#mystra can fuck off actually :)

[eeldritchblast]

Me playing Early Access: Sounds like Gale just doesn't take no for an answer, I feel sorry for Mystra.

Me playing the Full Release: Gale sweetie honey listen to me. That bitch used you like a wet tissue and does not deserve your devotion. Gale sweetie honey listen to me. Fuck Mystra.

[warlordfelwinter]

oh mystra 100% made that summoning spell for gale only because she knew if rain was allowed on the same plane as her he'd immediately try to spin kick her

[in-fair-verona-we-set-our-scene]

Oh, so when Kelemvor sends the Faithless to the Wall to have their soul slowly and agonizingly absorbed into the mortar that traps them for eternity it is "necessary" and "important to the balance" but when I, a lich–

[prismalmelonman]

Touching on Gale, Wyll, and Halsin's traumas being a bit undermined in parts of the fandom

So one thing I notice on Twitter is how some people act about the bg3 characters whose abuses were perpetuated by women.

Gale specifically for this reason (but I will touch on others)bbecause I see him dismissed super often as "can't get over his ex".

But Gale's case obviously be has the line of Mystra being like "she was my muse, my teacher, and then my lover" and sure to some that's a red flag in itself (when it comes to adults I don't really give a fuck about teacher/student) but if you view it from not only Gale's own words "ive been connected with the weave for as long as i can remember"

And that doesn't distract from his genuine love of magic of course. And it also doesn't mean that he's actually been in connection with mystra for an amount of time.

However, if you ascend Gale, and he becomes a god, you get a bunch of new little things. Tara reminiscing of course, but you get a letter from Elminster, detailing that Mystra had Elminster scope out Gale when he was eight!

And sure is that pretty cool that he's a prodigy that got the attention of the goddess of magic at that age? Yes. Mystra is, however, known in forgotten Realms lore to seek young young boys who are in tune with magic to make into her chosen. And from context clues, her chosen can be anything from Elminster and Volo, dedicated wizards who try to keep things in check, etc etc. or they're somewhat of playthings to her.

Minsc also has a conversation where me mentions that weave-touched boys in his homeland were hidden away to hone their craft, then suspecting that it was because of Mystra, given Gale's case.

Gale always seems so proud that he got to bed a goddess, and on the surface, hell yeah, that's cool.

Gale continued to have her attention even as he went to Blackstaff Academy, and Mystra eventually did take him on as an apprentice directly to her, later making him her chosen, and sleeping with him.

The reason it bothers me that people dismiss all of Gale's stuff to just "he can't get over his ex" is because that's is like almost textbook grooming? She was in his life from a young age, shaping and moulding him up as he grew up to be her perfect chosen, rewarding him by sleeping with him, and so on. And then of course casting him away when he has his folly with the netherese orb (and to be fair, it very well could have looked like to her that he was trying to seize the power himself and yes the orb does siphon off weave. That is a problem for the mistress of the weave yes).

But she also tells gale to KILL HIMSELF for her forgiveness.

Gale is much more than "unable to be over his ex" this woman was in his life since he was a kid. She's almost all he has ever known. If course it's going to be difficult for him to 1. Say no to her. 2. Get over the fact that he's lost someone that he spent his literal entire life dedicated to. Honestly if asked, I don't even think Gale would acknowledge or really see that what he went through was, in fact, abuse until it was spelled out in front of him. (Which does happen somewhat with the player character pleading to him that killing himself for mystra's forgiveness is actually horrific and that he should in fact be angry for how he was treated)

Similarly, and this one has been discussed a lot, Wyll and Mizora. Wyll was 17 and actively trying to help his people. 17, in a vulnerable state, willing to do anything to help and prove himself. Mizora very clearly took advantage of him, and regards him as a "pet", refers to him being "leashed", and so on. Personally, I do dislike the sexualization of their relationship, because it very much is also grooming (although a different type. Rather than manipulating and shaping his life from the ground up, she takes advantage of a vulnerable and desperate state to manipulate and contract Wyll into doing her bidding. I won't go too deep I to this one because it has been discussed to hell and back. But I did wanna touch on Wyll's situation as well.

Also, Halsin as well, though that has also been discussed in many retrospectives by a very good friend of mine. Halsin's trauma often get dismissed due to his polyamory, open sexual nature, and his own somewhat diminishing/dismissal of it, which honestly I love the representation of, cause for a while I did that with my own trauma. Halsin was a sex slave to a house of Lolth-Sworn drow, a matriarchal society, where the men are generally used as fodder or for breeding, though male Lolth-Sworn drow can be wizards and rise in the ranks if wizardry, but are limited everywhere else. (Minthara mentions that the third male, and every subsequent male child after third are killed for being"useless"). Halsin often referred to them as "hosts" rather than being captors, (though he does touch on that if the Player Character threatens to sell him back into slavery). Again, everything I'd have to say here for Halsin has entirely been discussed top to bottom by a friend, their link is below!!

Anyway, long story short, I dislike it a lot when Gale, Wyll, and Halsin's traumas and abuses get diminished, even if/when the character themself doesn't see or acknowledge the abuse in the same lens that we, the players, do.

[crazy-lazy-elder-sims]

To the people that say they hate Gale Dekarios of waterdeep Because he isn't over his ex and he keeps bringing her up, being hung up on his lines comparing you to her and saying ur superior, always mentioning her

Ex. "I love you, much more than myself, more even than mystra, "

Putting aside all the toxic relationship talk and the grooming debate, are you guys aware of what he is actually saying? when he says you put mystra to shame and you make him forget her? What does he actually mean? The magnitude of his words?

MYSTRA IS MORE THAN HIS EX SHE IS HIS GOD !

Yes He is literally telling you "when im with you i forget the god i worship" every time he talks about mystra its not just an ex to him its his god ....

Like are you guys aware of the magnitude of that?

The fact that if you do the weave magic sex insane wizard scene its literally in front of his god that has asked for complete devotion from him yet he is so fucking bold to do that "right in the palm of mystra" FULLY KNOWING THAT?

Man idk about yall but to me gale is the boldest craziest bitch of them all like its not even that hidden with his story line, his insane measures he took to try to prove himself , the multiple remarks and comments , him telling you in front of everyone that he wants to have sex with you right out of battle, not hesitating to threaten to incinerate Astarion with a smile on his face to protect you, him not hesitating to give his all with no fear in love and demanding the same type of love and devotion (this is all said in a positive light btw) but to top this all off he is also indirectly telling you he has abandoned his god for you .... The god that gave him his magic.... AND despite all that he is still the gentle loving kind wise strategic guy we know and love so ...

Come on now how can you call this guy half of the shit the haters say about him he is so complex and real full of contradictions and just written SO well

Sigh can you tell he is my fav blorbo lmao

Here have some pics with his romance quotes to remind you how devoted he is to you

[tumbleweed-run]

I have so many thoughts about Gale and sex... just so many. Especially when you stop and realize that it's unlikely that he and Mystra actually were in a bed for much of their intimate relationship. I think the reason he offers you the astral sea is because that's what he's used to, what he's currently most comfortable with.

But boy, does he give hints that he wants it down and dirty (literally) but first and foremost? The fact that he is a self-proclaimed munch enthusiast.

(nsfw below)

Gale is down to go down anywhere anytime? Oh you guys are stealing away for 10 minutes while the rest of your group does something else (and ABSOLUTELY knows what you two are doing)? Guess where Gale is?

That's right, between your thighs. No time for that? Yes there is.

He'll make time.

He'll make time to gently kiss your thighs even though you're pants are barely pulled down to your knees. He's got time for gentle nips and deeper ones that leave the tiniest bruises that will send little pangs of reminders every time your thighs brush together for the next few days.

He's nudging you open, first with his nose and then his tongue. Tasting, teasing. It doesn't matter that you've got places to be. You're going to be a mess once he's done. His beard is rubbing against your thighs, the friction not entirely pleasant, especially since you're still trapped by your pants. But you're not going to stop him because he's grabbed hold of your hips and lifted you just enough he can now fuck you gently with his tongue.

Slowly alternating between tracing maddening circles around your clit and pressing just the tip of his tongue into you. Over and over. Ignoring how your thighs tighten around his head and you're grabbing his hair. Trying to push him closer? Maybe away? You're not sure because you can barely breathe let alone think, little moans punctuating every exhale.

You're trying to be quiet.

But by now he's finally, finally, paying attention to your clit. Flicking it gently. You jump, the sensation like a lightning bolt, hands still gripped in his hair you pull him away. Not on purpose, now you definitely realize that's not what you wanted.

You consider for a second pressing him back against you but he holds his head still and stares up at you. Both asking if this is okay and tormenting you with the sudden nothingness. His eyes are so impossibly dark right now and you're not sure if its the lighting or lust.

Ever so slowly, holding your gaze for as long as possible he leans back in.

There's no teasing this time. His tongue, lips, and teeth find your clit with astonishing accuracy. Between you're high-pitched keening, barely able to keep yourself to a reasonable level, silence long forgotten, you can just barely make out his own moans. As if letting him feast on you like this is just as good for him as it is for you.

It's more than enough to push you over the edge, your release hitting you so violently you don't feel the back of your head collide with the wall when you throw it back. Your grip in his hair so tight, pressing him further into you... as if that were possible any more.

He's still there, between your thighs, as you come down off your high. Lazily licking, tasting everything. When he stands, he gently keeps a hand on your hips to steady you, the other awkwardly attempting to wrestle your pants back up. You realize his beard is still coated in you but he doesn't seem to mind. Doesn't even seem interest in his erection pressing obscenely against his pants.

There's a moment of soft giggles when he playfully grabs your tunic from beneath your armor and rubs it across his beard, wiping away the obvious remnants of your orgasm. But he makes no moves to clean it further, not just yet. And every time he comes within a few feet of anyone else you pray and hope they can't tell.

[escaped-goat]

My Tav, Grabbing Gale by the collar: "No, Gale. Don't take off the earring.

I want you to wear the symbol of your ex so she can hear how hard I fuck my whole heart into you, then wonder why you're callin my name and not hers like a prayer out in the wilds.

Let Mystra hear what it's like to actually be worshipped by you."

Gale: *gives a shaky thumbs up*

---Draft snippet from a fic I'm writing---

(Art incoming of my Tav who did said smashing in the wilds. Eventually. I have so much work to do. Wish me luck).

[avocado-writing]

good boy

notes: my mate M put this idea in my head. this is her fault. pairing: gale x f!reader (sub!gale, dom!reader; praise kink; mummy kink)

rating: E

Gale has been dealt an unnecessarily unfair hand in the card game of life, you think. 

Having a tumultuous relationship with a goddess is one thing, getting a bloody magic bomb sealed into your chest is quite another. And all on top of being infected with that damned tadpole?

Well. Those sorts of things can really grind a man’s self esteem down. 

You can see that he tries to paint over it with his erudite speech, using fifteen words where he could use one to trick his listener into believing he holds a sense of grandeur about himself—but you know how to look for the subtler signs. The way he casts his eyes down whenever you give him a fond word, flinching ever so slightly when someone reaches out to touch him in kindness. 

Deep down, the man does not believe he deserves to be treated well. 

You are trying to correct that in every way you know how. 

“That’s it… aren’t you gorgeous, Gale? Such a good boy for me…”

“Unf… I…”

You can tell he’s trying to think of something clever or witty to say. From where you ride him, you press a finger down onto his lips to corral him to silence. It works, and as his mouth slips open you let your thumb slide against his tongue so he can suck it. 

Gods he is gorgeous. Chestnut, silver-streaked hair fanned out like a halo against the velvet of his pillows, a soft sheen of sweat dripping down him to give away the rigour you’ve been putting his body through. You made a point to apply your reddest lipstick so you could leave a trail of your adoration on him. Marks are pressed along his jawbone, down his neck, across his collarbone and chest; he is a masterpiece of debauchery. 

“You’re so beautiful like this, Gale. So beautiful all the time, dancing across the battlefield while you weave your magic… such clever hands, darling, so lovely…”

Those hands are currently settled on your hips, holding you tightly as you fuck him. With each word of praise you feel his cock twitch inside you. It’s nice to know what you can do to him, how wild you can drive him. As wild as he drives you. 

A grind down of your pelvis, pressing your clit into the rough hair at the base of him and grinning as he moans. 

“Tell me you’re my good boy, Gale. I want to hear it from your pretty mouth.”

What happens next is in a tumble of words, so fast you don’t properly catch it for a moment. 

“I’m—fuck—I’m your good boy, mummy!”

He freezes. You pause in your riding. His eyes snap open from where they were squeezed shut in rapture. The flush of pink across his skin is now no longer from lust, but shame, and he realises he has made a mistake in voicing that out loud. 

“Gods. My deepest apologies, I never… didn’t mean to… we should have discussed this first, beforehand, I’m utterly horrified that… I’m sorry—!”

You reach down and silence his panic with a long, tender kiss, rolling your tongue across his. When you pull back, he’s returned to looking blissed-out rather than concerned. 

“‘Mummy’, is it?” you ask, mouth ticking upwards into a rather pleased smirk. “Well, darling boy. Mummy is very glad you know how good you are. How handsome and clever and wonderful.”

“Oh…” he whimpers, actually whimpers, and you know he won’t last long like this. You go back to riding him in earnest, fucking him until all he can do is gasp, and press one of your hands down across that mark on his chest, obscuring it beneath your touch. 

He is not Mystra’s. He is yours. 

“Come for mummy, you beautiful boy.”

Gale comes so hard you’re worried that he passes out for a second. His hips stutter beneath yours as hot jets fill you up, bringing you over the edge with him, the cocktail of the two of you leaking back down his length obscenely. 

He falls back and tries to catch his breath as you slowly pull off of him, grabbing the wet cloth you brought bedside earlier and gently wiping him down. The coolness makes him sigh in delight and he nuzzles into your touch, gulping down water gratefully when you bring a cup to his lips. 

“Are you alright, my love?” you ask gently, the rougher edge of your voice gone, giving away to something soft and caring. He nods and meets your eyes with his warm, adoring gaze. 

“Yes, my heart. Better than ever. And… I really didn’t mean to… I know we were swept up in the moment but if you’re not comfortable with it then you absolutely never have to…”

Another kiss. Less dominant, more reassuring. He hums delightedly into this one. 

“Whatever you need me to give you, my love,” you tell him. He melts into your arms, safe and loved. 

taglist: @ghosti02art @sadandanxiouswtf @yeethaw13 @trappedinlimbo15 @infinitely-kate@dhampling (lmk if you want to be added!)

[blkgirl-writing]

I love your touch starved Gale so much 😭❤️ honestly it's so tender and yum haha

Do you have an A-Z/Alphabet NSFW thing for Gale??? 🙏

I do now!!! I totally forgot abut Alphabet stuff, if ya'll want one for every character let me know, I'm working on Astarion right now!

Gale Dekarios NSFW alphabet (x reader)

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Gale is kind and caring, he will always make sure you get what you need before he really relaxes. Sex isn't over for him until you're taken care of, aftercare is a part of the sexual experience to him.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Creampie every time, though after eating you out he has stopped to cum on your thighs.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self-explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Not that much of a secret since anyone who looked at his underwear knows, it's self jerk off underwear. Honestly I think he's used them during battle when you look extra hot. Trying really hard not to show that he's pleasuring himself.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Gale is fairly experenced, having a few mortal hookups/relationships and obviously a long fling with Mystra that left him a bit sexually traumatized (and generally very traumatized). He's had enough sex to know what he wants but still open to try new things.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Side fucking is his favorite for sure, it's easy to get away with while camping with the others as well. Also plowing you from behind while you lay on your stomach is a favorite, as he can kiss your neck or hold down your waist.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

Very serious. Once he gets in that mood there's no getting him out of it.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

He's trimmed for your pleasure, otherwise he'd definitely just forget.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Gale is a great mix of romantic, passionate, and filthy. Everything does hand in hand very well, he can absolutely run a train through you in astral protections with gangbanging you with literally just clones of himself, but he will still whisper sweet and romantic things, still check if you need to stop or if anything is too much.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Gale cry jerks like all the time lmao. Guilty masturbation is something he has mastered. Thinking about you before you get sexually involved? he will feel guilty.

How he jerks off is two different ways. The only way he can really cum is by grinding on something, his hand, the bed, his enchanted underwear, etc... But he doesn't need to cum. So he also jerks off with his hand behind the rocks near the beach in act 1s camp.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

This is gonna be a hear-me-out kind of situation.

Semi public sex kink. in front of windows, on balconies, middle of the forrest, etc.

lil bit of a jealousy thing, leaves hickies on your neck to show that ya'll fuck good.

he wouldn't do anything to harm you, so anything thats too 'harsh" is a no no for Gale.

thigh fucking kink?

sweaty kink?? cause battling? that whole speech was one of the most sexually charged things I have read.

lil bit of a breeding kink, not with actually getting pregnant, but definitely the deep creampies and keeping his cum in you.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Gale cannot WAIT to fuck you in every single inch of his tower. Whenever he pictures fucking you, he pictures you in his home. It's kinda romantic.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Honestly, any glance at you will get him going. Like an instant hard on. If he looks at you too long, boner. if he looks at your thighs or butt? Boner. Slightly low cut top? Boner. Battling? Boner.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

He would never do anything to hurt you, the most he'd do is wax play.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Giving. This man GIVES. He fucks to serve. He wants your pleasure, he doesn't cum til you do, no matter what. If that means he won't cum, then he won't cum. If he could spend all day between your legs he would.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Sensual but fast and hard. This man pounds.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

He hadn't ever been able to not last a while before you, now, he can actually do quickies, which infatuates him for a while so you have a lot of quickies for a time. But usually everything lasts an hour or so.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Gale is down to try just about anything you'd want, but he definitely already knows what he likes most.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Shockingly he can go for awhile. He will need to just lay for a while because he definitely isn't made for long sessions, he just ignores his knee and back pain for you until he absolutely can't.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

We all know he will, can, and has used magic hand during sex. Does copies of him count as toys as well?

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Gale isn't one to tease much. Verbally, sometimes, yes, telling you how hot you are, how good you look, etc, while having no time to slip away to fuck.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

I feel like Mystra wanted him silent, so he's working on getting more vocal during sex. But he doesn't moan loudly, sometimes whimpers or gasps.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Gale absolutely reads smut. We know this kinda from his diagram books basically, but I think he has a whole bookshelf dedicated to smut. His favorite being wlw.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Said this before but honestly? I watched something and that dick that was shown just screamed Gale to me, so I'm revising my HC and saying Gale is 7 inches, girthy, and curved upwards and slightly to the left, it absolutely fucks. Like tied with best dick of the group, tied with Wyll and his ribbed cock.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Gales sex drive is very dependant on you. If he's thinking about you or around you? very high. On his own? slightly above average.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Depends. After a long fuck, literally instantly after he checks to see if you need anything. after astral fucking he feels energized, after a quickie he feels a bit tired but fine overall.

-

-

@shyminnie07 @makers-breath @claryvoyantfray @black-sapphic @fapqueen

(Consider supporting me on Ko-fi)

[astarionsilverbough]

One of Astarion’s favorite things also happens to be one of his least favorite things: as a high elf, he has the seemingly-hollow bones of his kind, and thus is already remarkably easy to lift off his feet.

For someone like Halsin, his weight is almost negligible. The elf can hoist Astarion up in the crook of one arm. It’s ridiculously annoying, considering the man is already obscenely adept at sweeping him off his feet every other way one could be.

And while this may be a boon when it comes to, oh, say, being fucked against the wall, it’s the ultimate curse in times such as -

“I’m sorry - what did you just say? You want him to do what?”

The words are dripping with poison.

“Astarion,” Gale says warningly; “ ‘tis not what I want, dear fellow,” Elminster says somberly, “but it is what our goddess has commanded. Gale, my boy, if there were any other way, I’m certain Mystra would -“

“She’s a goddess,” Astarion says venomously, “can she not create a way? Are any of the gods actually bloody useful? Why don’t you run back to your little divine kennel-master and tell her that we’d like to chat? Hm?”

He prowls forward. Elminster watches him like a particularly fascinating cat.

“Astarion,” Gale says again, a little more urgently this time, but before the mage can move to put himself between the elder wizard and his overprotective best friend (who would absolutely recoil at the term), a big shadow appears behind the vampire.

He’s hoisted up and off his feet as if he’s nothing more than a sack of feathers. A yelp leaps from his chest and Astarion’s legs flail for a moment before he’s thrown (!) over Halsin’s shoulder like some sort of damsel in bloody distress. The former Archdruid gives Elminster a nod of, of solidarity or some other such thing and then turns on his heel to ferry his charge away.

“Halsin! You fucking brute, you put me down!”

“We had an agreement, wolf,” Halsin says, utterly unfazed by Astarion’s squirming; his hold is firm, and normally Astarion might be thrilled by it but currently, he’s quite irked. “I get to pick you up only when you’re about to turn a situation into a battle you can’t win.”

Astarion scoffs, offended. “I could win!” he says incredulously. “I absolutely could! Look at how brittle and, and leathery that old sod is!”

Halsin chuckles. Chuckles!

“That better’ve been a cough, Halsin,” Astarion says dangerously.

Halsin pats his behind. “Of course, love. Of course it was.”

“Oh, you wretch.”

“You always speak so sweetly to me, little star.”

“You infuriate me.”

“And I’ll always be here to make sure you stay alive to be infuriated by me.”

Astarion huffs. Halsin shoulders into their tent and bows to gently toss him down onto their shared cot. The foolish butterflies in Astarion’s stomach are sent into a frenzy.

Alright. So perhaps even when it’s his least favorite thing, it’s still his favorite thing, being so feather-light that Halsin can pick him up and toss him about like it’s nothing.

He won’t ever be admitting it to Halsin, of course. He has appearances to keep up, after all.

(He doesn’t need to. Halsin still knows.)

[leiflitter]

So, Mystra-

The more I think about her, the more I want to egg all of her statues, because I am honestly convinced that she's likely way more embroiled in Gale's fall from favour than she seems- and that she likely never cared for him in any meaningful sense.

This is gonna be long, gang.

Also I am 1000% up for screaming about Gale/forming an anti-Mystra union so y'know let's be pals

My thoughts are thus:

She has likely always known about his potential and capability of power. He was a child prodigy, after all- and she's a GODDESS. From the first time he truly used the weave, he was on her radar.

This also makes Gale's relationship with Elminster seem too convenient. As much potential as Gale demonstrates, it's also important to remember that Elminster is Mystra's chosen- and Mystra's chosen are often tasked with upholding and protecting balance in the weave. There are countless wizards that Elminster could mentor- so why Gale specifically?

The same is true of Gale's magical education. I've seen plenty of speculation about his possible potential as a sorcerer, and there's a lot of questions around the circumstances of him entering the Blackstaff Academy- as well as a confirmation of his power when he, a little baby trainee wizard, uses The Actual Blackstaff to cast a spell.

As an aside, Gale's little story about his misadventure with The Blackstaff is especially scary when taking into account that the staff is very devious, and it's primary purpose is to protect Waterdeep- although this is again speculation, I don't think the portal to limbo was just the spell going very, very wonky. I think the Staff, sensing Gale's ability and (through the very clear context clues of him using the fucking staff that you normally would need to attune to and that belongs to the top fancy wizard in waterdeep) his ambition, decided that he was clearly a potential threat that might be better off being quietly removed via Death Slaad.

We also know of at least one story of a young, powerful wizard who, y'know, led to the death of Mystryl and the loss of all magic- in part because he lacked the discipline that he should have learned at Wizard School.

So Gale comes along. Karsus 2.0- he's back, he's human and- most importantly- he's lonely.

How better to neutralise him as a threat than to make him loyal to her? Why would she cast aside a possible asset when she could use him?

The main problem with her plan is Gale himself. She can get him into wizard school. She can get Elminster to mentor him. She can make sure that Gale gets the best magical education, so hopefully he will be content and settle for being an archmage.

She can't, however, account for Gale's brain. Let's be honest, Gale is neurodivergent as fuck, and magic is his number one special interest. He was never going to be content to enjoy magic a "normal" amount, so no matter how many hours he may spend being taught about how great Mystra is and how the limits she sets are to be respected... he won't stop learning, growing more powerful, becoming more and more of a threat to her.

So how does she cement his loyalty? By getting personal. This is why him being isolated is important- it gives her an advantage. She can be number one without any effort. If he has an actual bond to her, not just the concept of her, then he won't be dangerous. Except, again, she's assuming that he'll be like so many other mortals and be so awed by her presence that he'll finally be satisfied. But he isn't.

Why the fuck would a goddess take someone so clearly, deeply intense about magic into her personal realm? Why would she show him all the power he would never be able to access?

Because, to her, he's just a mortal. There has to be a point in which he'll either be sated or he'll realise his limits and give up, because he's just an extremely powerful ant in comparison to her. Mystra has never considered getting to know Gale. If she had, she'd have realised that doing the grand tour of All The Magic You Can't Ever Do was a huge mistake. That making herself the focal point of his entire existence was an absolutely dogshit move.

Gale throws himself so hard into Being Mystra's Best Boy because he has nothing outside of magic other than his mother. He summoned his best friend, and he admits that he has colleagues and acquaintances, but nothing much else. He and Elminster clearly care for each other, but it's clear that Mystra's placed barriers between them- and even if they were able to be best buds and make friendship bracelets, together, they're at vastly different stages of life.

It's also likely that Mystra's interest in him led to his isolation. He has been marked as Special- the old gifted child problem where him being So Smart So Magic meant he bypassed the social side of things.

So of course he wants to prove himself, to impress her- his entire metric for his self-worth is Being A Wizard. He says he's bumped uglies with mortals before- but he doesn't mention anyone specifically. And, let's be frank, the man has a case of foot-in-mouth syndrome- if he had any meaningful romantic experience before Mystra, you know he'd have brought it up at least once. "Ah, autumncrocus- back in my apprentice days I picked a bunch for the object of my youthful affections. Unfortunately I hadn't realised they were allergic- but they certainly appreciated the gesture, if you catch my implication... Once they stopped sneezing, of course."

She becomes his whole world. He wants so desperately to be on her level, to be what he thinks she deserves- and yes, it was incredibly stupid of him. However, what the fuck was Mystra doing?

Throughout BG3, high approval Gale is actually incredibly receptive if you tell him not to persue power. Yes, his earlier mistakes may play into this, but I find it hard to believe that he'd be any less receptive to Mystra.

To quote- "I pouted. I pleaded. I swore my ambition was only to serve her better. But she only smiled and told me to be contented."

So, then, why did Mystra not actually engage with Gale on this?

Because she never cared about him.

She tried all the options she thought would work on a mortal, and when they were done she didn't consider trying anything else. She never knew him well enough to understand his motivations- he should have been satisfied with Magic Sex because surely any mortal would be. She couldn't even consider that his love wasn't just him liking the company and getting laid, that he'd still want to prove himself to her. To be worthy of the Mystra she'd let him believe in.

And when he fucked up- if she had helped him, even in a tiny way, then she'd have achieved her goal. Imagine if he'd come to her, agonised by the dark magic within him, and she'd been merciful. The way you would be, if you loved someone. If she had actually known Gale? She'd have done it.

But Mystra doesn't see it as an act of love gone wrong. To Mystra, it's proof that she can't control him, that his potential isn't worth whatever effort she'd need to put in.

She abandons him to die- expects him to go on a pilgramage into the wilderness and just go boom.

When he doesn't? She decides that, fine, she'll deal with it- by sending Elminster to tell Gale the good news! She'll "forgive" him if he detonates himself, honest! He trusts Elminster, Elminster's a father figure to him, he'll do what Elminster tells him. Except that's another example of her not understanding Gale in the slightest. Instead of hope, she's rubbing salt in his wounds- she's flexing her power and showing Gale that his bond with Elminster was always conditional on Mystra's approval, and that Elminster's loyalty lies with her.

No wonder Elminster sent a construct- it's the closest thing he can do that isn't abject refusal.

I am gonna stop rambling now but in conclusion:

Mystra, you absolutely suck. Get wrecked. I hope Bhaal shits in your pocket dimension.

[zoloteh-volossya]

Some Thoughts on Minthara

A repeating theme of all of the Origin companions is that what they think they want at the beginning of the game is a result of their fucked up pasts and is ultimately bad for them. Shadowheart wants to be a DJ, but that cuts her off from the potential to grow beyond Shar and loss. Lae'zel wants to Ascend, which would obliterate her in her entirety. Karlach would rather die than go back to hell, but dying cuts off the potential continued life she may find thanks to that Infernal Forge. Astarion wants to Ascend, which locks him into a cycle of violence, power, and fear. Gale has two failures of goals - first to kill himself for Mystra's forgiveness, then to Ascend (which hollows him out of all the originally noble intentions he had going into it). Wyll wants to serve, no matter what the cost to himself - which would lead him to stay pacted to Mizora when freedom beckons.

All of these initial goals stem from the environments/abuses that the companions are coming from. And they're all understandable! But they're unhealthy and/or maladaptive, and so in order for every Origin companion to get to their best/happiest ending they need to change and grow away from what they initially thought they wanted due to the influence of their pasts and personal flaws.

Minthara, when we meet her under her own free will, has abandoned Lolth but not her attitudes. She seeks love, yes, but also seeks any sort of power she can get her hands on with a desperation borne of fear. She cares deeply for Karlach and Lae'zel and reluctantly for Astarion, Shart, and Gale, but is willing to enslave them all as she herself was enslaved if it makes her Top Dog. Her ideal ending is codependent evil power couple with you, controlling the brain - and I think that's her 'bad' ending, akin to Ascended Astarion or DJ Shart.

Basically, I think there’s two sides to her. There's the side that desires genuine connections and is willing to go to hell for Karlach even if unromanced... and the side that chases power even if it means doing things like enslaving Karlach. She wants purpose (per her dialogue upon leaving Moonrise), a home and friends (per her dialogue when leaving the party), and protection (per her dialogues with the player). I think if she was able to obtain those things through sources other than trying to conquer Menzoberranzan/the Sword Coast she might be able to express the former side of herself more.

We see a bit of that in her Karlach romance, where she throws aside all concerns of seeking power to go to hell for her girlfriend. She doesn't talk of conquering or ruling Avernus - her focus is purely on vengeance for Karlach. It's an interesting reevaluation of her priorities and also why I like her pairing with Karlach so much.

As a side character, she doesn't get a questline and arc like the Origin companions get. But I think that it is notable that her happiest ending seems to be staying in Baldur's Gate. In her epilogue dialogue with Origin!Lae'zel she confesses that she is not happy if she pursues reconquering Menzoberranzan, and harbors doubts about her ability to succeed.

Because ultimately - as Ascended Astarion shows - pursuing power and conquest does not actually make you happier or safer. It just means a life dominated by fear. Lolth's treatment of the drow - and thus the drow treatment of each other - has been compared by writers of canon D&D novels to an abusive relationship. And like so many other survivors of abuse, Minthy is out of the immediate situation but still carries that way of thinking worn into her psyche, like ruts in a road.

She’ll never be “nice” or even necessarily “good,” but I’d like to think that over time, in the right environment, she can leave behind most of the self destructive power seeking of the Lolthite mindset. Move on from the toxic patterns of her past, as the Origin companions get to do in game.

[pastrydragon]

Ok but Gale and Rolan

Like Rolan is a pretty popular character, people seem to really like him and write a lot of fan fiction about him. And obviously a lot of people love Gale too he's one of the main companions.

So why do I not see them shipped together?

Like the way Rolan talks about Lorraokan before he actually meets the fuck it feels like he kinda has a crush on him, like a little celebrity crush. So we know that Rolan is partial to what he thought Lorraokan was: A brilliant and ambitious wizard who's generous with his arcane knowledge.

And Gale very much ticks all those boxes. He was enough of a magical prodigy to be Mystra's chosen, he had a solid plan to become a GOD and the very first thing he does to try to romance you is teach you some magic.

You can't tell me Rolan wouldn't be following the party around in the tower after the battle, see Gale being king nerd very casually explaining stuff Lorrakaon didn't even vaguely understand and not go:

"Oh."

And with how many times Gale has proven to be a good person by saving the teiflings over and over, Rolan could absolutely mentally gloss over the whole "What if I used the crown of Karsus to become a god?" thing.

And I mean, Rolan could absolutely pull Gale. We know from playing the game that it is not hard to seduce Gale, to the point it's kind of annoying. Post game Rolan could just invite Gale over to look at "This fascinating new tome some adventurers sold me that was recovered from a shipwreck/ancient temple/dragon's hoard! And we haven't talked in so long, please stay for a glass of wine. Oh you write poetry? Tell me more. <3" And he's fucking genuine about wanting to hear the poetry because of course that nerd would.

Like it's not rocket science, honestly it ain't even algebra. I'd give it like 3 months tops before Rolan is bragging about his "BOYFRIEND who is a professor at BLACKSTAFF ACADEMY and did I mention he's adorable?" And he just keeps finding new things about Gale to gush about to the point Cal and Lia start to consider pushing off the roof of the tower just to get him to shut up.

Gale would also be perfectly happy in the relationship, like he really just wants someone who supports him and is a good person maybe? As a treat? And Rolan has shown to be a little heroic himself, protecting orphans, trying to rescue his family single handed and fighting with you against Lorraokan if his spirit isn't totally broken. He can even bridal carry Gale to safety with his 12 str. No really he has 12 strength, you can google it.

Like it's not the OTP to end all OTPs but it's cute. And I'm just confuzzled on why there's barely anything with these two.

[egginround]

Thaw

Gale wrestles insecurity in an intimate moment with Tav. Gale x GN!Reader - CW: None.

For all his flowery words, Gale feels tongue-tied when you're near. Even the traitorous air from his lungs rushes out to greet you as you step into his tent, a bright shine in your eyes as if he's ever earned the right to be looked at like that. A phantom of a touch as you brush the wisps of hair from his face, a startingly natural slip of your hand into his. Not even his endless years of study could catalogue the swell of magic in his blood - it's moments like these that have him spellbound.

Your hands leave a delicious trail of warmth up his skin. His shoulders, his arms, the sides of his body. Not one inch is left untouched, not under your curious hands. As the two of you lie together, a sinking chill starts to frost over in his mind, a nagging guilt that claws into the back of his head. He takes a shuddering breath and wrestles it down as your touches whisper over him. A voice hissing sick poison - telling him he has done nothing to earn this, that you will leave at his next mistake - floods into his thoughts. His breathing quickens but not for pleasure. As his eyes dart across the tent, hands starting to tremble as if to cast Misty Step, he feels ready to escape - and yet he can't.

It is impossible to tear his gaze from yours once you see him.

Shivers dot the back of his neck, but still he cannot look away. All the brilliance of the morning dawn could not compare to the way you peer up at him. Your gaze seems to burn his very soul - past the bravado, the confidence. The heat radiating off your palms sinks deep into his chest, flooding his every vein, and threatens to choke him as it washes up his throat. His tongue, usually well-practised from his propensity towards verbosity, suddenly feels large and foolish in his mouth as he struggles to free a coherent sentence. He can only hold your hand to his chest just as he did all those months ago. It feels poetic in some way. Again, he is at your mercy, pleading, desperate, aching for you to understand him in a way he cannot trust himself to say.

He hopes that somehow you will understand the depth of his feelings for you. Even the Astral Plane seems insufficient. Shifting, you slide into a more comfortable position and lay across him, your cheek resting on his shoulder as if his orb doesn't thrum a stuttering beat. As if your fingertips would not melt away his sickening mortal flesh, and there he would lay - stripped to mere bone and gasping for breath all the same.

The same fingertips reach to tease the wrinkles from his brow, and he snaps out of his reverie. They tangle themselves in his hair before tracing a near-scorching path down his cheek, ghosting over the corner of his lips and oh, it must certainly be the orb that lurches so in his chest. Again, he endeavours to loosen a word from his lips, but - ever the tactician - you read him before he has the chance.

As Mystra's Chosen, Gale had tasted the highs and lows of all the Weave could offer. The electrifying sensation of power, the soul-piercing loneliness without it. The endless weeks where he locked himself away has left him brittle as ice when confronted with the mortifying idea of being known to another. So much of his heart has wasted away in his chase for the cold wisps of Mystra's perfect favour.

He grunts as your nails accidently scratch his skin, the pain bringing him back to the moment, and your cheeks faintly colour in embarrassment. A hoarse chuckle is all he can let out as he finally reaches out to you fully. He thinks he'll take the blistering warmth of your mortal touch any day.

Author Notes: I thought it'd be interesting to write a Gale situation where he doesn't fucking talk LOL. Much love for our rizzard (who i am convinced is actually a sorceror ahaha) - maybe one day I'll write something actually happening instead of lovesick fools. I might expand this when I post on ao3 hmmm.

[static-sulker]

Okay, so I’ve been drawing an unholy amount of blood weave in between my homework recently that has given me a new headcanon. Gale cannot stop himself from infodumping or over explaining about literally anything. Like, not even JUST magic. It could be about like migration patterns of like hook horrors. He can does this for a WHILE if hes not interrupted. He especially does this about his times with Mystra and does NOT have a filter. He also struggles to think internally at times about things, leaving him to mutter constantly if needed. The responses are normally mixed when hes in speech mode. Astarion? hates it. But it grows on him after awhile. Like, first few days of camp, he gets pulled into a deep rooted explanation of conjuration magic and its benefits. He practically tunes him out the moment he starts talking. Mainly from constant practice of just letting people talk themselves into his charms back when he was still a slave to Cazador. But as time progresses, he finds himself actually seeking out Gale for "One of your silly history lessons" during a long rest. It's comforting enough to keep his mind off of things. This is one of the many things that make Astarion start to fall for Gale. Full stop.

Karlach LOVES it in the way a child likes talking with a parent about adult topics. She has NO idea what he is saying at times, very few topics actually giving her some background grasp on it, but she is happy to lend an ear when he needs to speak out his thought process. She originally begins to do this in order to get him more comfortable, seeming to be a bit out of his element. She doubles down when she finds out about the orb (especially during the first week or so after Elminster

Lae'zel thinks its fucking stupid for about 80% of act 1. Just a weird human not knowing when to shut up. That IS until she finds herself on the end of a ramble about old battles against elves and dwarves long before the events of most of their lives (he had to study it when he was an apprentice) and Lae'zel finally gets to sink her teeth (haha Astarion moment) onto a conversation about old war tactics.

Shadowheart finds it a bit strange, but never intrudes. She is a good listener and knows when and where she should speak off somebody when they get to have their big talks. She is the kind to at most play a devils advocate for his debate styled moments, just to keep his brain pumping. Gale lives for that type of shit. So Shadowheart lets him have it. In summary? Gale Dekarios would be the one who would make slideshows about his hyperfixations and present them to his roommates.

[professor-medeus]

I know lots of people like to head canon Gale's family isn't actually that large, even though he says it is, because he doesn't really give off "big extended family" vibes, but consider the much more likely option: he's not very close to them.

He was scouted at 8 to be a potential Chosen for Mystra. 8 years old. Imagine how much damage that does to a child's psyche. They are expected to live up to unrealistic expectations but are also so superior at 8 that they are better than near everyone else. What cousin is gonna want to spend a holiday around the 8 year old who thinks he is sooo much better than everyone else (but then also cries when something goes wrong)? The cousin who is clearly hiding ocean-deep insecurities behind a cocky facade that never drops? Those cousins are fucking annoying.

And I imagine too that as he got older and more devoted to his studies and Msytra officially deemed him a Chosen (and then continued him grooming well beyond that), that he didn't spend much time with his family. Of course he would spend plenty of time with his mother, but his mother also didn't let him not spend time with her. Damn all the Gods if she is gonna let her kid be whisked away by some Goddess who has clearly been keeping her son under heel - not actually allowing him to grow and flourish.

I imagine now that the orb is gone, that he is no longer a Chosen, and that he may (or may not be, doesn't really matter) settling down with someone, he reconnects with his extended family. He finally sees them again after over a decade, maybe even two (he is in his forties I don't give a fuck what weird ass content said 35). He meets all his cousins' kids and partners and pets and visits all of their houses and hosts them for holidays at his tower almost every time.

(and, to be a little more sweet with it, his adventuring family also gets pulled into his bio family. Astarion, Shadowheart, and Karlach (heart got fixed no one can tell me otherwise) are permanent fixtures at family functions, even when Gale cannot attend. Halsin, Jaheira, and Minsc are not quite as permanent, though they still come regularly. Wyll and Minthara come on occasion - they're busy people after all. Lae'zel can almost never make it, for good reason, but is a big hit with all the children when she does make an appearance).