her, his head lolled forward, a few stray strands of hair escaping his ponytail to frame his ruggedly handsome face. Even in repose, his grip remained firm on the hilt of his sword, a silent testament to the vigil he had kept over her.

Slowly, carefully, she shifted, creeping up next to him on the bedroll. Her knees pressed into the soft fabric as she steadied herself on all fours, leaning over to get a closer look at him. Every crease and ridge that adorned his handsome face seemed to tell a story, each one a testament to the life he had lived.

He was right there, just a few inches away, and the closeness made her heart flutter. Her fingers itched to reach out, to trace the contours of his face- to commit every crease, every ridge, to memory.

And so she did.

Settling back on her knees, her breath caught in her throat as she extended a tentative hand. Her fingers brushing gently against his hair as she tucked the stray strands behind his ear, the touch as soft as a whisper.

Lofn's fingers lingered, tracing the curve of his cheekbone, her thumb grazing the corner of his lips as she marveled at the depth of her feelings for this man who had become so much more than just some tiefling. She realized with a startling clarity, he had become the very beating of her heart.

A subtle tremor ran through Zevlor’s body, rousing him from the depths of slumber. His eyes fluttered open, blinking slowly as Lofn's radiant visage came into focus, “Lofn?” his voice thick with sleep. Her hand paused mid motion, caught in the act of tucking his hair back, the rebellious strands once again falling across his face.

His eyes widened slightly, his pulse quickening, and his cheeks darkening. He hadn't expected her to wake so soon, much less to find her so close. His mouth opened, then closed again, his tongue tied, as if he wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come.

Every ridge and contour was a temptation for her fingertips as they danced along his face, the touch feather light. And his lips... so full and inviting, so perfectly kissable. They seemed to beckon her closer, whispering of untold pleasures that awaited.

“Good morning~" she whispered, her voice soft and breathy, a melody for his ears alone before she leaned closer, her eyes drifting shut as she pressed her lips to his. The kiss was chaste, a fleeting touch that seemed to last an eternity, and the sweetness of it nearly brought her to tears. It was as though she had found her home, despite being a princess- heir to the Thay throne, he felt more like home than anything had ever been.

[agent-oo-z]

Ok it’s been too long since I’ve spoken about BG3 headcanons. Instead of talking about my Tavs though I’m gonna talk about the companions!

POTENTIAL SPOILERS BELOW!

No Minthara because I have yet to recruit her in one of my games, sorry!!! I love her I just haven’t had the ability to play with her and all that.

Halsin

Halsin does not have sculpted abs. He’s got a stomach. I mean come on he’s literally a bear.

He loves talking about the ecology of the various environments you visit. He knows so much about so many plants and animals and fungi.

If you ask him to, Halsin will braid your hair for you. Social grooming is very important to him.

He loves to play with scratch and the owl bear cub in wild shape. He takes the shape of a wolf most often so he’s not too big.

Halsin keeps a nature journal! It’s like his own private version of inaturalist. He tracks the species he sees and where he sees them.

Gale

Gale is skinny and a bit toned during the start of the game, but as he is encouraged to take better care of himself he puts on some weight.

He is constantly asking Halsin about various creatures and Druidic magic. The man’s a nerd, he’s got so many questions and Halsin is kind and patient enough to actually enjoy answering them. They’re great academic buddies. When Gale becomes a professor he invites Halsin to give lectures on ecology and Druidic magic.

Gale has created spells that allow him to make a magic kitchen while on the road. This way he can use more than a campfire to cook.

He loves to stargaze and will point out his favorite constellations if you ask to join him.

Astarion

While he’s good at mending and sewing, Astarion enjoys making perfume far more. He eventually develops perfumes based on each of the traveling companions.

Astarion teaches the entire camp how to wash blood out of clothing and gear because someone has to. Also he refuses to do everyone’s laundry for them.

He often goes with Halsin to forage for herbs and flowers. It’s a chance to stock up on supplies for his perfumes and also to manipulate bond with the Druid.

Him and Shadowheart often discuss poisons together. They have a secret game early in the adventure where they say how they would poison each member of the group, what poison they would use, and why. When both of them start to feel accepted and cared for they switch to talking about what poisons best represent the group members instead.

Shadowheart

She spends a lot of time at camp by herself, even after rejecting Shar. She values alone time. It also allows her a chance to process what has happened to her and what she has lost.

Scratch sleeps with her most nights after he joins the camp. At first she’s annoyed by it(a ‘pet’ distracts from her mission) but it’s not very long before she’s cuddling with him.

Shadowheart collects trinkets after converting. She wants to surround herself with things she enjoys.

Lae’zel

Since she travels with a grindstone, Lae’zel helps everyone maintain their weapons. Not out of kindness at first, but because her allies being weak and having subpar gear makes her weak. Eventually tho she teaches everyone how to do it themselves to help them be stronger(and because helping people care for their weapons is a friendly gesture).

She develops a special bond with Gale and Shadowheart, as all three were manipulated/used/abandoned by their deities. She doesn’t exactly know how to support the others as the process things, but she is Faerun’s greatest hype man and constantly reminds them that the gods were cruel and foolish for what they did.

Lae’zel and Halsin help each other maintain their braids. Hers are more intricate and decorated but Halsin is more than able to put them in properly.

Wyll

Wyll spends a lot of time with Karlach after he refuses to kill her. At first because he wants to apologize for hunting her and prove he can be trusted, then after the transformation for advice on how to live life with horns, and finally because he just loves to spend time with her.

While he wasn’t exactly “shy” before his transformation, Wyll starts bathing last because his own body has become unfamiliar and he no longer feels comfortable being seen without at least a shirt and some pants on.

When the others realize that he’s struggling with his body more than he lets on they do their best to help in their own ways. Karlach teaches him how to care for his horns properly, Halsin helps him learn how to braid his hair around them, Astarion finds clothing that is not only comfortable and modest but also makes him look really good, Lae’zel helps him adjust to the change in his center of gravity by sparring with him, and Gale tracks down books about teifling/fiend anatomy for him to read.

He’s really good with children. When Arabella and then Yenna join the camp he spends his evenings keeping them company, telling them stories, playing with them, etc. Karlach often joins him.

Karlach

She makes use of her unnatural heat to help with as many things around camp as she can. Drying clothes, cooking, heating water for bathing, being cozy when it’s especially cold, etc. because if she can do good things with the engine it feels less like a curse.

Once she can touch people safely, she spends almost an entire evening just cuddling with as many people as possible. It starts with just Scratch and the owl bear cub. Then Halsin joins. Then she goes to find the others for hugs. Astarion jokes about how the two of them could probably reach normal temperatures if they just hugged for long enough.

She and Lae’zel bond quickly through their sparring. The two joke back and forth in their own ways and it confuses the other companions at first, because basically no one else has had a chance to learn Lae’zel’s sense of humor.

Karlach collects the various teddy bears and plush toys they encounter on the journey. Having nice, soft, cuddly things to curl up with makes her feel safe.

Jaheira

She knows how to get you fucked up beyond your wildest dreams. Smoking with her is an ORDEAL.

Jaheria speaks to the younger party members like they’re her kids. This doesn’t become clear until they visit her home, however, at which point said companions have various reactions(Karlach loves it, Lae’zel does not).

Minsc

Minsc quickly joins the sparring sessions. He also starts wrestling matches.

He can often be found having seemingly one sided conversations in camp, apparently talking to boo. The topics of these chats are vast and varied. Gale once heard him discussing the various meanings of different flowers in bouquets according to flower language.

[theshotsheardacrossworlds]

Bounce

In which Halsin says something to Annie during sex that leads her to make a startling realization about herself. NSFW.

“Lie down, my heart, and let us take pleasure in each other.” Halsin murmured softly, slowly backing Anais against the foot of the bed in their room at the Elfsong Tavern. The morning had been especially productive, so it was determined that their mostly merry band would have the afternoon off.

And the archdruid had one thing on his mind, as his lover discovered.

With a snap of her fingers, their armor was removed and placed on two chairs against the wall. “That’s better,” she smirked, her soft arms wrapping around his neck. “I could hardly lie down when I was still dressed, love.”

His hands cupped her behind and squeezed gently. “My sweet one is so clever and thoughtful.” He placed a trail of kisses from her ear to her lower jaw, whispering, “Annie, light of my life, I crave you…”

Oak Father, thanks and praise to your servant who is both wise and possesses a very sexy voice. I might even make an offering or two…somewhere? I’m not sure how druid things work.

Halsin showed her how much he craved her, teasing and having her writhe beneath him. He always insists that I come at least once. That man would live between my thighs if I let him.

Finally, he sat back on his haunches and lined himself to her entrance, hazel eyes glowing gold. Always the sign of a fun time ahead! “Dearest one, you are nature’s most lovely creation, and its most…ah, my heart, you feel…” One of his hands found its way to her soft belly and began to knead it as thrusted into her. “A bouncing belly during sex is just as good as ass and breasts…”

Wait a second.

Did he say what I think he said?

“Is that a druid thing, love?” she asked breathlessly, watching as he chuckled.

“No. No, it’s a me thing, I suppose. And I believe it is a you thing as well, my love.” Halsin smiled, his thrusts remaining slow and steady. “I saw you the other day, sitting naked on our bed, touching your sides, belly, and breasts.”

Anais’s eyes widened.

HE SAW ME?!?!?!?!!

Seeing her blush furiously, his other hand caressed her cheek with his knuckles. “Annie, there’s no need to feel embarrassed. I didn’t wish to interrupt because I could sense you needed that time to yourself.”

“You’re the sweetest man to ever exist.” Leaning into his touch, she sighed happily. “Time to…appreciate. Appreciating that my body is somehow getting me through this insane journey I’ve been on. Appreciating that my body is something you positively adore. And that I’m now coming to adore it too.”

He hummed, bringing his hand from her face down to her hip. “Good, my heart. Nature blessed you with so many gifts, including your beauty.” FINALLY, his thrusts increased in speed and his gaze quickly turned lustful. “Watch yourself, my love. Watch how you quake for me.”

Anais, however, had other plans.

She closed her eyes and allowed herself for the first time in my life to let his desire and mine to wash over her as she grasped her breasts, one in each hand. “Halsin…you make me feel beautiful…never have I felt like this…to you, I am a goddess, and I finally understand why…I am beautiful…” She panted in elvish and pulled his face to hers, capturing his lips in a heated kiss. “Halsin…please…”

Kissing the corners of her mouth, he breathed, “Please what, Anais? Tell me what you want, light of my life, and you’ll have it.”

Her brown eyes met his hazel ones, one word on her lips. “You.”

Only you.

Only you make me feel like this.

“You have me, my heart. I’m yours.”

Even though he was fully hilted inside her, she still wanted more. Anais rolled her hips and breathed a frustrated huff, which caused the druid to chuckle.

“Shh, sweet one. I’ll give you what you crave…” A large, calloused thumb began to rub her swollen clit. “Let go, my heart…let go for me…let bliss wash over you…”

For you, always…

Pleasure she had never felt before flowed through her as she cried her release.

“Annie, look…” His gentle voice commanded as his thrusts grew more erratic. “Look at how beautiful you are…”

She opened her eyes and glanced at her shaking belly and breasts. “Just as nature intended, love?” Giggling, she threw her head back and grinned.

Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

Groaning, he chuckled. “Light of my life…you are…” With one last grunt, he spilled sweat dripping from his brow. “Nature’s loveliest creation.” He carefully removed himself from her and lay on his back next to her as she muttered a cleaning spell. “And it’s good you finally understand that, my heart.” Halsin winked, earning him a quick kiss. “Come here to me, my beloved.”

Always, Halsin my love.

Anais curled into his side, resting a hand on his hairy chest. They settled into a comfortable silence for several minutes as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed kisses to her head. Perfect. Can we do this forever?

She then smiled to herself, caressing him.

“You know, it’s nice to finally say and believe that I feel good.”

What a joy it’s been to learn to love my body. All thanks to you, my handsome bear…

He kissed her head, rubbing her soft upper arm. “You do feel good, my heart. Do you know what I thought of when I first saw you?” She shook her head. “I imagined how wonderful you would feel in my arms, and I’m happy to say that reality is better than anything I conjured in my mind!” Another kiss. I love him so much. “No fantasy can compare to you, sweetest one.”

She giggled. “Good to know, especially since I don’t know what I’m doing half the time. Some of us don’t have three hundred fifty years of experience, love.”

He barked a laugh. “What you lack in experience, you more than make up for in your eagerness. You’re a passionate woman, my heart. It’s good that you’re comfortable enough with this part of yourself.”

Because of you.

Anais’s brown eyes fluttered as she felt herself nodding off. As I so often do in his embrace. I feel so safe that I can rest without worry. “Love you…”

“I love you too, my heart. Rest well.” He tightened his hold on her briefly.

A hug…

Because he loves hugs and so do I…

[shhh-secret-time]

Next request actually comes from AO3! I gotta admit, I was really excited about this one!

Warning: Dom/Sub dynamic, Sub!Kyle, Dom!Reader, Strong Language, Praise Kink?, NSFW

Pairing: High Fae King Kyle x F!Reader

Notes: So you noticed the Fae in there did you? So my roommate and I have an small AU where Kyle isn't just king of the elves, he's King of the Summer Court as well! Soooome of the stuff I used has a little D&D logic behind it, but you have to squint to really see it!

Art by: Leoncio Harmr - De Profundis Clamavi

Heavy boots echoed through the halls of the castle; the ivory floor polished to perfection carried the sound until it made its way to your room. You were laying in your shared chambers lounging on the bed dressed in fine silks, now the book you were reading a distant thought. Not that you were able to pay attention to it anyway. The peaceful and serene sounds of the rain outside your window didn't help any, neither did the fact the book was so incredibly boring.

With a hum you moved the sheets off your body pulling the beautiful white material away. Pulling the forest green robe off the chair next to you and onto your form, you made your way to the door. You didn't need to really open the door to know whose footsteps those were.

Your sweet husband, your darling partner, your most precious one. Kyle Broflovski, better known as the High Fae King of the Summer Court to the elves and the other Fae citizens. When you opened the chamber doors you could immediately feel how tense he was from just the doorway. It was like a wave of heat brushing off him and you could feel it on your skin.

"My love." Kyle's voice sounds so winded, like he's out of breath the moment he saw you.

You smile as his eyes roam over your body admiring your form and like a switch that raging fire turned to a gentle breeze, by his legs maple leaves began to pick up and swirl around him. There were many titles your husband held, but High Druid was the one he was the most proud of, his command over the elements was nothing to take lightly.

"My heart." You respond as you hold yourself high, gliding across the castle floor with grace.

Kyle raises his hand, dismissing the guards who were ordered to escort him. Once you reach him, he holds his hands out to gently take yours. Despite how gentle he tried to be; you could feel how tense he was even past the gorgeous, embroidered gloves he wore.

"My apologies, did I wake you?"

"No, I was waiting for you to come to bed. But something tells me that you weren't planning on retiring to our chambers anytime soon."

"Hm... it would be foolish to try and hide anything from you."

"Now when did my husband become so wise?" You joked softly, cupping his face with your hands. Smiling as he seemed to melt into your touch, the much taller man leaning down to bask in the soft affection.

"Perhaps you're finally starting to rub off on me." He whispered, pressing a warm kiss into the palm of your hand. His lips finding the wedding band, the silver band that bound your souls together.

You couldn't help but let out a gentle laugh, even after all these years being married to him, he found a way to make you blush. The day he asked you to be his Queen, to shoulder the burdens of an entire realm, to help him lead and carry him when he could not walk. Your pride in him made it easy, he was a wonderful man and right now he looked as if he were about to buckle under the weight. And you knew just the cure.

"Then allow me to continue your lesson towards being a wise man." Your voice was like the silks you wore, a cool splash of water against his raging fire. Taking him by the hand again, you lead him to the double doors of your shared room. "Now, what troubles you, my heart."

Kyle took a deep breath, his brows knitted together frustration written on his face. You knew that look all too well he was conflicted about you telling you how he felt but you'd be damned if you let that slide. All it took was a single look from you and for you to cross your arms under your chest, and he knew he was fighting a losing battle. He lets out the deep breath through his nose, the sound of his leather gloves creasing as flexes his fingers.

"I am not a child to be scrutinized."

"Did I say you were?" Perhaps you were playing with fire with that question, the way his jaw shift and his gaze darkens but if you feared fire, you would not be married to the man who embodied Summer itself.

"In fact, I believe I asked what troubles you. And correct me if I am wrong or if I step out of line my King, but you are in the presence of your wife? The very woman who swore an oath to the Kingdom and her people, and more importantly to help shoulder the burden of her husband." As you spoke, he watched you step towards him, each step felt like it was amplifying your words.

He felt the dynamic between the both of you shift, your body language speaking louder than the words spilling from your lips. Kyle looked down at you once more before closing his eyes. A silent request to take the reins and let him unburden himself. To let him just be. The very thought was enough to make his shoulders fall forward, giving you the non-verbal confirmation, you needed.

"It...is this war. It weights heavy on not only me but my men. Each battle we lose more, each fight chips away at their will. They look to me for answers, a solution to put this damned thing to rest! But I don't have the answers!" Kyle shouts as your hands cup his face once more, the wall he put up shattering at just a simple gesture. "I send my men to die over and over again, men who have families, men who I swore to protect! I'm not protecting them; I'm hiding behind them like a coward! I should be out there!"

As he continued you caressed his face, brushing the freckles that dusted his face under the pads of your thumb. The war between the Humans and Fae raged on longer than anyone thought it would, and now that the elves were involved it only added to the casualty count. It was no wonder your husband was coming to bed later and later, if at all. It was no wonder why there would be days you'd be lucky to even see him as he spent most of his time locked away in the council room. He was burning himself out, the High Druid of the Summer court fading away like dying embers.

"Hush... you are not a coward. Do not speak as if you do nothing. Our people see how hard you try."

"Do they? When I close my eyes all I can see are the faces of those I've lost. Of those that I let down." His voice cracks and so does your heart.

"The realm has already placed enough on your shoulders, do not place more on it. You don't need to carry this alone. I cannot tell you not to feel for those who have given their lives but do not take away their sacrifice by destroying yours. Worship the flame and tend to the ashes my sun." Your words, God your words were like coming up for air after being submerged under water for too long.

You call him your sun, but the light you shine on him fills him with a sense of belonging. Finally, his hands unclench from the tight fist he wasn't aware he had them in and find home on your hips. He pulls you into an embrace, one he hasn't had the luxury to have you in, in so long.

"My moon. My night sky."

"My sun. My light."

"Let me take some of that pain from you. Allow me to take care of you tonight. Will you let me?" You guide him towards the bed, sitting him down at the edge of the plush bed. You dip your head down stopping just inches from his lips, he feels your breath ghosting over his lips and suddenly his mouth goes all to dry. The smell of the wine you had earlier was just enough to make the tips of his pointed ears go red and his mind go fuzzy. "I need an answer my heart."

"Y... yes please." He knows better than to lean forward, to capture your lips in a searing kiss so he settles for a whisper.

"Then tonight you are not the High Druid of the elves, nor are you the King of the Summer Court. Behind this door and within these walls you are but my husband, a man with his heart to bare to me. Am I clear?"

Kyle could feel his face turning red at your command. What little willpower he had was used to not let his eyes flutter shut and immediately let himself melt. He responds with another shaky sigh. "Yes my Queen. I give you all I have and more."

"There's my good boy." Your voice fell to a hush as you finally, finally sealed your lips onto his.

Kyle felt your hands brushing into his hair, intertwining fingers through his curls. The feathery curls twist around your slender fingers parting as you began massaging his scalp. The golden branches that made up his crown fell back off his head and onto the bed behind him, but he couldn't care, not when your fingers felt so good. Each kiss lasting longer than the last, the sweet taste of grapes swirling between your tongues. It was only when you pulled away and giggled that he realized he let out a whimper.

"My~ you're whimpering from my kisses alone? I cannot wait to pull more of those delicious sounds from you." You purred in his ear and nipped at the sensitive flesh pulling a moan from him. "Remove your clothes for me~"

Such a simple demand, yet Kyle couldn't help the excitement as you finally gave him permission to rid himself of his clothes. His hands worked the complex material of his robes sliding it down his shoulders, the warmth from your bodies caressing the exposed skin. As he toed his boots off you stopped him by placing your hands on his shoulders, your finely done nails gently raking across his skin.

"Slowly now Kyle, we have all night." Your voice was like a leash making his body jerk to a stop.

Sliding his palms down his pants he looked up at you with such a pleading look begging you to do something. He needed to feel your skin on his, wanted you so carnally he was sure he was going to go mad. Each time your nails traced down his chest, his muscles would flex in response. Every little gesture had such an effect on him, yet he wouldn't dare ask you to stop.

"You're being very good for me tonight, I'm so very proud of you. You deserve your reward~" You whisper against his neck, trailing soft kisses down the skin.

You pulled your hands away to remove your own clothes, the silks pooling at your feet lying next to his. A small thrill rose up in you when Kyle's eyes widened, and his lips parted in awe. The beautiful corset that hugged your sides perfectly, digging into your skin in just a way that wasn't painful but made your body look so soft; the sunrise color pallet complimenting your eyes and hair.

"May I touch you, I need to feel you love." He asks because he knows better, knows better than to disappoint you, not when you've given him such a beautiful gift.

Smiling, you took his hands in yours guiding the calloused hands up to your hips. His thumbs pressing into the supple flesh, still in a trance. You weren't just his queen, you were a goddess, something to be worshipped. You could see it in his eyes, the pleading look evolved to desperation, and you knew he couldn't take much more.

"So pretty for me, my husband. My lover." Each praise was separated by a kiss as you pushed against his chest laying him back against the bed.

Your hands made quick work of his pants and the material that held his hardened cock, once freed from his constraints it bobbed and pressed against his stomach. Milky white pearls of pre-cum already leaking out of the red angry tip, leaking when you crawled over; him thighs parted enough to straddle his lap. He sucked in a breath, hitching in his throat when you took his hardened member in your hands.

Kyle threw his head back feeling your soft hands pull up against the sensitive flesh, tugging and smearing his cock with his own arousal. He didn't bother to muffle the moans you pulled from his throat, deep sounds filling your chambers. You smiled softly at how beautiful he looked under you. His face was flushed a deep red, making the freckles on his face pop, twisted in pleasure as you continued to work his shaft.

"O-Oak Father preserve me, my love please! I-I can't take much more!" He begs for a god as his cock twitches in your hands, his breathing picks up turning to erratic pants. Kyle could hear his heart pounding in his ears as the knot in his stomach began to pull taught.

"Not yet."

"M-my moon please I-"

"I said not yet" You lowered your face down towards his, pressing another kiss against his throat. Just as your hand squeezed the base of his cock your teeth sunk into his pale flesh. Sucking the patch of skin, you had to stop yourself from laughing when he bucked his hips against your hand and cried out. When you pulled away from the bruised love mark with a pop Kyle was sure he was seeing stars, making his eyes roll up to the back of his head.

You continued your assault down his chest, printing your teeth marks all over his skin, mapping it out with your tongue and the faded paint of your lipstick. From the corner of your eye, you watched his hand fist the sheets beneath him, nails digging into the mattress. With a playful purr you pulled up to admire your work, your husband looked like a piece of art. Painted so pretty beneath you.

"Keep your eyes on me. If you close them, I will stop." Your voice broke him from his daze, the fear that you would stop when he was so, so close snapped him to attention.

Gently you positioned yourself above his throbbing cock, lowering yourself down slowly taking him inch by inch. Even now as he slowly began to fill you up, you gaze down at him with such a passionate gaze; watching his chest heave up and down. Kyle's own eyes were blown out from lust, the orbs that usually held such peace and balance now glued to yours. And when you smiled down at him, his mind just went blank. Nothing else outside of these walls mattered but you.

"Oh~ you fill me so well Kyle." You finally let out a moan as you fully slid down his cock, your cunt wrapping around him. "Go ahead, touch me. Take what you need."

Finally. Fucking finally. His hands fly to your thighs to squeeze them, fingers sinking into the warm skin. His thrusts start out slow, dragging the length of his member in and out of you as if he was trying to memorize the feeling of your walls. Kyle pulled himself out of you until only the tip of his member remained around your hole and then slowly, he lowered you back down along his shaft. He needed more, had to have more. Sweat beginning to build up between the both of you, little beads of sweat tracing the outlines of your forms. Your own arousal making it easier for him to fuck up into you, the little thrusts turning into his arms wrapped around your waist trapping you against his chest.

Still, he doesn't break eye contact with you especially not when your hands grip his jaw and force his face up. The room echoed with the sounds of skin slapping against each other and both of your moans intertwined with one another. When your walls flutter and tighten around him he knows your close, he knows you're about to cum. Neither of you have to say anything, not when the sound of voice pitches. Now when you dig your nails into his flesh, adding onto the collection of marks you've left.

"K-Kyle cum in me. I want to cum with you~!" That was it. That was when Kyle saw a flash of white and suddenly his cock was pulsating inside of you. Letting out a chocked moan as he painted the inside of your walls with his thick cum. So much of pushed up into your cunt that it began spilling down his shaft and smeared across your thighs. He could feel your slick drip down and mix with his.

Pressing his palm down on the small of your back, he laid there with you on top of him basking in each other’s glow. As you both worked on coming down from your high, he rubbed circles on your back.

"Do you feel better?" You broke the silence with the simple little question.

"I do. Thank you my love, I don't know what I did to deserve you." He replies, pressing a kiss to your temple.

"You deserve to be happy Kyle. Deserve to be pampered."

"Greedy even?"

"Well, I would think so." You smile up at him as you press your cheek into his chest.

"Then I believe it was a beautiful queen that once said, 'We have all night'." He smirks down at you as he rolls the both of you over. You let out a little gasp when you feel his cock twitch back to life.

You only smirked back and wrapped your arms around his neck lazily throwing your arms over his shoulders. Your husband had that fire back, the dying embers now a roaring flame. The heat radiating from him was a different one now, full of life just as it should be.

[dare-to-dm]

How does playing a prepared spellcaster go for your games in Pathfinder? Having to prepare spells at specific levels always turned me away from those classes, so I don't know what it's like in practice

Honestly, it goes just fine. I'm the type of person who makes spreadsheets for fun, so classes that require a bit more preparation aren't a huge turn off for me.

How it goes in practice is that I have a set of spells that make up my baseline preparation for any given day. That way I have a starting point full of my favorites that I'm familiar with and don't have to think about too much. And then if I know we're getting ready to do something specific, I'll make alterations. For example, if I know we're planning on fighting undead, I'll swap in spells that specifically work well against them. Or if we're going into a town where I don't expect there to be as much combat, I might swap out some damaging spells for utility and/or buffing spells.

It's nice having the flexibility to swap in spells! I prefer it compared to playing a spontaneous caster who has limited options.

There's still a challenge in terms of deciding how often to prepare specific spells. Like, should you prepare fireball twice, or would it be better to only prepare it once and then have another third level spell? In general, my philosophy is that having more options is better. So I'll almost always prep a different spell in each slot. For spells that I think I'll want to cast more often, there are lots of way to make sure I have all the access to them that I need. For example, you can use scrolls, potions, wands, staffs and other magic items to get access to your favorite magic without using up precious spell slots. Pathfinder also has plenty of other tricks you can use to get around limited spellslots:

Wizards get the Scribe Scroll feat, allowing them to create scrolls that can be used later

Any class can take skills and feats that allow potion/magic item creation, which is another way to bolster your arsenal if you have the time

Clerics can spontaneously change any prepared spell into a healing spell of the same level, which frees them up to prepare other thing without having to worry that they won't have enough healing if something unexpected happens. Also, Pathfinder clerics get healing bursts that don't count against their spellslots at all, which is great!

Similarly, druids can spontaneously change any of their prepared spells into Summon Nature's Ally!

Prepared spellcasters also have the option of leaving some spell slots empty and then filling them up later in the day, though that takes at least 15 minutes.

There are a myriad of archetypes for every different class, giving you the option to explore other flavors and specializations of spell casting.

If all of this sounds daunting to you, there's no problem with sticking to martial classes or spontaneous casters. Every prepared caster in Pathfinder has its spontaneous equivalent; Sorcerers for wizards, oracles for clerics, hunters for druids, etc.

Pathfinder 1E has so many options, it's great. If you're willing to do a little digging, you can almost always find an archetype to build the kind of character you want.

[tseecka]

Here's the thing, halsin is lovely and his proposition is so earnest and sincere that I was sorely tempted

But I keep thinking about astarion's hesitancy and reticence around realizing he is allowed to say no to what people demand of him without risking his safety and security and it fucking KILLS me

He is SO! PERFORMATIVE! With how funny he finds the question of a dalliance with Halsin! I don't think I've ever heard him laugh that much! I don't think I've ever heard so much mirth and dismissive blase attitude from him! And it's SUCH a red flag!

(More thoughts below the cut)

It's so clear that he's TERRIFIED of what will happen if he says no to you, if you tell Halsin you'll ask him at all. That no matter his relationship to Tav, he thinks it's still conditional. (And that's the second time, potentially, that the game suggests Astarion is traumatized by sex.) And he tries to laugh it off and act like it's no big deal, but that big guffawing laugh from Neil is heartbreaking.

I wish it was the opposite. If I could rewrite it--because I think Astarion could benefit from Halsin, for sure, the way so many incredible artists and writers seem to agree based on the gorgeous art and words I've seen--if I could rewrite this one piece of the game, I'd have Halsin approach Astarion first. Make It not about Tav at all. Make it about this stereotypical, Very Good Druid seeing something in Astarion that he desires, something that he has watched grow since the elf's first reluctant heroics saving the Grove. Have Astarion be the one to initiate the conversation with Tav; have him want it, want to say yes, but respect their relationship to ask first. Maybe because he feels ready again, or he likes the feeling of Halsin desiring him, or he'll, because he thinks he might be ready to broach sex again but he doesn't want it to be with Tav in case he fucks it up.

Tav can say no, because they are monogamous and they love Astarion and don't want to share him. They can say yes, of that's what Astarion wants--if he wants to take something that is for himself for his own pleasure, not because he has to in order to be safe. They can reinforce to him that his life and his decisions and, fuck, his body are his own now, he can do what he wants with them. Tav can give him agency. So Astarion can go off, merrily secure in his romantic relationship of equals with Tav, and roll in the hay with Halsin. And maybe there's a little banter for a while, now and again just implying that he and Halsin are still A Thing in the background, even while he and Tav maintain their romantic relationship.

So then Astarion can be the one to come to Tav with a new suggestion--would they like to join? Halsin has expressed interest, appreciation for them. Astarion has been having fun, but it still feels a little like going behind Tav's back (even though they know and have given full consent). He wants to know if Tav thinks there could be something between them and Halsin. If they are amenable, he suggests they get to know one another--without him, for now. So Tav can go to Halsin, and initiate that conversation, and trigger the romance scene, and things can grow from there.

There's room for malicious options too (Tav denying Astarion, or giving him an ultimatum, or being with Halsin and deciding they are still monogamous but want to be with Halsin instead, or treat Astarion even asking as a betrayal or making poor jokes about Astarion's self-worth) but I think in a positive run through it could be just...so lovely. But as it is presented in game--or at least, as it was to me--there was no way in hell I was going to do that to Astarion. I don't care if mechanically there is no impact (disapproval or what have you)--its so clear that he isn't comfortable with it and isn't comfortable with telling you, doing otherwise just because the program doesn't toggle an Astarion Disapproves feels like willful ignorance to everything we know about his character by this point in the game.

[chaoticbardlady99]

Lethal Woman: Chapter 5 (GN! Reader x Astarion)

  Note: I know a lot of people don't necessarily read this piece of my work, but for the people who do, I'm sorry for the wait! This one is kinda angsty and still digs into the character's background. I want to create a Durge x Astarion type of relationship rather than a Tav x Astarion type of relationship so the character has some trauma.

Also this character is my way of working through my own traumatic experiences so I guess sorry????

CW: Violence, Gore, mention of Child/Teen SA (very very brief), death, torture, PTSD, murder, dissociation, and panic attacks.

Background- You are a Nightmask Death Bringer who was kidnapped by a Nautiloid Ship. Along with 6 strangers, you search Faerun for a cure for the Tadpoles in your heads- before it’s too late.

Chapter Six

You have never enjoyed verbal confrontation- not because you weren’t good at it, but because it feels like a waste of time when it’s so much easier to throw knives at the problem. You know that it comes from a place of survival- arguing with Dahlia always ended in you being tortured for however many days or nights she felt like you deserved. You learned to stop arguing after the first few months of your training and just do what Dahlia told you to do.

The only verbal confrontations you have engaged in recently was during your assignments, but they were always brief and forgotten quickly.

However, your argument with Astarion three days ago has consumed your every waking thought. 

  You honestly weren’t sure what chain of events had led to the explosive discussion involving confronting the three Goblin Leaders when the day had started so typically.

You and your companions (minus Astarion) all agreed that going to the grove to fight Kagha is a priority and that they couldn’t allow the Shadow Druids to take over the grove. Astarion, however, hadn’t seen it that way. He kept insisting that it was a waste of time, resources, and energy. You didn’t mind the bitching at all- you weren’t necessarily thrilled about “saving the day” either and if it were just adults you would walk away from the whole ordeal- except there are children who need to be protected. 

 It’s your one and only rule- you do not abandon children in need. You don’t want anyone to ever fall into the wrong hands like you had. Eventually, Astarion stopped being huffy.

The fight had erupted quickly and Kagha had managed to slip into the shadows unnoticed in the midst of the chaos. You had barely seen her in time when you realized she was going to run Astarion through with a stake. 

 You had never sprinted so fast in your entire life as you put yourself between him and Kagha, grabbing the stake that was mere inches from your chest. You would have felt entirely victorious if she hadn’t then stabbed you all the way through with the shortsword she had attached to her belt- twisting it deeply into your abdomen until you release the stake. You feel her pull the sword out before stabbing you through your chest with the sharpened wood. 

 You had always thought stabbing a vampire with a stake as a tried and trued method of killing them was stupid- anyone would die if they were stabbed hard enough with a WOODEN FUCKING STAKE. 

  Maybe Dahlia was right- maybe being attached to people is a bad idea because you hadn’t even taken a good look at Kagha before you ran (which is reckless and not how you were trained to fight). 

  You had heard Shadowheart scream your name and saw two flaming hands go past your face as they consumed Kagha. The black dots in your vision had been followed with the unpleasant numbness that you knew all too well. 

 The fear sank into your bones like an anchor. Your breathing had begun to speed up and you felt the panic rip through you as you were being dragged away- unpleasant images flash in your mind and you started to thrash against the person holding you. You began screaming bloody murder and you clawed at the air like a trapped animal. You could barely hear the person’s voice over your looping thoughts and racing heart.

    No, no, no, no, no. Please. I’ll listen. I’ll do anything, just don’t kill me. Don’t leave me here. I’ll do better. I’ll be better!

   You hadn’t known until the end of the battle that Astarion had been the one carrying you away and had to hold you down as Shadowheart and Nettie came rushing to your aid after the final enemy went down.

  You could hear two voices trying to snap you out of whatever fear driven fog you were in, but you were still choking on your own air, floating away in space. Disconnected. Disassociated. You felt the tadpole wiggle behind your eyes, but you were too far gone in your head to even register it.

  Dahlia had killed and resurrected you a few times as a punishment. Sometimes she would leave you out in the sun for a few days before resurrecting you- the process of your skin, organs, muscles, and tendons repairing themselves after being eaten by critters and bugs is a different kind of pain- one you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. What was even worse was that Dahlia eventually found out how to bring you back just enough that you were aware of the vermin desecrating your body, but not enough for you to do anything about it- forced to feel yourself becoming nourishment for the creatures in the forest as you struggled to survive mentally. 

  Dahlia threatened to turn you into her spawn if you didn't remain half way in your body until she came back to get you. You knew her threat was serious because she had taken you coffin shopping after the first time she killed and resurrected you. You had gone for a wood one so that the endeavor could be over with, but Dahlia instead made you lay down in every coffin on display in the showroom- ultimately picking a gaudy, lockable, and iron coffin for you. You were 13-years-old. 

   Dahlia enjoyed driving you to the brink of insanity- only to come back and be your savior or your villain. Somehow she had convinced you that it’s entirely up to you what version of her you received, but it never mattered how well you listened sometimes. She told you you wouldn’t know when she would decide you were past the point of no return and no longer had any use for you as a Deathbringer. Thank the Gods she wanted to make you a Deathbringer more than she wanted you to be her spawn.  

  You weren’t sure when Nettie had forced an herb into your mouth that calms you down; you had eventually come back to yourself just enough to stop fighting her and Shadowheart’s efforts to heal you. 

  Karlach was sitting next to your head and was talking about nothing and everything. Astarion had sat himself on the staircase nearby and you could feel his eyes boring into you as you flinched away and hissed from the healers’ touch. You tried to make yourself smaller, your anxiety getting worse by the minute. It wouldn’t bother you usually, but you weren’t of sound mind in that particular moment. 

 As you became more alert, you made eye contact with Astarion and you were shocked to see him staring at you with anger and grief in his eyes. 

  You hadn’t known (and still didn’t know) that Astarion had been in your head using the tadpole to try to snap you out of whatever hell you were in and he had seen all of it- every last thing Dahlia did to you. The time she hired a man to violently take your virginity after your first moon blood at 14, the resurrections, the priests of Loviatar that would come for days on end to beat you until you wanted to die, and Tessa. Poor, sweet, beautiful Tessa with her mangled corpse and heart being eaten. 

   The walk to camp had thankfully been an easy one. Gale had thankfully had dinner ready by the time your group came back and you sat around the campfire to have dinner with the others. Astarion sat next to you and you couldn’t help but notice how rigid he was. He would usually have his leg touching yours and he would lean in to whisper some snide remark in your ear about whoever was talking- forcing you to suppress laughter as to not bring attention to the two of you.

 Except for tonight apparently- he hadn’t even spoken to you the entire time and made sure there was a considerable amount of distance between you and him. Then the argument happened.

  Wyll and Gale had brought up the plan to take out the Goblin leaders and find Halsin. They had gathered information about the leaders at the grove from Zevlor and had a plan in mind.

  Wyll suggested that everyone split up so that more ground could be covered faster and it would prevent anyone from burning out since they wouldn't be participating in three (possibly four) separate battles. 

 “So I was thinking that Shadowheart, Karlach, and Astarion would take on Minthara. Myself, Gale, and Lae’zel will take on Dror Ragzlin,” Wyll paused before looking at you, “and if you are up to it in the next three days- I think it would be best if you kill the Priestess and then jailbreak Halsin alone.”

 “That way, we can all remain somewhat under the radar while we are gathering information regarding the Absolute and their Cultists,” Gale chimed in, “and hopefully we will get substantial information before you charge into battle with Halsin.” 

  You pondered their vision and it made sense to you. Priestess Gut would be an easy kill and you can’t imagine that the Goblins guarding Halsin will be much of a challenge either. Except you were unsure of how much better you would feel within 3 days.

 “I don’t have a problem with it,” you said slowly, “does anyone ob-”

 You didn’t even get a chance to finish before Astarion began ripping into Wyll and Gale’s plan- specifically the part about you being alone. He had stood up and gotten into Wyll’s face as he rose to meet the other man's eyes 

 “What kind of moronic plot is that,” Astarion hissed, “they’ve been injured you ignorant fucks.”

 “Astarion,” you said with an edge to your tone.

  He whipped around with that same anger and grief he had looked at you with earlier.

 “You honestly believe you’ll be ready in three days to take on an Absolute Priestess and a group of Goblins by yourself?”

 “Yes, in fact, I do,” you stood up, your voice firm, “I’ve been hurt worse and been able to keep fighting after one day. What happened today-” 

 He cut you off with a growl, “I knew you were naive, Darling, but I didn’t realize how dense you are.” 

 You frowned and said in a whisper, “I don’t know what the word means.”

 “Simple-minded, brainless, dull-witted,” he retorted, “must I continue or are you educated enough to understand what I’m trying to say.” 

You were not made to be loved- only to kill, die, and serve.

You felt your brain disconnect from your body as you swallowed down the emotions. You watched as something in his eyes changed, but you had begun walking away towards your tent. You heard Karlach scold him, but you were already shaking it off- like you said, you’ve experienced worse before and have been able to keep going the next day.

  It didn't change the fact that his words had broken you- he knew that not being able to read or write was a sore spot for you. It was also something you didn’t want to publicize to your other companions. You had been staying up together at night- him reading to you and you listening- making the occasional comment or asking a question. Sometimes you just listen to him tell you about Cazador and Baldur’s Gate. If you fall asleep, he doesn’t move you- instead he sits next to you until you wake up and you walk back to camp together.

You had thought those moments were sacred and important to him like they were to you. You were ashamed to discover it had been an act the whole time and you had been naive enough to fall for it.

 Over the next three days, you avoided him like the plague and he avoided you too. Your nightmares have come back in full force now that your nightly ritual has ceased. Your injury has healed almost entirely despite the occasional soreness, but you are so tired you are barely present as you and your companions walk towards the Goblin Camp. 

  Karlach is your angel from the Hells today as she keeps your spirits high with her bright demeanor. 

 “Soldier, I am so excited for you to see my infernal engine in action,” she puffs out her chest with pride, “Dammon’s explanation doesn’t even begin to do it justice- even if he says a lot of pretty words with that nice mouth of his.”

 “Thank you for that Karlach,” you say with a snort, “been imagining what other talents his mouth has?”

  You begin to cackle as Karlach turns even more red before giving you a shove. 

 “Ughhh have mercy on me! He’s just so pretty and his voice!,” she whines with a dramatic, angsty sigh, “A girl can dream.” 

 “Or a girl can put on her big girl panties and ask to fuck him already.”

 “Oh, SHUT UP you vulgar-!” she puts you in a headlock and scratches the top of your head with her knuckles- effectively ruining your hair, but putting the biggest smile on your face. 

 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

   Astarion watches you laugh and dick around with Karlach. He feels the corners of his lips tease into a small smile before he begins to frown again. He notices the dark circles under your eyes and the slight drag in your step, but he doesn’t even know where to begin if he was to approach you.

  He doesn’t want to admit it, but he’s missed your presence and your nightly rendezvous together. Truth be told, a part of him is fearful that he’ll never be able to have those moments with you again. 

   His anger had been misdirected at you that night at the fire. He had been so angry with himself (and those dipshits, Wyll and Gale) that he had taken it out on you.  Instead of asking you to take care of yourself or refusing to let you go alone, he decided to publicly shame you.

 The first night you didn’t show up at your agreed-upon spot had twisted his heart and no matter how much he tried to ignore it, the feeling came back the second and the third night too.

  He hasn’t cared for someone like this in the last two centuries and he hates it. The last three days had been hell- he followed you every time you left camp to go hunting, check traps, etc. He would give you your privacy of course if you were going to bathe in the river, but even then he would anxiously look around camp until you came back. He tells himself it’s because he knows you are his best chance at being free of Cazador- that he is merely worried for your safety and cares because without you, he doesn’t stand a chance. 

Then there is the part of him that has begun to crave your company just as a companion and he enjoys the friendship between you. This part of him feels like just being your friend will never be enough. 

He refuses to admit his plan may be falling apart, despite it barely beginning. Thankfully, his feelings of self-loathing are keeping him preoccupied.

   He despises himself for being so blind to the fact that you and your nightmares were not from the tadpole, but from the abuse inflicted upon you by that wretched woman- Dahlia. Even thinking her name made him see red and filled him with bitter rage.

  He remembers the night he told you about Cazador burying him alive for a year. He remembers how you had said you understood how he felt and how he had gotten upset with you. You didn’t correct him- didn’t tell him that you have been in a similar situation. He doesn’t know which is worse- being buried in shadows, confined for a year or being left out in the sun to slowly rot and be eaten away. 

  He wishes you had corrected him, but maybe you felt like he couldn’t protect you due to his own history of abuse. Maybe he had made you feel like your pain didn’t matter to him.

  Then, when you began thrashing around in his arms, he had never felt more powerless as he watched you disappear inside your own head like he has done many times. He ground his teeth every time you flinched away from Nettie and Shadowheart. His mind insisted on reminding him of how you looked at him with so much fear and rage while he held you down; how it felt watching your memories- your pain- being ripped open all because you decided to protect him. Again. 

 Then his attempt to protect you failed because he ultimately pushed you away, but maybe that is for your own good too. However, you pushing him away has not changed his plan for today’s fight.

  He will not be going with Shadowheart and Karlach. He had initially planned on approaching them about this, but they came to him first- asking him to hang back with you, undetected, then meeting up with them later. Karlach and Shadowheart told him that they were just as upset with Gale and Wyll’s plan and were going to object before he stepped in. 

 He’s the only one who has a ring of invisibility and the stealth to keep you from suspecting you are being ‘babysat’ as he had overheard you call it when Karlach had suggested she come with you. 

  The goblins outside of the camp had been easy to bypass- Astarion had even convinced the goblin to kiss his shoe (which earned a hushed laugh from you that made him hopeful). Astarion watched as you caught and helped the Owlbear Cub escape, but on the opposite side of that coin, you managed to get Volo in more trouble. 

   You convince Wyll to hold off on the plan until you are able to free Volo- seeing as leaving a famous bard to die at a Goblin Camp would not bid well for the Night Masks and that would not be doing you any favors. Astarion was shocked when Wyll expressed understanding. 

  Astarion, Shadowheart, and Karlach go with you as Gale, Wyll, and Lae’zel search for Dror Ragzlin.

  The rescue mission quickly turns into another rescue mission when your small group stumbles across a man being tortured by Goblins. Astarion is quick to convince the goblins that they were being summoned elsewhere and, at your behest, he frees the battered man after he gives you more information about the Nightsong. 

   The Goblins had mentioned a man in the next room over so Astarion begins to walk in that direction and you follow him closely- your hand hovering over the hilt of your dagger as you scan the area cautiously.

  Astarion rounds the corner and sees a man that looks like he needs more iron in his diet. The all black garb was not helping and honestly? Neither is the haircut. 

  The man turns and scans the group before his eyes settle on you. Astarion feels his stomach turn as the man gives you a wickedly happy grin. Astarion moves closer to you and eyes the man cautiously, leering at him in the process.

 “I remember you,” the man says, “you’re Dahlia’s little brat, are you not? I remember the first time we met- your screams were positively delicious.” 

  Astarion hears your breath hitch. You are frozen in place, fingers trembling slightly as you fix your posture and take a deep breath. Astarion watches mournfully as you lose yourself in your head.

 “Hello Abdirak.” 

  Abdirak’s smile grows even wider at your empty greeting.

 “What a blessing it must be- for us to meet again, Rowan. Won’t you join me in worshiping My Lady?”

 Shadowheart pipes up, “I didn’t know you were into such things Rowan. I would love to see a demonstration.” 

 “Absolutely not,” Astarion hisses.

 “I’ll do it.” 

 He whips around to look at you as you walk up to the wall. He watches as you take each hit, but you are goading the man the entire time. The throws get more and more painful to watch and he hears Karlach take sharp breaths every time an ax sticks in your back. You walk back over and let Shadowheart heal you as she praises you for your vigor. Astarion uses every last bit of restraint he has to not punch Shadowheart in the jaw.  

  You look distant as you drink a healing potion from your pack before turning back to Abdirak as he spouts on about his wonderful “memories” of worshiping with you. Astarion's hands go to his dagger as he gears up to kill the man.

A flash of movement from your direction prevents him from moving forward.

 Astarion wasn’t prepared for you to cut the man’s throat so violently in one quick motion. Blood pours from Abdirak’s neck and out of his mouth as he chokes. His eyes are wide with fear as you push him on his back- your eyes bright, crimson red and consumed with indifference. Abdirak chokes and looks at you with pleading eyes, but you take a step back as the rats begin to claw and eat at him. The whole endeavor is disgusting and horrific- Astarion could not be more proud to know you. His strangled cries are cut short as he finally succumbs to his wounds.

 Without saying anything, you turn on your heels and stalk to the next room, Astarion quickly in tow. You free Volo before Astarion can even enter the room- the Goblin that had taken Volo away dead on the floor.  

You come out of the room and make eye contact with him. Your eyes are blank and your face is emotionless. You turn away from him and stalk off in the direction of the priestess. He gives you a decent head start before casting the spell and sneaking in behind you as Priestess Gut closes the door.

Let the bloodshed begin.

[muffant]

I got an adorable idea!

What if the animatronics in security breach played D&D! Now I'm not talking about the characters inside a fantasy realm I'm thinking what if a person left a players hand book at the pizza Plex and the gang devoured that shit up!

Id like to think Freddy would be a support roll, more the type to help the party indirectly. He feels like the most inclined to spell casting. Id put him as the type to do Wizard, Cleric, Paladin, or even Druid! Id say hed likely stick to the races in the players hand book, probably a human main. He's very into playing a character, even if that character is the same sweet person each time.

Chica is your major roleplay player, she would be all about getting into the mind of her character and really selling it. She plays any race, and class, and often is the one to pick her class race combo last so she has something to go off of, as a challenge. When she does choose you know my girl is Bard all the way. She's also the only one to actually read the history of the races and really get into the D&d lore.

Roxy likes playing a modified monk, (in fact as a over all rule they play with a lot of table rules!) or a rogue, she usually doesnt pick any other class, as well as loving being an elf. She's a little less on the roleplay side (but can't help but bounce off of the others when needed) she's more of a combat centric player. She loves winning encounters, loving puzzles, anything. She's likely to be the one min maxing her character. Which has lead to some fun experiences when Chica asks about how she became a Cleric, Paladin, Druid multi class.

Monty is exclusively a fighter dragonborn. He loves being allowed to smash shit up and have no *real* repercussions. However he's not actually combat driven, he's a roleplay player similar to Chica, only he expresses he can make 101 characters with out needing to change the mechanics of said character. It's scary how calm Monty can be when he's in the role. (Said calmness started to carry over to work life too!) That doesn't stop a burst or two which thankfully only results in a pouty gator. Monty loves exploring the worlds, it's his favourite thing. To picture landscapes and worlds completely different from his own. And then be able to interact with those worlds.

Sun and Moon are the DMs! Sun is a story focused DM, he loves crafting a narrative, playing NPCs, and developing the world's of his story. He's the one usually in the spot light for a majority of the time. The rest of the time is Moon. Moon is a challenge focus dm. He loves crafting riddles, puzzles, combats, and difficult choices at the party. When ever it's moons turn to take over the table all the lights go out and dark red ambient lighting fills the room. Moons challenges are to be feared as Moon takes death in the game as a real and possible thing. While Sun tries to avoid it happening all together. Funnily enough Moon doesn't like improf, he has his encounters planned almost to the T, including alternative paths the party takes, INCLUDING DEATH OUTCOMES. He is meticulous. Sun on the other hand has a half ass idea of what the session will be about related to the over arching story, have a few bullet points of required information, a few bullet points of optional information and just goes from there. He has a party who eagerly love to make their own decisions and discuss where to go and what to do.

I like to imagine that while one is running the work for the day, the other is planning out their portion of the session, always able to communicate and keep track of details together. While Sun is playing Moon is taking notes, more for himself really.

They play once a week on Sundays, seeing as that's their only day off. They play 6 hour sessions usually and go on many tangents. But they enjoy playing so much, after all its the closest thing they get to freedom.

Edit: I FORGOT DJ!!! Of course he would be allowed to play!! And the little DJ dudes too idk what their called. DJ seems like the kind of player to sit back and watch everything happen, communication is a bit hard but he's still included. I think he would play a bard (very classic) just so he could have an excuse to play sound boards during the game. Speaking of which they definitely play games in the west arcade, with DJ helping set the ambience with music and sound effects. I like to think he secretly downloaded files like leaves russling to add to it. DJ likes to work on theme songs for each character. He simply enjoys being included even if it's limited.

[merrilinie]

CW: violence and immortal mcd (so not really), child death

Merlin who is able to tell the weather and state of nature and season not because of magic, but because of how he grew up.

The small village was in a rather unfortunate place, at least to most. It was stuck between a forest and meadow with a large river bed that often flooded and took out numerous of their crops. It helped greatly with a permanent water source but every good thing had a fault.

So, Merlin learnt quickly when to tell it was going to rain by the humidity and clouds, so he could better help his neighbours with any preparations. He learnt what soil was best for planting what plants, what of those would be worthy he effort of growing, what could carry bugs and other insects that could house disease or venom. He learnt what habitats snakes and spiders liked, what caves could be good to hide in if the rain came in too quick or bandits came too close to the village.

That was what he learnt most, without ever really wanting to. He learnt when to tell if the air changed with the eagerness of bandits ready for a fight. He learnt how to spot traps after getting caught in two as just a child, the long jagged scar along his leg a permanent reminder of the danger he had to watch for.

Merlin learnt through trail and error, tasting the poisonous berries to know they were as such. He knew how to treat venom bites, to stay still as a rock when a snake caught onto his flesh, what to eat and drink when he had something wrong, how to get out of cruel traps made to rip a man apart by simply not passing out and keeping a clear head.

The knights and Arthur do not know this. They don’t know of his magic, if they did they would assume like the Druid’s did that he simply used that, which he did at times. They just assumed he had a knack for these kinds of things.

Then they go to his home for a rest stop as they target a group of bandits. This is where a elder hears the Knights making fun of Merlin and he marches right up to them and he tells them off in a way that both mortifies and compliments Merlin.

“Listen here, you ignorant fools! This young man had done more for this village than any of you have done for the Kingdom! It’s Merlin who learnt how to make the soil grow our crops properly, he who taught the children what food is okay to scavenge for! It’s this boy who warns us when the floods are most likely and helps us prepare, even though his home is on the other side of the village! Do you know how many times I’ve had to watch this boy nearly die because he took it upon himself to make sure the bandit traps were set off before a child got caught? He once spent two full nights in a cave with a broke leg after my daughter got lost, just to find her and bring her home even though-… even though she’d already passed.”

Merlin goes to his friend and hold so to his hand, trying to comfort him as memories flood his frail mind.

The man finishes his ramble with a pat to Merlin’s cheek, “You do not need strength and armour to be a good man. The selfishness of man has never once touched you, my boy. I will not allow such blasphemy to your name, not by a king or a pauper.”

Merlin only gives a single look at the Knights and shrinks under the pity and shock, deciding instead to take his friend back to his home so they can visit his daughters grave. He had died that first night when he looked for her, his first death and how he discovered his immortality.

He tried not to remember it, the pain and agony of starving and bleeding and a deep burning in his leg that made his body squirm with phantom pain.

The next day the Knights are quiet, Arthur watching him without ever looking away. They only ask him if what was said was true when they set camp up three nights later. So, he lifts up his pant leg to show his mangled flesh and gives them a soft smile that doesn’t reach his eyes,

“Don’t worry, I know how to heal things properly now if it happens to any of you.”

A tear slides down Gwaines face.

[raeynbowboi]

What Is the Best Party for a Necromancer

With enough time and preparation, a Necromancy Wizard can create a small army of powerful undead, but I got to wondering: what party formation does the best job at supporting the Necromancer's undead horde to reach its maximum potential? So, that's what I'm seeking to do. To create a party of 4-5 characters that best empowers and emboldens the Necromancer's army.

WIZARD SCHOOL OF NECROMANCY

The star and most likely the official team leader of the party, the Necromancy Wizard is the focal point of this team composition. With their 6th level feature: Undead Thralls, the Necromancy Wizard adds their Wizard level (6-20) to each undead's hit points, and their proficiency bonus (3-6) to each undead's weapon attack damage. This means that the Necromancy Wizard makes the strongest possible undead thralls in the game. At 14th level, the Necromancer can place any undead under their control with Command Undead. This gives the Wizard the ability to gain a free Wight, a high CR undead like a Nightwalker, or even notable villains like Acerack, Vecna, Strahd Von Zarovich, or Sylas Briarwood. Intelligent Undead can make saving throws, but a simple Feeblemind can take care of that pesky detail.

PALADIN OATHBREAKER

The Oathbreaker Paladin was chosen because of their 7th level feature: Aura of Hate. Any undead within 10 feet of the Paladin adds the Paladin's Charisma modifier (1-5) to all weapon attack damage. At 15th level, that Aura expands to 30 feet. Not only can this stack with the Necromancy Wizard's Undead Thralls feature, making undead near the paladin stronger, but the Paladin does not need to be the one who created the undead. So the Oathbreaker can lead the undead into battle on the front lines, while the Wizard stands further back sniping enemies with cantrips and low level spells. Unfortunately, only one Aura of Hate can effect a single undead, but in theory, one Necromancy Wizard with 3-4 spaced out oathbreakers each with a 10 or 30 ft aura can effectively organize your undead army into tight formation battalions. But there are other good allies to have in the game.

CLERIC GRAVE DOMAIN

We want the Grave Cleric for many reasons. Firstly, they get a lot of necromancy spells, so while their horde won't be as strong as the Wizard's they too can create a horde of undead, making an even bigger army. Their Channel Divinity: Path to the Grave makes it so that an enemy is vulnerable to the damage of the next attack that hits them, which sets up nicely for the Oathbreaker to lay down a devastating smite, or the Necromancy Wizard to ensure a fresh thrall from their Finger of Death. Sentinel at Death's Door can be used to nullify critical hits, which can keep not only party members, but even undead minions from being obliterated. The wizard's Wight that controls 12 zombies is probably an asset you don't want to risk losing, so having a way to save that valuable asset is useful. And, should the Necromancer forget to reassert control over their horde in time, the Cleric's Destroy Undead feature can help the party mow through the bodies.

DRUID CIRCLE OF THE SHEPHERD

I know, I know. A Shepherd Druid and a Necromancy Wizard in one party is a DM's nightmare, but there's a reason we're choosing this subclass. It's not the animal summoning, it's the Totem Spirit. See, the Totem Spirit radiates an aura in a 30 ft radius. And that aura bolsters as many creatures as you want within that aura. Meaning that not only can the shepherd provide aerial support with swarms of ravens and buzzards, but that aura also applies to the Wizard's undead horde. The Bear totem grants the undead Temporary Hit Points, and the Unicorn Spirit makes it so that when the Druid heals anyone outside the aura, they're also healing every creature inside the aura. While they can't target undead creatures with their healing spells, the aura's healing factor does not exclude undead, allowing the Druid to heal a party member, and in doing so, heal every undead within 30 feet of the totem spirit. The fact that the Druid can summon a stronger horde of animals is just a nice little cherry on top. There's also nothing saying you can't reflavor your animal army as being undead animal corpses with DM approval to fit in with the necromantic themes.

WARLOCK FATHOMLESS PATRON

This is the least useful of the five, but it does have its uses, so while it is the most expendable of the options, there are reasons to use it if you have a five man party. At 6th level, the Fathomless Warlock gains the ability Guardian Coil. Their summoned tentacle can defend a single ally creature, reducing damage the creature takes by 1d8, or 2d8 at level 10. At 14th level, Fathomless Plunge can be used to teleport the Warlock and up to five other creatures to any source of water within 1 mile. The Fathomless Warlock, The Shepherd Druid, and the Grave Cleric can cast Create or Destroy Water, and a puddle is a source of water, letting the warlock teleport fresh undead to the front lines, or move injured undead to the backlines. If the Druid has their Unicorn Totem, this can be a useful way to teleport party members or important undead like Wights to the Totem's aura, and giving the party ways to move important creatures. The teleported creatures also do not need to be near the Warlock, they simply need to be able to see them within 30 feet, allowing the warlock to give the undead horde greater mobility. Make your patron Davy Jones, The Captain of the Flying Dutchman, or the Eldritch Lord of Shipwrecks to keep on brand with the themes of undeath and necromancy within the party, tying yourself to those lost to watery graves.

SPELLS AND SYNERGY

The core spells of Animate Dead, Create Undead, Danse Macabre, and Finger of Death can be used to create undead thralls. Wizards get all four spells, while the Cleric only gets Animate Dead and Create Undead. Oathbreakers also get Animate Dead, but only get up to 5th level spell slots. Warlocks can learn Animate Dead through an Eldritch Invocation, but only once per long rest, and only at 3rd level. Warlocks also learn Danse Macabre and Finger of Death. They also get Create Undead, but can only cast it at 6th level.

Both the Warlock and the Wizard get access to Negative Energy Flood, which can be used to heal an undead, or to damage a living target. Like Finger of Death, a creature killed by Negative Energy Flood rises as a zombie.

Aura of Vitality is a spell for Clerics, Druids, and Paladins that creates a healing aura within 30 ft of the caster. The spell's text does not exclude undead from benefitting from this aura, however only one creature can be healed with a bonus action. While this isn't super useful given it only heals one creature, the Druid using this spell to trigger their Unicorn Totem every turn with a bonus action does make this more useful, as you're able to heal the undead army multiple turns in a row while only using one spell slot. And unlike Healing Spirit, the initial healing can also be applied to an undead. The only caveat is that the healing needs to go a creature outside of the unicorn totem's aura in order to trigger the healing. Luckily, the Totem does not have to be within any given distance of the Druid, which gives the Druid more flexibility in their positioning.

Every creature that can be created with Animate Dead and Create Undead (Skeletons, Zombies, Ghouls, Ghasts, Wights, and Mummies) are immune to Poison damage. As such, AoE spells that deal Poison damage, such as Cloudkill can be dropped on top of your undead horde without harming them, but harming any living enemy near them. Your undead can also attempt to grapple foes, holding them in the Cloudkill, preventing them from leaving as they suffocate. The Necromancy Wizard is the only member of the party that can learn Cloudkill.

Both the Grave Cleric and the Druid can learn Antilife Shell, which pushes living creatures away from the caster, while allowing undead creatures to move through the shell harmlessly. This can be a great way to keep Strength-based enemies at a distance. Unfortunately the shell is not a proper force field, as weapon and spell attacks can still pass through, so this is not a way to protect the Wizard. It only keeps melee-ranged threats at bay.

BALDUR'S GATE III

While we can't recreate this team set-up perfectly in Baldur's Gate III, we can still do a weaker version with four party members: TAV as a Necromancy Wizard, Astarion or Karlach as an Oathbreaker, Shadowheart as really any Cleric subclass, and Wyll as a Fiend Warlock with a Pact of the Tome. The Tome will allow Wyll to cast Animate Dead and Create Undead, Tav and Shadowheart will also be able to create undead, and Astarion or Karlach will be able to use their aura of hate to strengthen those undead thralls. It's not as good as what we built above, but short of mods, it's the best we can do. It doesn't really matter who's what, this is just an example of a party composition. Astarion could just as easily be the necromancer and TAV the Oathbreaker, you could have Gale as the Necromancer, or Lae'zel as the Oathbreaker. What really matters are the classes. The Cleric can still clear any undead that turn on the party, the paladin still bolsters the already stronger undead, and every member of the party is pretty much able to make equally strong undead, the Wizards undead are just juiced up to the max.

[autistichalsin]

Very compelled by pregnant Halsin because it not only seems contiguous with his character, but also with the lore around druids in 5e (based on my very cursory searches about it). The common thought is that druids can shift into animals they have seen before - I think this could imply some level of gender fluidity amongst druids for two reasons: 1. Many animals don't adhere to a gender binary the way that humans do, and often have more than 2 sexes (humans do too but there's a different conversation), and 2. If a druid had only seen a certain sex in a type of animal, it would follow that that sex would be what they could replicate in shifting. This isn't necessarily to imply that Halsin is genderfluid, but really to say that the concept of pregnancy wouldn't be alien to him at all. Also, considering his whole "nature's bounty" attitude, I think he'd be thrilled about it.

It seems a lot of the derision towards mpreg is rooted in the very human concept of gender roles (which again, the way druids operate in 5e seems pretty counterproductive to that), as well as transphobia.

This kink and its discourse aren't something I'm super educated on, but your take seems very logical (not that you need to justify it to idiots on the internet). Like, pregnant Halsin is very much the correct take here.

All of this! Plus, as specifically a Moon Druid- high level Moon Druids can use the Alter Self spell at will, so he could definitely give himself a womb. AND there is some fluidity among elves too; there is a blessing some elves inherit from Corellon Larethian that allows them to change their gender/sex characteristics as they please. I could see Halsin using both abilities to his advantage. Even if he isn't necessarily genderfluid (THOUGH I very much could see a case for that too) he would definitely be willing to change his body to achieve an end goal of carrying a child.

Definitely agree with you about human morality; I think that's also where a lot of the aversion to things like wildshape sex and other things Halsin enjoys comes from.

I wish there were less weird attitudes to MPreg in general to be honest!