#larroakan

[paarthursass]

genuinely love how the whole gang is like "fuck this guy"

[hazellblogs]

Rolan in opulent, fancy robes with his perfect long hair past his shoulders and down his back, the new master of Ramazith’s Tower years later 🫠

still so sure of himself but in a justified and humble way

more refined and perfect than ever

earned everything he's worked for <3

i love him mannnnn T_T

[avelera]

The thing is, I’m just so fascinated by the fact that of all the naturally “Good” aligned companions, Gale is the only one who you can convince to stick with you if you attack the Grove in BG3.

Wyll leaves immediately if you do. Karlach sticks around long enough to chew you out before taking off. Halsin obviously never joins you.

But Gale can be persuaded. All while hating himself the whole time. Horrified by what happened and what he’s taken part in. But you can point out that if he makes a principled stand and abandons the party over the murder of innocents, he will certainly die. And if you do, and succeed and persuading him, he relents. He gives in. He goes along with you.

It’s just soooo deeply fucked up that I’m still chewing over it.

By the end of my Evil Durge run, I had Gale at 100% approval. Giving Aylin to Larroakan only got -1, easily made up later. Letting Astarion Ascend was only a -1. Gale didn’t leave after the Durge became Bhaal’s Chosen, just voiced his disapproval and continued on working alongside us.

All you have to do to keep him in line is remind him again that he’s so right, so valid for wanting the Crown of Karsus. He doesn’t have make up excuses that it’s for the greater good, not you, no. If you say he’s just allowed to want it, to have it, just because it’s power, he’s so relieved to have someone finally be sensible and see things the same way he does! Gale eats out of the palm of your hand if you just encourage his worst instincts and tell him he doesn’t have to feel bad about his ambition. Or his resentment of Mystra. Or his conviction that he could do better if he took her place.

Based on all that, I have to headcanon that Gale had convinced himself that he could fix it all after, as soon as he got the Crown and ascended to become the new god of magic. Every evil is justified if it gets him to that goal. He’ll be good later. He can fix things later. But he can only fix things if he gets that power. It’s all permitted, every evil, every slaughter, if he can just reach the end goal and then he can undo it all.

Which is why I so badly want a fic where Durge or Tav take the power for themselves, enslave the world, including Gale, and then Gale… wakes up. Because wizards have a lot of natural defenses against mind control. They can regain their autonomy, like Omeleum did.

I guess I just want a fic of Gale grappling with his own moral flexibility. Wyll and Karlach had the moral strength to call out bullshit when they saw it and bounce the heck out of there.

But Gale, brilliant, promising, intelligent, good Gale didn’t. His ambition allowed him to be easily led by the nose. His will to live led him by the nose. He didn’t have the moral strength to take a stand. It’s dark and depressing, yeah, but damn do I want an angst fic where Gale after an evil run looks back and grapples with everything he allowed to happen, all in the name of becoming a god, only to be left with nothing.

[sorceresssundries]

I'm ill in bed, so please prepare yourselves for an UNHINGED day of me on Tumblr.

First off is a game of Fuck, Marry, Kill. Your options are: Mystra, Wulbren Bongle, Larroakan

Go.

[succubusdaydream]

A Citrus Friend || Durge!Tav x Gale

A/N: Hi lovies! <3 I’ve had a few ideas running through my head that go with certain songs. I have about 4 planned and have started the basis for all of them. This is a durge!reader one that goes with Lemon Boy by Cave Town. This one really ran from me and it was a nice pause from BTGoTM. I've finally made headway on part 5 and have started on a good timeline for each chapter. Enjoy my loves <3

Word Count: 5112

Warnings: Durge mentions, Orin, torture, Larroakan jumpscare, changed around the Durge’s past a little bit

---

There once was a bittersweet man

And they called him Lemon Boy

He was growing in my garden

And I pulled him out by his hair

Like a weed

                Footsteps echoed throughout the courtyard of the Dekarious mansion as a young Gale Dekarious made his way through it. His eyes were set on a large apple tree, hoping to sit and read for a while before he’d be ushered in for dinner. As he approached, he heard crunching, soft sniffles, and a bush rustling. Tara, his winged tressym that was following, hissed and unfurled her wings.

                Stepping closer and peering into the bush, Gale jumped as he made eye contact with another being. A child around his age, hunched over and surrounded by apple cores. They were filthy and dressed in ragged clothing, cuts and dried blood littering their skin. Their eyes widened at the sight of him, and they clutched the half-eaten apple in their hands, growling and leaning away from him.

                “Hey! How did you get in here!” Gale’s shouts seemed to scare the other, as they let out an animalistic hiss and jumped farther back. “Those aren’t for you to eat! Leave!” He waved his hands at the child and watched as they swatted at him before running off, leaping over a large fence and disappearing into the city of WaterDeep.

And like weeds do

He only came and grew back again

And so I figured this time I might as well

Let him be

                It had been only two days since Gale had seen the dirty child. He hadn’t told his mother about the child, not seeing them as a big enough threat too. The moon was high in the sky as he tossed in his bed, the cold winter air carrying through his cracked window. He had been in bed and awake for what felt like hours before he heard footsteps and rustling of bushes.

                Sitting up and glancing out the window, he watched as a shadow ran along the fence line and towards the large apple tree. The figure was small, and he determined it to be the child from days ago. Huffing, he grabbed his robe and put his slippers on before making his way downstairs and through the back door.

                He continued to huff and grumble to himself as he made his way over to the bush. When he reached it, he crossed his arms and called out. “I know you’re in there! I thought I told you to leave?!” A moment of silence passed before he groaned, reaching forward, and glaring into the bush. The sight that greeted him, though, was a grim one. It was indeed the child, but they were somehow dirtier and had fresh scars covering their skin. “H-hey, are you alright.”

                The annoyance he felt quickly turned to concern as he observed the child shake in the cold night, the rags on their body doing nothing to keep them warm. Blood, both dried and fresh, coated their flesh and their eyes were wide, full of fear. Their breaths were fast and before Gale could blink, they tackled him to the cold ground.

                “I’ll fight you for them!” Their voice was hoarse and shook as they held a small dagger, seemingly pulled out of nowhere, to his throat. The fear in their eyes grew bigger and they shivered with each cold breeze. “That’s how my sister settles everything, so I’ll fight you for these!”

                Gale shook his head quickly, holding up his hands. “N-no! I’m not fighting you, why would we fight for apples?!” He panicked and shoved the small child off him, quickly conjuring a small, flickering flame in his hand. The child growled and hunched over, tightening the grip on their knife and stepping back.

                Seeing just how much fear their eyes held, Gales sighed and got rid of the flame. “It’s umm… it’s really cold outside tonight. Why don’t you come inside, I’ll find you something better to eat and maybe even a bath?” With his hand held out and a soft look in his eyes, the child crept towards Gale and slowly placed their dirty hand in his own. “I’m Gale.”

                The child looked weary before speaking back. “I… I don’t think I have a name.” The child sheathed their knife and walked behind Gale as he led them inside. Greeting them at the door was Tara, sleep in her eyes. She was shocked to see such a dirty child but never-the-less, she walked with the two children as Gale found something for them to eat and helped them with a bath.

Lemon Boy and me

Started to get a long together

I helped him plant his seeds

And we mowed the lawn

In bad weather

                It had only been a few weeks since Gale had invited the dirty child into his home, and he had quickly found out that this child was… different. They were possessive over food and rather rough when it came to almost everything else. Anytime Gale made a quick movement near them, they would flinch and go into a defensive stance with a hiss. They would often twitch around sharp objects and Gale had awoken a few times to them standing over his bed, staring with eyes that would glow under the moon. But despite everything, Gale let them stay in his home with a warm heart, giving them care as well as their own name. Tav. It was actually pretty easy being nice to a bitter child like them.

But soon his bittersweet

Started to rub off on me

You’d think smelling like lemon zest

Would be pretty neat

I found out the my friends

Were more the savory type

And they weren’t to keen on compromising

With a nice lemon pie

                “Chill out, Gale. It’s not that big of a deal, you can buy another one?”

                “Yea dude, it’s just an apple.” Gale, now a teenager, growled in annoyance as he picked up a now destroyed apple. He had gone out with a few friends and used his last bit of coin for the day to purchase it for Tav. It had become their favorite snack over their time of living with him and when he saw a nice juicy one sitting on a fruit stand, he immediately thought of them.

                So when one of his friends saw it, he had stated it was stupid to waste his last coin on such a silly thing and knocked it to the ground, laughing with the other boys around him. In hindsight, he shouldn’t have gotten so angry. But his friends never like Tav. They didn’t like how mean they sometimes were and how violent they had gotten with one of the boys when their food was taken as yet another ‘joke.’

                “That was for Tav, asshole! It’s not just an apple, it was the perfect one for them!” He turned to the group and saw the look of surprise on their faces. He’s never really yelled at anyone before and the expression on his face reminded his friends of the one he was defending. “Even if it wasn’t, why the hells would you do that?! I bought it, why do you care what I do with my money?!”

                “Dude, it really isn’t that big of a deal? Hells, I’ll buy you another one.” Larroakan, another wizard, chuckled and held out three pieces of gold. He was the main integrator around Tav, always saying things to them and trying to get violent reactions.

                “Keep your fucking gold. I’m leaving.” Gale sneered, smacking the gold out of his hand, and turning around, trudging home. If his other friends didn’t approve of or like his best friend, then he didn’t want to be friends with them.

But what if I run out of fertilizer?

What if the clouds run out of rain?

                It was only a few weeks after the marketplace argument that he showed up. Tav and Gale were sitting under the large apple tree while he helped them practice magic. He had been teaching them for quite some time and seeing them make little progress brought joy to them both. But it would be crushed.

                The sound of rustling bushes caught their attention and they both jumped when something emerged. “Master? Oh jubilant day! I have found your young, vile self at last!” It was an… imp? He was boney and hunched over as he approached Tav, clapping his claw together in joy.

                “S-Scelaritas? How did you find me?” Tav voice shook as they stepped back, eye wide as the sight of the imp. Gale looked confused and conjured a flame behind his back when the imp reached his clawed hand out.

                “Oh, Master. I have looked high and low, everywhere throughout this vile city for you. You are so far from home, Master. But! It is time to come home now. We simply must get you out of this awful place. Look at what you’ve become, such a docile creature. Your father will not be pleased.” Sceleritas gagged and grabbed Tav’s frozen hand.

                “F-father? He’ll be so angry… And Orin…” Tav’s voice trailed off and the look in their eyes turned to fear. Whoever their father was, he scared them to the hells. They couldn’t move as Sceleritas led them to the center of the courtyard.

                “Hey! Wait! Who the hells are you?!” Gale tried to rush forward, holding the firebolt in a ready stance. He didn’t get far though, as the imp turned around with a sneer and snapped his fingers. Gale’s body froze and sheened a light purple as a hold person spell was placed on him.

                “Such vile humans. Come, Master. It’s time we go home.” Gale tried his hardest to fight against the spell but could only watch as a red circle of symbols appeared below them. Tav’s face turned to Gale and the sadness in their eyes bored into his.

                “I’m sorry Gale. Thank you.” And with their quite voice somehow echoing through the courtyard, Tav and the imp disappearing into ash and the spell on Gale ended. He could only stare in disbelief at where he last saw Tav. The ashes they had disappeared into fell onto the cobblestone and slowly blew away with the wind. Who was that imp? And where did his hellish-self take his best friend?

What if lemon boy won’t grow no longer?

What if beaches dry of sugar cane?

                He had done it now. How stupid he was to think he could become equal to his goddess. Consuming raw magic like that, what the hells was he thinking. And now he was stuck with an orb in his chest, eating away at him.

Whales start to beach themselves

                Locked in his tower, Gale hid himself away with his plethora of magical items to satiate the hunger that the orb demanded. Shunned by his goddess and alone with no one but his tressym, he accepted that he would eventually rot away.

Tortoise shells tear away from their spine

It happens all the time

It happens all the time

                Echoing screams that once echoed throughout the temple halls had long since silenced. A women stood over her blood kin, knives and picks in hand, digging away at their mind as they could only stare off. They tried their hardest to grip at the quickly fading memories, desperately wanting to keep ones of a boy. The could only see blurs of purple robes and dark hair. Who was he again? They… they couldn’t remember anymore. And they couldn’t scream anymore as tears continuously rolled down their cheeks.

Lemon boy and I

We’re gonna live forever

Like Snufkin and Little My

We’ll get around wherever

                Flames were the only thing you saw and wind the only thing you felt as the crashing ship fell to earth. How did you get here. What was your name?

                When you awoke on the beach, you recalled what happened. You had awoken on a mindflayer ship with the recollection of how you got there or your past. Infected, you ran through the ship before finding two other infected. A Githyanki and a half-elf, Lae’zel and Shadowheart. And with their help, you crashed the ship to escape, waking up now on the beach, still with no further memories.

                Shadowheart was lying further ahead of you and after shaking her awake, you agreed to stay together. Yourself wanted to find Lae’zel, but Shadowheart couldn’t care less. You both had set off down the beach and with each corpse you passed, your stomach churned. Your brain was telling you it felt right to be covered in blood and yearn to sift your hands through the corpses’ insides. But every time you thought about it, your heart clenched.

                But you can’t worry about that right now. As the two of you made your ways down the beach, you defeated smaller brain creatures and also came across a silver-haired elf named Astarion who had also attempted to slit your throat. So after inviting him to join you, you continued through the wreckage and eventually came face to face with a glowing sigil.

                The magic from it was out of control and with the little knowledge of magic you could remember, you willed it to a calm. Thinking it was over, you jumped in surprise when a hand shot out from the middle of it. “A hand? Anyone? Whatever you’ve done has worked wonders! Now just a pull?” Something in the voice made your heart pang. So with a hard pull, a man fell from the sigil, collapsing on your body.

                He landed on you with a huff and your eyes met. It took him a second to realize that he was on top of you before he quickly shot up, dusting off his cloak and offering his hand out to you. “Apologies. I’m Gale, of Waterdeep. Apologies again, I’m usually better at this.”  When you took his hand, you felt a slight spark and stumbled when he pulled you up.

                “It’s alright. Are you okay?” He went on about how he was captured as well and also had a tadpole inserted into his brain. When he fell from the ship, he saw the glimmer of magic from the sigil and reached for it but got stuck in the process. When he had asked your name, your mind blanked. “I… I don’t really remember. All I remember is an urge. My memories from before the abduction are blurred and shrouded. I… I think my name is… Tav?”

                Gale’s breath hitched and he finally took in your appearance. The same few scars he’d seen before were faded on your arms fresh ones littered your face. He wasn’t sure if they were from the crash or beforehand. Your eyes though. They seemed darker but he could finally see that it was you. You stared at him in confusion, and he finally snapped out of it, simply stating it was a pleasure to meet you and your group was off once again.

Lemon boy and I

We’re gonna live forever

Like Snufkin and Little My

We’ll get around wherever

                It had been days since you all crashed and were infected. You had made it passed what seemed like the first chapter. You had helped out a grove of Druids, free deepgnome slaves from an ancient forge, and fought your way out of a Githyankian creche. Along the way you picked up more companions. You had found Lae’zel and met Wyll and Karlach. The grove’s Arch Druid, Halsin, had also joined you in your adventure.

                After all of that, you had traversed cursed shadowlands and fought of many of enemies. One of them being and undead avatar of Mrkyl, Ketheric Throm. When you had gone below Moonrise towers to fight him, your memories flooded back rather quickly. And it didn’t help that one of the Dead Three was your blood kin. Orin The Red.

                When your eyes met her figure, you breath hitched and your head felt like someone was digging in your brain. It was her fault. Your missing memories and your foggy past. It was all her fault. It took Gale placing his hand on your shoulder to snap you out of your trance. He wanted to use the orb to finish everything. But with you memories now mostly back, you immediately grip his arm and shoot the idea down. You couldn’t lose him again.

                So with a small plan, your group had rushed Throm after his companions left with the source of the Absolute, and Elder Brain.  It was a hard fight but you had help in the form of an assimar, Dame Aylin. You had freed her from an old Sharran temple and with it, Shadowheart rebelled against her goddess. She was meant to kill the Nightsong and with her freedom, it angered her goddess.

                When Ketheric realized he was backed into a corner, he turned to his own god, falling into a deadly pit before arising as a large boned creature. He would summon more undead to fight for him and it took what felt like hours to finally defeat him. You felt like you were on autopilot after that. You had left the now curse-free land with a bright sun rising over it in silence, nearly ignoring your companions.

                You wanted nothing more right now than to talk to Gale. Over your journey, you had grown closer to him. Something about him felt right and now you finally knew why. Your memories of him were at the front of your mind and you were trying to figure out how to approach him. So when you had set up camp, you shunned yourself into your tent. You needed to get your past in order.

                Your companions took glances at your tent and Gale contemplated trying to talk to you but decided against it. Everyone needed some space after the battle with Thorm and he knew better than to bother you when you locked yourself away. Hours passed before he heard footsteps approach him. It was you, hands held behind your back and your uncertain eyes staring into his.

                He smiled and put the book in his hands down. “Tav. Are you feeling alright? We’ve all been rather worried about you.” You gulped and nodded.

                “Yea, I’m feeling better now. But there is something I need to talk to you about. Can you… can you close your eyes? And hold out your hands?” You cleared your throat and let out a nervous sigh when he looked at you in confusion.

                “Get me gift, have you? I think out of everyone here you deserve it the most. But none the less, I shall accept.” He chuckled and did as you asked, his hands patiently waiting for whatever you had for him. And when he felt a slight weight in them, he curled his fingers around it. Whatever it was was smooth and had a round shape to it.

                “Okay. You can open your eyes.” You took a step back and took another gulp. When his eyes opened, he saw your scared expression before looking down and slightly gasping. In his hands was an apple. It was large and shiny, glinting in the moonlight.

                He recalled memories of before you disappeared. When he first found you under his apple tree. When he found you again a few days later. The first time he woke up to you standing over him, body slightly twitching. The first firebolt he taught you to conjure. When you tried to attack one of his friends who hit him while laughing. Everything hit him at once.

                “Gale?” Your voice brought him back and when he looked up at you, he could see it again. The spark you had in your eyes all those years ago. It was dull, but finally there.

                “Tav?”

Cause we’re the bitterest boys in town

Yea we’re the bitterest boys around

                “Tav!” Voices echoed throughout the temple halls. Your companions ran down the long stairs and were met with a grim sight. Your body floating in the air. On the ground near you lied Orin’s body, as well as the bodies of the other Bhaalist assassins. They had all woken up to you missing from camp. The previous day, you confronted Lord Gortash and rediscovered that you were part of his original plan. You had also rediscovered that you had a sort of… history with him.

                It had, of course, angered everyone. You planned the Elder Brain. The tadpoles. Everything. Did you not remember that with everything else? You had told everyone when you remembered you were a Bhall spawn, and that you and Gale had history. So when it was revealed that you were in on everything with Gortash, everyone was understandably angered.

                So when everyone had gone to sleep, you dawned your armor and left for somewhere you never thought you’d return to. The Temple of Bhaal. Your father. If your companions didn’t trust you anymore, perhaps killing you sister and proving yourself would gain it back. And if you died in the process? Then at least Orin would hopefully be weakened enough for them to finish taking her out.

                The fight was long and with your father giving her a Boon, your attacks didn’t do a lot against her. Your moves were getting sluggish and your vision was starting to get blurry, but you needed to do this. Taking out Orin and getting her Netherstone would be the thing to get your friends’ trust back. But she was getting tired too. The slayer form she had taken on was leaving trails of blood more than you and her roars came out raspier each time. So with a final blind swing, her slayer form fell, and she changed back, crying out about losing to you and calling to your father.

                With the ‘imposter’ bested, you father tried to make you his chosen. You were his actual blood instead of Orin, so in his eyes, you were best for him. But you didn’t want him. You didn’t need him. The memories of everything you did before and after Gale hit you at once and it made your heart clench. You didn’t want his blessing. You were your own person at last. And he wasn’t too happy about that.        

                So here you were, body held in the air by him and your groans of pain emanating from your lips. You could hear shouting from the top of the long staircase and you thought you were hallucinating when your eyes drifted back to see Gale leading the rest of your group. Why do you look so scared. Don’t be scared, Love. I’ll be fi-

                The group watched in horror as your body snapped and contorted, your bones breaking with loud and gross cracking. And with a thud, your body dropped onto the blood covered ground and your friends could only stare in shock as it fell. Gale stepped forward, calling out to you before running to your side, falling to his knees, and pulling your limp self onto his lap, holding your bloodied face in his hands.

                “Tav? Tav?! Wake up damn it!” He brushes your hair away from your face, wiping as much blood off with his sleeves as he could. His breaths were quick as he reach into his small satchel, pulling out a scroll of revivify. When it didn’t work, he threw the dull paper away, looking up to Shadowheart. “Shadowheart! Do something for fucks sake!” It was the angriest and most panicked they had seen him.

                “Gale…” Shadowheart’s voice hitched, and she shook her head. There was nothing they could do now. Your father, a god, had taken your life. It was beyond reviving.

                “No… no there must be something. There… there must be…” His voice trailed off and his gaze fell to your closed eyes. Your body was going cold in his arms and there was nothing he could do to save you. He could only watch as your body paled and as his tears fell from his eyes onto your cheeks. He regretted being so upset at you earlier. He had told you he needed space and that’s what you gave him. If he had talked to you when he hesitated too, he couldn’t have talked you out of coming here. Or at least gone with to try and provide support.

                As he cried, the sound of soft footsteps on the cold ground broke the silence. “Thou hast defied Bhaal, thy liege and father, and in doing so hast earned a place among champions and heroes.” The echoing voice of Withers sounded through the large temple as he approached your corpse, appearing out of nowhere. “But, alas, thy courage was in opposition to the divine cosmology that bound thee to the Lord of Murder. Thou art now faithless- godless- and doomed to wander the Fugue Plane for eternity.”

                He rounded your body, standing in front of Gale and he raised his hand. “I will not permit that, though all the powers of life and death dictate that it should be so. I, too, still hold some power, and I invest a portion of it in thee. Who hath challenged the gods and shall now liveth to tell of it. Thy fight in not over, and it is thy fight, for one who can look upon Bhaal and oppose him can survive any crisis.”

                Blue magic warped your body, lifting it back in the air as he raised his arms. “So rise, Challenger of Gods, and prepare for battle once more. Death will not claim thee whilst I endure.” The magic was blinding as it shown brightly before disappearing, your body softly lowering to the ground.

             A loud gasp left your mouth and your eyes shot open, your body twisting around to hold yourself up on your hands and knees. Your heartbeat pounded in your ears and your vision was blurry as your eyes darted around. The sound of muffled voices and your racing breath was all you heard as purple and dark brown passed through your sight.

“…av…Tav?” Blinking away the blur, your sight focused on Gale. Was this another trick from Orin? Did she have one last cruel play for you? You shook your head and pushed him away, mumbling incoherently. 

“Stop it. Don’t you dare take his form.” You hissed your words, venom dripping from your voice as your fists formed against the ground.

“Tav, it’s me. It’s actually me, I swear it.” Gale grabbed your wrists and brought your hands to his face. His skin was warm and wet with tears that stained his cheeks. Your gaze softened as you looked into his eyes and at your companions behind him. 

“Gale?” Your hands ran over his cheeks and brushed his hair away from his face. “It… it really is you.” Tears welled in your own eyes, and you fell forward, collapsing into his arms as sobs and apologies left your mouth. “I-I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have kept this from you! I shouldn’t have come alone! I’m so sorry!” 

His arms wrapped tightly around you, pulling you closer and he whispers into your hair. “No, my love. I’m sorry. I should have talked to you about all of this sooner. You have nothing to apologize for, Tav.” 

Minutes passed in in arms before a loud sob was heard from the group and Karlach joined in your hug, pulling Shadowheart down with her. Her body warmed your cold one, and you let out a small chuckle as her large arms fit around both you and Gale.

“I’m so glad you’re okay, Soldier! You scared the hells out of us!” 

“I’m sorry, Karlach.” You gaze shifted between you companions. “Thank you all. For coming to help me. And thank you,” you looked towards Whither, “for bringing me back. I’m still confused though. What happened?”

“Bhall tried to extinguish thee, but his wrath is imprecise. He only succeeded in killing the part of thee he knew. The dark urge that drove thee to terrible acts. The spark of brutality that made thee his.”

“But there is a new part of thee that has grown during thine travels. That part Bhaal could not extinguish. And so instead of destroying thee, he hath made thee anew. The heart of a savior hath overshadowed the mind of a murderer. Thy has vanquished thine urge!”

You gasped, a smile spreading across your mind as you laughed. “Vanquished? Y-you mean I’m cured!?” More tears fell from your eyes as your fists gripped Gales robes. “I did it!” Your face fell back onto his shoulder as sobs of joy left your mouth. The voice in the back of your head demanding bloodshed was quiet and your fingers no longer itched to hold a blade. Your urge was gone. You had defied the God of Murder and lived. 

And I got myself

A citrus friend

                It had been months since you defeated the absolute. Side by side with all your friends, you destroyed the elder brain and reclaimed your minds from your tadpoles. After celebrating, you and your friends went their ways. Astarion fled to the Underdark to hide from the sun, Shadowheart went with Isobelle and Aylin. Karlach was forced to return to Avernus, Wyll helped his father, the Grand Duke Ravengard, restore Badlur’s Gate and Lae’zel had fled back to the stars with the Githyanki prince, Orpheus, to free her people from Queen Vlakkith’s rule.

                You, however, had went to live with Gale in Waterdeep. After you all had rested when the battle was over, Gale had come to you with a big proposition. Marriage. With how much you bonded through out your travels and after all the nights spent together, the connection you two formed was unbreakable. And so with tears of joy, you quickly accepted his proposal and moved to Waterdeep with him when all of you had things sorted.

                The first few months of domestic life took some getting used to. The both of you had trauma from the battle and you had nightmares about your Urge returning. The image of Gale’s bloody corpse was burned into your mind for days before they started to disappear. Soon your dreams were filled with the future. How your life with Gale would turn out to be. A small boy running around, looking exactly like his father, with Tara flying after him.

            Your past was nothing but blood and darkness and pain. But your future? Your future was full of life and light and love. Your father no longer controlled you. And you were free. At last.

[princess-leaorgana]

What Tieflings Do Chpt. 3

Summary: After the takedown of The Absolute, Zelphie finds her city in need of more help and her home destroyed. She won't stop helping, but who can help her?

Rolan x Tav (Zelphie; ~30y.o AFAB, Sorcerer, Tiefling, not really described physically on purpose <3)

M/F

Author's Note: I fucking love tielfings. Along with this being a budding romance/smut/fluff/word vomit fanfiction, it's also my case study in DnD 5e tieflings, how they act, what sets them apart from humans and devils and elves. That being said, I have a few artistic liberties in here as well where I couldn't find a straight answer, if you'll amuse me.

Warnings - Spoilers for Baldur's Gate 3, alcohol consumption. This bad Larry is another fluff. Don't worry! Also, if you catch the easter egg in this one I'll give you one lil forehead smooch.

Chapter One Chapter Two

One tenday spent in the luxurious wizard’s tower in Baldur’s Gate. The shop was still a little chaotic, but it was open for business and Rolan was hiring out for help. He had Cal and Lia and Zelphie, of course, but Cal and Lia and Zelphie were not learned spellcasters. Zelphie had the best understanding of the Weave, but she couldn’t understand conjuring the Weave manually. Rolan would attempt to spend time with her, teaching her how to read scrolls and tomes, but she was absolutely useless. And during their private lessons, Zelphie was usually very distracted with her strongly budding feelings for her teacher. That absolutely destroyed her concentration. Nothing had yet happened down that road, and it had almost been too long for Zelphie to feel comfortable bringing it up. She left the siblings that day to head out into the city. She had a few things to sell and was in the market for a redecoration for her room. Larroakan’s taste was high class but cold and dark. The room was beautiful, but it needed more love. She hadn’t done anything about it until then as she still had a gnawing feeling in the back of her mind that she wasn’t to stay with the siblings. She would get an occupation of her own and allow the family to be one again. It didn’t seem like that was going to happen. Lia would scold her if she ever brought it up.

Old potions and elixirs and small trinkets she had picked up on the road were sold quickly for decent coin. Anything she had that was impressive she donated to Sorcerer’s Sundries to either use or sell. Rolan fought with her on that, but she insisted it being a complimentary rent for now. Rolan still fought with her. 

The streets were still a mess, but a livable one. People were back to life a little. It wasn’t normal, but it wasn’t apocalyptic. After a decent amount of shopping and many compliments from people who recognized her on the street, she headed for some lunch. She hadn’t seen any of the other tieflings since the battle, and she was very ready to see some happy and familiar faces. Lakrissa, an absolute menace of a thief, had gotten a job at The Elfsong Tavern, the nicest spot in the whole city for a pint and relaxation. Zelphie was very excited to see if her friend was there today, and if she had time for a drink. Walking past two hired hands at the entrance, she was met with the most people she had seen at the tavern. Good, she didn’t want any more compliments, she just wanted to be a normal patron. As she made her way to the bar, to order from the barkeeper, Alan, Zelphie stopped as she heard her name shouted.

‘Zelphie! The beautiful hellspawn who saved Baldur’s Gate!’ Lakrissa, the little shit. Zelphie’s nose scrunched as attention in the tavern fell on her. She turned her head to see Lakrissa sitting on a patron’s lap of all places and she was looking right at her, her arm raised in the air. Zelphie got a cheer and shook her head, staring at Lakrissa. ‘The person who buys our hero her first round wins also buying a round for me!’ She announced to roaring laughter. Lakrissa hopped off her perch and walked over to Zelphie. ‘There you are, hero,’ she said and Zelphie sighed.

‘Here I am, thank you for the announcement, pity, you used to be my favorite,’ she said and took an empty seat at the bar. Lakrissa laughed at her. Alan walked over with a glass full of ice and an amber liquid. ‘Hello Alan,’ she greeted the bartender and she gave her a charming smile.

‘Where’ve you been then? I need you to find me that Minsc fellow. Rented a room here after you all left and started fighting for coin in there. He owes me,’ he said and Zelphie laughed.

‘I wish I could say I bear responsibility for Minsc, but I’ll do my best to settle his debt,’ she said and smirked.

‘So, how IS your favorite, hm? Heard you got a room at the wizard’s tower,’ Lakrissa said, sitting next to Zelphie. Zelphie turned back to Lakrissa.

‘I got very lucky, Lia caught me while I was wandering the streets like a tom cat. I could barely stand. My place was absolutely decimated, I’m surprised the tavern is still around,’ she said and took a sip of her drink. Rum. She hissed and looked up at Alan. ‘It’s barely after breakfast,’ she said and Alan just grinned.

‘You are very welcome,’ he said and walked off to help another patron.

‘Come on, tell me, tell me,’ Lakrissa said and shook Zelphie’s leg. She took another sip and laughed.

‘What is there to tell? It’s not like before I wasn’t constantly on the move. I have a big beautiful comfortable bed to sleep in with a roof over my head. I get fed three times a day AND I’m bathing every day. I am living the high life,’ she said and Lakrissa shook her head.

‘Yes, that big beautiful bed, whose is it?’ She asked, leaning in. Zelphie leaned in with her, smirking.

‘Mine,’ she answered and Larkissa scoffed.

‘Either you’re a tease or Cal is a liar,’ she said, straightening up. Zelphie knew what Lakrissa was getting at, if involved Cal. Although nothing had really happened between her and Rolan and she would have liked for something to have happened, Cal was not being subtle at home about trying to get the two closer. She would have loved to be closer to Rolan, of course she would have, but she wouldn’t allow her new home to be ruined by those feelings. She would rather have good friends than anything.

‘Cal is a liar, but who said I’m not a tease?’ Zelphie said and Lakrissa laughed.

‘Oh, there she is. Gods I’m glad you are alright,’ she said and Zelphie smiled at her.

‘The feeling mutual,’ she said softly. The rum was getting to her quicker than she would have liked. ‘How is Alfira?’ She asked and Lakrissa smiled.

‘She’s perfectly fine, a little set back with her big plans, what with the total destruction of the city, your fault,’ she said and Zelphie nodded and laughed.

The two caught up and Zelphie was given a second drink and was quickly feeling silly. Lakrissa was forced to end her little break and Zelphie left the tavern, hungry and drunk. She walked very slowly back to the tower. On her way back, a little gray kitten began to follow her home. Zelphie swayed when she knelt down to pick up the little sweet thing. 

‘Oh hello you little fella,’ she said and lifted the kitten in her arms. ‘You must be starving, come let’s fill that belly of yours,’ she said, deciding in her drunken state that she would adopt this little kitten. It clung to her with its little claws and Zelphie cooed down at it. ‘Oh aren’t you sweet?’ She said and rubbed the kitten’s chin. She continued to walk to Sorcerer’s Sundries and she moved out of the way of a very upset looking half-orc. She stumbled into the shop happily, her eyes and all attention still on the kitten. 

‘There you are, I almost sent a search party out for you,’ Rolan called from the counter and walked over to her happily.

‘Look what I found Rolan!’ She cried happily and held the kitten up. Rolan’s happy face turned to concern as he looked at the little kitten in Zelphie’s hand. ‘He followed me home, isn’t he sweet?’ She asked and Rolan sighed at her, giving the sweet little kitten a pet.

‘Have you been drinking?’ He asked her, not ready to entertain the topic of the kitten until he squared away why her eyes were so sleepy looking and why she was swaying a little.

‘Yes, Lakrissa made me, but I guess she didn’t really because I did it anyway,’ she said with a snicker. ‘Only two rum drinks, but you know me, cheap date,’ she said and giggled and Rolan smirked a little.

‘I don’t know that about you, in fact,’ he said and she giggled.

‘Yes, because you’ve never taken me on a date,’ she said and poked him in the chest. She was plastered.

‘Alright, alright, up to bed with you, come now,’ he said, escorting her upstairs.

‘I said I was a cheap date, not an easy one,’ she said and barked out a laugh. She leaned on Rolan and held the little kitten close to her. Rolan burned red, but would ignore her. He wrapped an arm around her to keep her upright. She was loving that sensation. She was aware that she was drunk, and as obnoxious as she was, she wouldn’t make him angry. ‘Is it okay that I have a kitten? A little familiar? I can’t have a real one you see, I didn’t go to school,’ she rambled.

‘You’re fine, I’m sure with everything you’ve accomplished a cute kitten wouldn’t be much of a leap in responsibilities.’ He said and Zelphie giggled.

‘You do think he’s cute? Oh good. I always knew you were a cat person. All good people love cats. The real good ones, because dogs are all lovely and good but dogs love you unconditionally. Cats, cats are as smart as people and are choosy, so I say anyone who can get along with a cat is a good person,’ she rambled on and hiccuped. She felt his thumb rub her arm and the warmth and comfort of his touch led her tail to curl around his.

‘Yes, I do think he’s cute,’ Rolan said simply. Zelphie's attention went back to the kitten, who was very happy to be held. Zelphie scratched the little one under his chin. He was a perfectly gray cat with a small tuft of white on his chest. He was going to need a bath.

‘We are going to get you all cleaned up my little one, and we’ll feed your hungry little belly,’ she cooed and stroked the top of the kitten’s head. ‘How has the shop been today, and who was that lady who was leaving the shop so angry when I came in?’ She asked Rolan.

‘Oh, I’m very glad you’ve been off today, the amount of disappointing interviews I’ve had today…’ he said, tutting. He was much more comfortable talking about this sort of thing, others bothering him. ‘The last one, she claimed to be a cleric of Helm. More like a Paladin of Cyric the way she bumbled about. She couldn’t even bring a desert plant back to life. I’m not looking for a prodigy, but if your god doesn’t give you gifts, there is nothing I can do for you,’ he said and chuckled. Zelphie shook her head, Rolan was lying. He would only want the best in his shop. Perfection at the bare minimum. ‘We did find a budding wizard. She’s a bit under motivated, but I’m sure with my teachings she will flourish in no time,’ he told her and Zelphie put on a little pout.

‘Ah, so our lessons are all over? You’ve given up on me?’ She asked him and he looked down at her and laughed at her silly face.

‘Not even a little. I’m going to get you to master prestidigitation one of these days, I promise,’ he told her and she smiled. She hummed and looked back down at the kitten.

‘I’m jealous of your new apprentice, you’re a wonderful teacher,’ she said and Rolan sighed down at her.

‘Oh, do not be jealous. If she doesn’t perform, she’s out. You on the other hand, I’m too stubborn to let you quit,’ he told her and she smiled to herself. Was she jealous of this person she’d never met? A little. Would she keep up whining at Rolan? No. Did she want to? Yes. The pair got to Zelphie’s bedroom and Zelphie walked in, placing the little kitten on her bed.

‘Now, that’s nicer than the streets, isn’t it?’ She asked the little kitten.

‘Did you want help with him? He certainly needs a bath, I’m not even a fan of him being on the bed,’ Rolan said and scooped the kitten back up. Rolan did like cats, which was great for him; the streets of Baldur’s Gate were littered with them. The kitten took to him quickly, purring and rubbed his face hard against Rolan’s hand. Zelphie giggled and removed her bag and outer jacket.

‘I would love some help. And it looks like he loves you Rolan,’ she said and walked over to the pair. ‘Did you have cats growing up?’ She asked and Rolan nodded.

‘Yes, a lot of cats. Mother spoiled me a lot. She called me sensitive. I used to hate it when she referred to me like that. Like I was weak, but I know now what she meant by it,’ he said, still enjoying petting the kitten. ‘She meant that I was sensitive to others. Those smaller or weaker than myself. When someone needed my help,’ he continued and Zelphie’s smile grew.

‘Like me,’ she said softly and Rolan nodded.

‘Yes, you have the exact same instinct as me. You understand people who need help,’ he said and Zelphie shook her head.

‘No, no, I mean, I’m one of those people who needed your help and you gave it so freely,’ she said and walked closer, reaching out to pet the kitten. Rolan looked down at her and raised an eyebrow.

‘It was a privilege to help you, Zelphie. I finally had a way to pay you back for everything you have done for me. And my family,’ he told her honestly. She looked up at him and chewed on her bottom lip a little.

‘And when will this help run out?’ She asked him softly and he raised his eyebrows.

‘I don’t know…’ he whispered after a moment. ‘But when it does, I ask you to help me out once more by continuing to stay here. Because you being here, it’s more…a selfish want than a payback,’ he admitted and Zelphie’s eyes grew. There was another little silent moment and then Rolan looked back down at the kitten. ‘So,’ he cleared his throat and Zelphie’s eyes fluttered a little. She had been lost, sweet words from Rolan and two glasses of straight rum were an easy recipe for a mindless Zelphie. ‘Shall we start with his bath in the sink? You can’t get their ears wet, I think we’ll have better control of that in the sink than the bath,’ he told her and she sobered a little and nodded.

‘Oh, yes, yes, that’s a good idea,’ she said and the two walked to the bathroom together. She turned in the tap and walked to her bath for soap to use on the poor little kitten. She grabbed two towels as well, one for the inevitable mess and the other for the kitten. Rolan tested the water and held the kitten under the water, holding his scruff. The kitten immediately wiggled and cried. ‘Oh, no no, it’s okay, it’s okay little one, you’ll feel so much better,’ Zelphie cooed and helped get the kitten wet quickly and lathered up some soap. Rolan used his free hand to stop the kitten from swatting Zelphie. He was getting a few cuts, but was about as stubborn as the kitten was. The bath was very quick. The vermin and dirt and whatever else was in the little guy was removed and Zelphie scooped him into a towel, wrapping him tight. He kept crying. ‘Now now now, this is better, hm? Nice and warm, oh lucky you,’ she said and walked out of the bathroom, cradling the cat. ‘You can watch me take a bath later, you’ll see it’s not so bad,’ she continued to talk and Rolan walked out with her. ‘Thank you so much for helping. That would have been a fiasco if I had tried it alone,’ she said and Rolan grinned.

‘You did most of the hard work,’ he said and she shook her head.

‘Let me see your hand, cat scratches are awful things,’ she said and he gave her his hand with a little hesitation. She reached out and lifted his hand up, closing her eyes. ‘Te Curo,’ she whispered easily and with a cool blue flash of light, the scratches were gone from his hand as was the growing itching sensation he was getting from the cuts.

‘Well, thank you,’ he said softly and Zelphie smiled up at him.

The pair helped the kitten get as dry as possible and Rolan led Zelphie to the sitting room so the kitten could be in front of a fireplace. Zelphie began a fire as Rolan sat on the floor and let the kitten out of his towel wrapping. The kitten took his freedom happily and shook his body of water and took to licking the rest off.

‘I’m glad it’s still light out, he’ll be dry in no time,’ Zelphie said and sat down next to Rolan.

‘He’s a lucky little thing, finding you of all people,’ he said and looked down at Zelphie who smiled. She felt her own tail curl up happily. She scooted closer to Rolan and with all the liquid courage she had left in her system, she leaned against him gently and looked over at the kitten, who was fervently grooming himself. Rolan froze a little, the feeling of her body against his. She had leaned on him earlier because she was drunk. She was still drunk, wasn’t she? ‘H-how are you feeling?’ He asked her softly and she smiled.

‘I’m perfect,’ she said, meaning it. Was there a little rum floating in her head? A little. Enough to be a little sleepy and a little bold. But not enough to ruin her senses. The screams of a kitten in a bath had sobered her up considerably. But besides that, she was sitting in front of a fire, very close to a person she trusted and adored. Watching a kitten groom himself. She had no complaints. There was another moment of silence before Rolan’s arm coiled around her waist, holding her a little closer. Zelphie’s heart did flips in her chest and her tail found his quickly. She felt Rolan’s lips in her temple before he spoke.

‘Yes you are,’ he whispered and Zelphie felt the warm rush again. This time, she wouldn’t let it hang. She turned her head to look at him properly. He was looking right down at her, his yellow glowing eyes, his strong and sharp features. Zelphie wouldn’t remember who moved first or who moved the most. She just knew that both of them had and the pair kissed. Simple as that. Had it been too soon? Had it taken too long for such a simple, lovely little thing? It didn’t matter, it was happening, and Zelphie felt every spark of electricity in her body zap her skin. She refused to break this kiss. She had been wanting to kiss Rolan for a very long time. She felt his hand on her cheek and then the absence of his lips. He placed his forehead on hers. ‘Was that alright?’ He whispered softly and she nodded, a little speechless. He was more than alright, he was everything. She reached up again, needing to be back in their first kiss. A first kiss for lovers, what a dream. He kissed her back and she gave way to a grateful sigh. She felt his fangs against her lips, she could taste him. Her heart was beating terribly quickly.

‘How long have you been hoping to do that?’ She asked him softly, their foreheads and noses still connected. She was no longer drunk from the rum, but drunk from something else entirely. He grinned and nuzzled down against her.

‘A while…a long while,’ he admitted. She giggled in response. ‘Please tell me you’ve felt the same.’

‘Yes, if only you hadn’t hated me so much,’ she said and he laughed.

‘I did hate you, though, I’ve always been a supporter of the fact that hate and love are not mutually exclusive,’ he told her and her heartbeat quickly. He didn’t mean what he just said, of course. He couldn’t have. Love her? Love her. Not like that, certainly. ‘Because I do, I do love you, I cherish you. And I’m a fool for trying to hide it. I only wanted to make you comfortable around me, I…but everyone is so quick to poke and prod at my feelings for you, I wasn’t very good at hiding them,’ he told her. She felt his thumb rub her cheek gently. She could have melted into a puddle.

‘It shows you have respect for me, but you’ve made me comfortable Rolan. I trust you. I-‘ she said quickly and chewed on her cheek. ‘I love you too.’ She finished and looked into his eyes. He was as close as another person could be. She giggled again and he leaned down to kiss her again. Love. Real, trusting and respecting love. She’d never had that before. Love was more than kisses in front of a fireplace, love was bonding, understanding, trusting, wanting, caring. She would count what she and Rolan shared as love. But like lovers, they had that one more inch of feeling. For did she not love Lia and Cal? Yes. Did she love Jaheira and Gale and Shadowheart and Karlach and Wyll? Yes. Rolan was a different love, with that extra special something that made her stomach flip. He was handsome, he had a velvety low voice. He was commanding and mighty stubborn. Zelphie was attracted to him and it was clear, in the very least, that Rolan was also attracted to her. It was very nice to feel him want her. His hand holding her cheek, the other holding her side, holding her close. Possession. She felt fiery. She was all his. She placed a hand on his thigh and she heard him sigh out. She didn’t want to start anything else, but she did want to touch him.

‘Too, too long. You were right. Wizards are stubborn,’ he said and she laughed. ‘I should have done that ages ago, though…I don’t know if it’s stubbornness or the fear that…I was wrong about how you might have felt about me,’ he continued and Zelphie just kept smiling.

‘I’m glad for your new bravery,’ she whispered softly and Rolan took a minute and spoke again.

‘This isn’t all because you’ve been drinking, is it?’ He asked, clearly nervous about asking that. His voice quivered a bit and he was quick with his words.

‘No, but that’s a very kind question. No, listening to him screaming was enough to sober me up,’ she said and glanced at the kitten, who was still quickly attempting to lick himself dry. She laughed at the sweet sight and looked back at Rolan. ‘Like I said, I’ve been feeling a special way about you for a long while now, Rolan. Since the party, actually, back at our camp…’ she said and Rolan’s eyes widened. She laughed again. ‘Well, you were happy and a little silly, it was a very nice side of you to see,’ she said and Rolan’s smile widened.

‘Well, I can’t blame you then,’ he said playfully, Zelphie laughed lightly. ‘But…silly? Mmmm not my favorite word,’ he said and Zelphie laughed.

‘Then don’t act silly when you’ve had too much wine,’ she told him and he chuckled. ‘But you know, I feel very lucky to see a more relaxed side of you,’ she explained and Rolan nodded.

‘If you see me relaxed it's only because of how you make me feel, my dear,’ he told her and she smirked. My dear. It wasn’t the first time he had called her that. It was very sweet, maybe a little too innocent and careful, but too careful was better than too strong.

‘Now that is the best compliment I think anyone has ever paid me,’ she said and he laughed.

‘I don’t believe you, but I’m going to pretend you’re telling the truth,’ he told her and glanced at the kitten. Still going at himself. Poor little thing. ‘What shall we name him then?’ He asked and Zelphie looked at the kitten.

‘Surely Rolan Junior,’ she said and Rolan barked a laugh.

‘No, gods no, please do not call it that,’ he said and Zelphie hummed a laugh. He looked down at her and shook his head. ‘No, I know that look, I forbid it, both you and the kitten will be street urchins again,’ he told her and she laughed. She leaned over and scooped up the kitten who grumbled a little and went back to his grooming.

‘He is as stubborn as you, it appears,’ she said and Rolan smirked.

‘Hush you,’ he said softly and kissed her temple. She leaned back on him. This was very nice.

‘Ronald,’ she said and he laughed.

‘Please don’t,’ he said, his lips still her hair.

‘Rolanda,’ she added.

‘Zelphie.’

Silence passed between the two of them, Zelphie thinking and enjoying the moment, Rolan’s face buried in her hair. What was he thinking about, she wondered. Was he as happy as she was? She hoped he was, for she was very very happy. She continued to think about a good name for the kitten, no more teasing Rolan. After a moment she gasped.

‘What?’ He asked her, as if she had woken him up.

‘Elminster,’ she said and he laughed loudly and looked down at the kitten.

‘That is the most offensive way to honor Mystra’s chosen,’ he said and she grinned and rubbed the top of the kitten’s head. The poor thing was only concerned with drying himself off. Rolan sat up straighter and held his hands near the kitten, his hands beginning to burn hot. They stayed still together and very quickly the cat dried up. Zelphie looked up at Rolan and smiled.

‘Thank you,’ she said and Rolan smiled.

‘Lajy,’ he said simply. Zelphie blinked at him. Lajy was Infernal, Infernal for love. ‘I used love just then to conjure that heat. We should name him Lajy.’ He used love to dry off the kitten, wizards had to use emotions and memories to call upon The Weave, and Rolan has just used love to burn his hands enough. She smiled up at him, feeling as warm and as comfortable as she could be. She leaned back on him and his grip got tighter on her. He held her while she held the little cat.

‘Lajy,’ she repeated and stroked the kitten’s newly cleaned fur. He felt Rolan leaning against her temple again, their horns clinking a bit. Rolan’s horns were incredibly graceful, almost economical in their shape. They were large, but they swept back and up, out of the way. Zelphie’s were less economical. They went up and out. She found it very difficult to lay on her side at night, and with Rolan so close, she wouldn’t move, as if she did, she might take his eye out. They found a perfect position and the nice peaceful moment was only interrupted by the sound of a hungry belly. Rolan would blame it on Lajy.

[faerunsbest]

i just popped into my game and talked to rolan, he said he cant be late to his apprenticeship

what if he was late? what if larroakan rejected him? whewr would he have gone?

[nightmarist]

Gotta say nothing switched my brain faster than when I entered Sorcerous Sundries, rolled my eyes bc oh great Rolan, saw he was being abused, and decided then and there Im burning the whole fucking tower to the ground for him.

​I like to imagine my Tav doing to Larroakan what Aylin did to Ketheric.

[awryen]

Shippy Thoughts

No joke here.

If Gale were more open to a polyship with Tav, I would absolutely want Rolan to be part of it.

in a different set of circumstances I'd be all for Lae'zel. :V

Two Wizard's sniping at each other? Yeeeesssss.

Tav in a Wizard sammich~

But also, Gale loves to teach. I can see them easily falling into a routine about that. Though if Rolan is a Sorcerer who wants formal academic training...he'd a be a nice middle ground with a Gale x Sorc!Tav romance.

Also, despite them both being full of themselves, having Rolan as an example of someone who chooses his family over the kind of power Larroakan is offering, Gale would have him AND Tav to anchor him more against the temptation of the Crown.

Plus, two towers. :V

Now this is where it gets a tad difficult. Unless they decide to open portals between the two towers, it *would* be a split polyship. Cause I can't see Rolan leaving that tower in Baldur's Gate and Gale wants to be in Waterdeep.

Soo...yeah. Mirror portals or something? Similar to what is in House of Hope? Though maybe not as complicated/intricate and only between Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate.

Anywho.

If it's not obvious, my fave side character is Rolan and his really nice growth story. And I love his siblings and they'd be an awesome addition to Clan Dekarios~

[paarthursass]

this dialogue option is the funniest shit as the dark urge. like i can't remember anything. except that larroakan's a little bitch.

[hazellblogs]

Well my older!Rolan post seemed to get a lot of good feedback, yay! 🥰

I basically just used a mod that added his face as a customization option.

This is how I envision him like 5+ years on. I added some wrinkles. Gave him longer hair (same as Larroakan ironically) added some greys since apparently tieflings age the same a humans. I also made the tips of his horns ever so slightly greyer.

And that’s it!

With the games lighting it was hard to know if I got the right skin tone and hair colour down but I think I got it.

For his amour I kept his sorcerers collar almost like a little sentimental thing. He wears the eleven chain armour, I used a dye to add the gold and since I associate him with blue and red, the clothing underneath is blue :) little hints of his roots basically 💕 I like to think that as he gets older and more sure of his abilities (in a humble way) he can manage wearing medium armour.

He’s not my character and he’s an NPC at the end of the day so I took some liberties but hopefully not lore breaking ones 👍 if you wish to get creative with this version him by all means do, as much as I wish he was, he isn’t mine so (down so bad lol).

Thanks for liking and sharing and enjoying the concept. There will be more!!!

[wetcatspellcaster]

7 and 8 for the Tav asks. :D and congrats on the thesis!

Thank you for the questions! Sorry for the long answer!

7. Describe their arc. How would a player help resolve it? What choices can be made? Can your Tav be turned down a dark path, or pulled to a lighter one?

So I thought about this a lot, the Good Ending for Rosalie is she's Just A Person, the Bad Ending is that she volunteers to become the mindflayer at the Orpheus decision for ENTIRELY THE WRONG REASONS (feeling like a liability, believing it's the only way to cure her mental illness, seeing herself as the weak link in the group, being depressed, etc. - this ending bought to you by me staring at that decision screen for an hour KNOWING she'd turn herself into a mindflayer in a heartbeat but feeling physically ill over her logic behind that decision). This is the 'exalted mind' ending.

So there is a bad path for her, but it's one bought about by being self-sacrificing to the point of absolute idiocy and self destruction. I think that Tav literally swerves her away from it by teaching her to be a little selfish and to value herself lmao. Literally the opposite of most of the other companions, and kind of what I wish you could teach Wyll in his storyline tbh!

Her arc would be her just generally being over-emotional and reckless, with lots of camp chats about morality in Act 1 (I would probably double down on the tropes that fandoms hate in female characters a la Katara in Avatar the Last Airbender just for the lols). I want her ending Act 1 feeling like a trite 'heart of the group', ridiculous Mary Sue, she talks to you a lot about how you're feeling, are you ok? Borderline annoying tbh, but with the EA Halsin Effect of "oh, you're the companion who's nicest to me!!". Then in Act 1/2 depending on approval she does something utterly stupid, like run into a fight alone unprompted (death to a wizard), or possibly have Ethel specific dialogue that pisses Ethel off if she's in your party, and the player starts thinking "god this girl is a bit weird and reckless and stupid at times actually", and calling her out on it gets the illithid tadpole as anxiety med drop.

Act 3, you start meeting people from her past (bonus comedy route for if you just enabled all her behaviour at this point to be nice to her and get her approval bc then the illithid tadpole drop happens here). Larroakan is like "aren't you that mousy little scribe who completed those commissions for me?", you can find Threnn, possibly did an infernal translation for Gortash (not canon just for story tie-in)???? and they're all like "who the fuck are you? why are you so different now". There would be a confrontation about lying about who she is, a camp conversation about the pressure they face as the 'heroes of Baldur's Gate" and how she feels inadequate. And then in the conversation with Threnn, and the final Orpheus conversation, Tav can encourage Rose to have an actually healthy relationship with her emotions and not see her every choice as a failing actually. Then you unlock real Rose personality and a final decision where she doesn't try and throw herself on her sword.

8. After Act 3, what does their life look like? What are they talking about at the reunion party?

Good ending Rosalie has rebuilt her relationships with her family, she's back at the Watchful Order but getting all their backlog of heroic deeds retroactively converted into a wizard qualification, and unromanced she'll mention that she's either considering going on secondment to Avernus or helping Halsin in the Shadowlands/feywild as her practical project for the final part of her grade. She will have visited every single companion in the six months (Wyll/Karlach as a projection). She will mention going to tea weekly with Gale given that she's fast-tracking wizardry/he needs a friend group and practice at being a normie and they live in the same city. She will name drop being friends with Tara very smugly.

Bad ending Rosalie is a mindflayer and will talk about the magic she's capable of and the power she's unlocking, now she's no longer letting emotion cloud her judgement. You can ask her about her parents and if she's gotten back in touch and she says, "oh, right. I used to have those."

tav ask game! :)

[blackjackkent]

Larroakan's body collapses to the floor, spasming as the impact of Rolan's magic missle bursts through him. His eyes are rolling in his head, his skin pale.

Aylin stands over him, the pure light of Selune's holy radiance haloing her entire body.

"Lorroakan!" she roars. "You who would see me caged! You who would purchase my submission with profane gold!"

Lorroakan stares up at her, the whites showing in his eyes. All the confidence and casual scorn is gone; all that remains is the terror of prey caught in a trap. He knows at last, in this moment before his death, that - like Balthazar before him - he has tried to control something beyond mortal understanding, and that the retribution is inescapable.

She bends down, lifts him in her arms, hoists him above her head like a prizefighter with a trophy.

"Let every wicked magus, every vial murtherer, each slaver and misery-merchant see!" she bellows. Her voice echoes to the tower's rafters, resonates through the walls. "Dame Aylin is watching! She is indomitable! And when her face lights the shadows of your wrongdoing, you are broken by its beauty!"

Her arms swing downwards, dropping Lorroakan's body so his spine cracks across her knee. He goes limp, his eyes rolling back in his head, and when she lets him fall to the bloodsoaked carpet, he does not stir again.

Hector watches her in silence. He feels much as he did when he watched her wreak her vengeance upon Ketheric Thorm. This display of rage is unnecessary; Lorroakan was already dying. It is not pleasant or easy to watch, and he knows deep down that it is a reflection of the same hotheaded recklessness that Isobel worried about - a manifestation not of Selune's divinity but the aasimar's own battered, broken flesh and mind.

But he would no more find it in himself to stop her than Lorroakan could to control her. She is the child of his goddess, and she is safe. Lorroakan will not hurt her, or Rolan, or anyone else again. Perhaps that is enough.

-----

After a long, long silence, he takes a few steps forward, stands at her side wordlessly.

"The fire-haired fool is dead," she mutters. Her voice is ragged - and not just with exertion but emotion, as he has rarely heard from her before. "Yet as I stare upon his corpse, I feel... sadness. Why?"

She turns sharply to face him, silently demanding an answer.

Hector blinks, startled. That Aylin has spoken to him as an equal has always been mind-boggling enough to him. But now... she is asking him for advice. No-- for counsel. He, who rarely knows even how to manage his own emotions, being asked for help and insight by the centuries-old child of a goddess.

"What kind of sadness is it?" he asks cautiously.

She shakes her head uncertainly. "A gripping in the chest," she mutters. "As though I'd lost someone. Something."

A pause. Then she shakes herself. He recognizes the motion - the putting aside of the feelings too complicated to name or to voice, the forced control. "A paladin's fatigue, no doubt." Her voice lightens deliberately and she reaches out to put a hand on his shoulder. "You were excellent in battle, as is your way. And I am proud to fight at your side."

He inclines his head automatically in gratitude, but his eyes don't quite leave hers. In spite of her changing the subject, he knows that what she said was not arbitrary. And it matches with the concerns Isobel expressed. Aylin is tired, worn down and beaten by what she has been through, and she has not been given time to heal.

She is closer to human than god in this moment, he realizes suddenly. And he has treated her as more than either, and it is a disservice to her.

He reaches up, takes her hand from his shoulder and holds it in both of his firmly for a moment. Her eyebrows lift in an expression of mild surprise. Then she smiles slightly, her expression easing, and gives his hand an answering squeeze.(*)

"And you. Tiefling," she adds suddenly to Rolan, pulling her eyes away from Hector's. "You did not embarrass yourself."

Rolan doesn't look at her; his gaze is still fixed on his master's body on the floor.

Aylin waits. When she receives no response, she shrugs, lets out a heavy breath, and looks back to Hector again. "I will catch my breath," she says gravely. "Then to camp I will bring my bones. Moonmaiden be with you."

-----

* Artistic license. Just a lil growth moment. c:

[avelera]

I went back to my first truly harrowingly Evil Dark Urge playthrough to grab some screenshots and... got sucked back into playing lol. But the thing is, the most evilest ending has no epilogue and the "reject Bhaal at the last minute instead of at the temple" epilogue is ALSO fascinating and gut-wrenching and harrowing but what I really missed from both runs was getting to see the fruits of her egging everyone on to be their worst possible self, so...

I went back and decided to play it a little differently. I gave Aylin to Ketheric the first time (and then to Larroakan when we defeated him but she was seriously side-eying my evil Durge after, rightfully so, and Durge couldn't leave a powerful threat like that lying around obvs), which sadly loses you Shadowheart so this time I'm going with Dark Justiciar Shadowheart.

I was a little stumped on the RP for it at first, because Zenobia (my Dark Urge) was all about, "Jumping right back into the Dead Three plot from the moment she got even a smidge of memory back," which lent to her siding with Ketheric loyally and basically working with the bad guys at almost every opportunity (except for the very beginning where she was wrong-footed and out of her element so she built up allies by helping the tieflings while she got the lay of the land. She's a big believer in long-term pay off over short-term murderizing. Also, the sadistic pay-off for betrayal is so much greater than that of simply attacking right away.)

But then I decided... heck, let's groundhog day it. Let's go with the time loop or foreknowledge plot, everything I know, my Durge knows now.

Say she had a vision, or was reborn to this moment. She saw all the variations of what's to come. Saw what happens if she sides with her father. Sees what happens if she betrays him at the last moment to destroy the brain, which was a humiliation piled upon humiliation despite her long and faithful years of service.

And she is pissed.

It's starts when she gets chewed out for giving Isobel to Ketheric. She knows she's going to kill the priestess later but for now, this is a valuable tool in showing her trustworthiness to Ketheric, and Bhaal is mad at her?? Because she decided to delay her gratification in pursuit of the larger goal?? And then, then, Bhaal has the audacity to force her to try to kill her friend and former lover, Astarion, as punishment for using her intelligence to pursue the larger goal of the Dead Three plot with some level of cunning and forethought?

She was fucking outraged. Here she's been Bhaal's faithful child, chosen, general, and mortal mastermind for years and her father can't even trust her enough to allow her to exercise the bare minimum of strategy?

And from there, as I see it, Zenobia sees more and more instances of Bhaal just not fucking trusting her with carrying out this plot, which she knows in another lifetime she pulled of spectacularly, but which offered an empty, hollow victory of handing dancing puppets over to Bhaal, ruling in his name instead of her own.

And then, then while confronting Ketheric, Ketheric admits he always planned to betray his allies.

Oh she is seeing red now. Granted, all the Dead Three chosen were planning to betray each other, that's probably a given, except... Gortash wasn't. Gortash was faithful to the end if she was faithful to him. Minthara is faithful to the end. Her companions were.

So it's less that her new chance at life is making her "good" and more that it's showing her the valuable allies she tossed away, the more interesting world she could reside in, in favor of creating a world of mindless murder targets for her equally mindless, idiot father Bhaal. What an imbecile. What an insult that he doesn't give her the barest modicum of trust. What an insult that Ketheric bald-faced tells her that he would throw all of this aside for his own ends, because he's following his own idiot god.

Zenobia is seeing absolute red. Her plan still remains. She will help Gale ascend to godhood and leave the last of his soft-hearted scruples behind. She will help her former lover and friend, perhaps her first true friend, Astarion destroy his master and rise to become a powerful ally. She will deny her lover Minthara the easy win of a kingdom of thralls in favor of the more challenging but satisfying bloody return to the Underdark together. She will aid Shadowheart in becoming a Dark Justiciar. She will tear down each of Lae'zel's gods one by one, from helping to reveal Vlaakith's faithlessness to showing her even Orpheus can become what he despises most, a mindflayer. But now it is not to show them the supremacy of Bhaal but to show them they should cast down all gods. And this time, she will not hold herself separate, no, she will cast Bhaal from her life as well to pursue her own bloody ambitions in a world of true adversaries, not one populated by mindless thralls as he directed her but did not trust her to execute according to her own vision.

[disasterdrvid]

glad i got lae'zel back to fight larroakan bc she got an extra attack at level 12. she was first in initiative order so she did 6 attacks (including action surge) and insta killed the dickhead. she died within the first turn, but that helped dame aylin and rolan survive the fight (which they weren't able to on my first two attempts)

[vacantvisage]

my mental queue of fic ideas when I catch up on current WIPs:

Astarion drinks Cazador’s blood, becomes a true vampire, and uses magic to keep Cazador as his own. (“Oh, no, I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to hurt you. Forever.” removes his fangs, forces him to drink rat blood. etc)

Evil Bloodweave (Ascended!Astarion/Netherese!Gale) become tyrant power couple (its on my wip post but i still havent moved forward with it cries, i need to do Gale's quest and maybe do his origin)

Zevlor spit roasted by Halsin and Tav (Davenon, a Large war cleric tief)

Wyll/Zevlor before & after getting tadpoled (Wyll helps defend the tiefs from harm and ushers them to the grove for safety, gets captured by mindflayers, but his first thoughts when escaping arent about himself, theyre about finding zevlor and making sure the tieflings are alright)

Wyll/Yuta/Zevlor, they are so so so SO sweet together im going to cry. all three of them with "acts of service" personalities stemmed from trauma revolving around needing to be useful. Also Wyll is the youngest of the three. Zevlor gets TWO young hot boyfriends? hes going to have an aneurysm.

Wyll/Druid!Durge Primal Play — Durge is a "monster" and Wyll is the monster hunter. He placates the "beast" <3

Shadow/Zel invisibility potion fun (shadowheart is invisible while tantalizing zel. she tells zel if zel can catch her, she can do what she wants with her. teehee <3)

Gortash/Raphael trauma bonding (gortash is traumatized by raphael and hates his fucking guts, but cant help feel comforted by the familiarity of torture)

Rolan/Larroakan noncon, (Rolan puts up with Larroakan's beatings, but they escalate into sexual advances, "If you were a wizard of merit, you'd be able to stop me.")

Zevlor/Tav dubcon, (Tav tells Zevlor he’ll help save the tieflings for a price, Zevlor offers money, Tav wants his body. “You’ll do anything to save them, won’t you?”)