#oc tag: meabh

[omgkalyppso]

I made a uquiz to find out which of my oc's you'd be more likely to befriend. Intended for my mutuals to take as either themselves or their oc's, but open to anybody. I tried to keep the end cards as robust as possible to either remind people of my oc's or to introduce them. There are 9 possible results.

[going-to-ikea-for-the-fries]

Gone. (Ghost x OC) - AU!!!

for @xxshadowbabexx 's angst competition using prompts 1, 2, 6 and 9.

pairing: F!OC! Victoria "Whiskey" Callahan x Simon "Ghost" Riley bonus: Moot!OC (Meabh "Pirate" O'Malley) x Johnny "Soap MacTavish words: 3.7k~ summary: An AU where Ghost died with Soap, leaving behind Whiskey and Meabh who are grieving for them :) cw: death and dying, loss, grief, blood, vomiting, crying, ghosts

At first, it was cold. Dark. The feeling of the blood seeping down his skin and pooling on the floor behind him. 

The air was thin, he couldn’t breathe, his chest heaving, sounds of grunts and gunshots echoing around him.

His head lulled to the side, long enough to catch the sight of Soap. He was already unmoving. 

Then, his eyes slowly unfocused.

Not the first time he felt it.

But the last time, whatever powers that be decided to spare him.

Not this time.

Then came the feeling of nothing. No pain, no coldness, no… nothing. No air in his lungs, no saliva in his mouth, no weight on his joints. 

He opened his eyes and he was still here… and his body was, well… there. He looked down at it. A sorry sight, really, to see his body on the floor, the blood around his head, mingling with Soap’s next to him.

Soap was standing by his side. They could see each other, half-translucent, not quite there, but not quite gone. Neither of them seemed confused or lost… Only mildly resigned to the fact that This Is It. 

Gaz and Price succeeded in disarming the tunnel bomb and Ghost turned slowly, looking at them as they approached the two bodies, Price’s voice announcing: “All stations, this is Bravo in the blind. Threat neutralised, bomb is safe… Two K.I.A.”

…

Soap and Ghost stood over Price’s shoulder, eyes locked on his own front door. Gaz stood beside him, both men looking solemn, Price holding Ghost’s dog tags.

It was just past 3 A.M., he’d noticed, when Whiskey opened the door, wrapped in one of her silk-like robes, the hall light illuminating her from behind.

She locked eyes with Price before he could even speak and her jaw clenched tight, her eyebrows rising lightly. 

He knew that look. He knew it all to well. It was the same way she had looked when she told him about her father and brother.  He knew the others could tell too, of course, but what they couldn’t tell, were the subtleties of it. 

To him, she looked like she was about to cry, even if her tears were nowhere to be seen, and the swallowing of a lump stuck in her throat, which was, in reality, a scream she wanted to let out… And how, once they were gone, she’d cry herself until her throat was raw.

He wanted to hug her, fuck, he wanted nothing more than to hug her. To pull her tight into his chest, to murmur into the crown of her head that he’s here, that he’ll always be here. But he couldn’t. Not today. Not ever again.

“Don’t.” Whiskey said as she raised a hand to stop Price from speaking the same moment he opened his mouth. He knew better than to try to use the bullshit prepared speech they always give to grieving wives. She wasn’t just a grieving wife. She was a soldier.

“Give me the dog tags.” She demanded and presented her palm. He slowly set the round disks and chain in her hand. She, slowly, rubbed her thumb over them as she looked at them, Simon noticed how her skin traced his surname tenderly.

“I don’t want a big fuss. It’s not what he would have wanted.” She told Price and raised her eyes to meet his again. Had Simon been alive, he would’ve felt his heart swell in his chest, she really did know him so well… 

Price nodded at her in understanding. “I know.” He told her in earnest.

“Do whatever you need to do… I don’t want to attend a funeral. Just bring me back his ashes and his mask and gloves.” She demanded.

“Okay. Should take a few days.” Price assured her with another curt nod. 

“That’s fine.” Whiskey nodded at him and, slowly, she slipped her husband’s dog tags around her neck, the longer chain meaning they disappeared below the collar of her t-shirt. One of his, actually, full black, with the scraggly name of a metal rock band on the front.

“Soap?” She asked him as her beautiful hazel eyes returned to Price after fixing the chain. The man replied by shaking his head. “Give me a minute to get dressed and pack a bag. I’ll go with you.” She announced and turned around to disappear back inside their home.

-

Whiskey looked at him with a cocked brow as they laid tangled up, in her barrack’s bed.

“If something happens to me, I’d want you to get the widow’s pension.” Simon mused aloud as he stared at the ceiling.

“Yeah, same, it’d just make sense to-” Victoria began to say before she stopped herself and her head shot upwards, glaring into his eyes. “Are you proposing to me, Simon?” She asked him in shock.

That hadn’t been his intention. They had just been halfway through discussing what life would be like for the people around them, once they’re dead. But now that she mentioned it… “Yes.” He replied deadpan.

Victoria continued staring at him like he was insane, eyebrows scrunched, eyes narrowed… But then she simply answered an “Okay.”

“That doesn’t scare you, does it?” Simon asked her as he dipped his head to the side, looking at her through down his nose as her head rested on his chest again.

“No. Just caught me off-guard.” Victoria said with a shrug and a silent exhale of a laugh, shaking her head against his chest. Her ear was right on top of his left pec and she could hear his heartbeat, slow… steady.

Simon watched her lay against Meabh, staring at the ceiling, as Meabh slept against her, in the same position Simon and Victoria usually fit into, Meabh’s head on Victoria’s chest. Johnny sat on the edge of the bed next to Meabh, resting his ghostly hand on her head even though she couldn’t feel it. 

It had been a shit show, telling Meabh that Soap was gone… Messy. Messier than any of them had expected.

They had witnessed Meabh losing her mind, denying it over and over and over, shaking her head, not believing the words Price spoke, the way he tried to hand her his dog tags, the way the tears rolled down her face even with her smiling in disbelief. 

Victoria had risen up to take Meabh back to her room and let her cry it out, having shooed Price and Gaz away… then, in her room, Meabh screamed at God, pleaded for Soap’s return, bargained and begged, tried reasoning with God that He couldn’t take him, not before she had a chance to tell him she was pregnant…

Victoria struggled to wrangle her into bed, both falling to their knees, Whiskey clutching her tight to her chest, as Meabh screamed and cried, doubled over herself, making herself look so small for a woman that was usually so strong. Soap had cried with her, fallen to his knees beside her, and tried telling her he was right here… not that it made a difference.

Only the two of the women and their ghosts remained.

Meabh had another one, Simon had noticed. A curly-haired man lurked and loomed outside her window. Soap hadn’t noticed, too preoccupied with his woman’s grief and the recent discovery of the baby in her belly. He knew he was likely Meabh’s father. They looked alike. Same eyes, same hair, same facial structure… But he kept away for now.

Victoria was awake, eyes locked on the ceiling as she held Meabh close, the sun shining in, at 6 A.M., but Meabh had cried herself to sleep. Simon didn’t dare approach her, keeping to his namesake, and simply watching his wife from the sidelines, his lips pressed together.

He could see her clutching onto her emotions with an iron grip, her brows scrunched and her jaw clenched, teeth grinding loudly. She couldn’t let it go. Not now. Not when Meabh needed her most. 

-

The funeral had been beautiful. Mr and Mrs. MacTavish were too much of a wreck to plan anything, his sisters even more so… So it fell on Meabh. It would’ve either way, she was his wife, after all. 

It ended up being a beautiful celebration of Johnny and his life. Sharing stories of him, food and drink, and music… Full of fun and happiness and light, just how he deserved. It was an Irish tradition, Victoria came to find out. 

The American had only left Meabh’s house after a week by her side, having traded spots with one of Soap’s sisters. She went home for a day, just needing a break. Three days' worth of celebrations plus four extra ones dealing with a grieving Meabh and a large family such as Soap’s had taken a toll on her. Simon went with her.

She crossed the threshold into their home quietly, not even bothering to turn on any of the lights in her wake. Then, she tossed her duffel bag aside, kicked off her sneakers, and pressed herself into the wall right past the living room door, sinking down to the hardwood floor.

Even in the darkness, he could tell she was crying. The way her breath hitched and her silhouette trembled against the wall. She cried like that for a long, long while.

Then, the tears got harder, faster, her breath rose and rose in volume, desperate for gulps of air, like she was suffocating and unable to breathe and she started openly sobbing, letting out these primal sounds of grief from the back of her throat.

Simon’s eyes welled up with tears too as the screams coming from her throat scratched at his dead heart. He wanted so badly to hold her… He wanted to. He wanted to. She cried and cried and he couldn’t do much more than kneel beside her.

He watched as she curled herself onto her hands and knees and screamed raggedly in pure and absolute pain, like someone had ripped her heart out of her chest. He had. Her heart had been his, and he had taken it with him when he died.

Primal, painful shrieks came from her mouth, so deep and loud that her whole form shook… or maybe it was the hiccups from the lack of air and the lump in her throat. He couldn’t tell. She banged a fist on the floor in front of her, once and twice and three times, until her hand hurt, until the external pain countered the grief. It didn’t.

Victoria ran herself ragged while she cried over Simon, crying so much and screaming bloody murder until her throat was raw and red, until her voice went hoarse and her throat hurt and her stomach churned…

And then she vomited, hurling whatever food Mrs. MacTavish had made for dinner that day onto the hardwood floors, then cried some more, hiccuping and trembling as she looked at the mess of her vomit on the floor through tear-filled eyes.

Simon’s sat beside her as she pulled herself back against the wall, breathing desperate, greedy gulps of air, feet parted and planted on either side of the puke puddle, as she wiped her mouth clean with the back of her right hand and then hung her head down, resting her forearms limply on her knees.

“God damn you, Simon Michael Riley…” She spoke in a whine, her voice hoarse and shaky, too broken to speak properly. “You can’t save me and then leave me here to bleed… What am I supposed to do without you?”

Simon leaned against her, pressing his bare lips against her temple, hoping, praying to a God he doesn’t even believe in, that she can feel it, can feel him… That Victoria gets some sort of realization that he’s not gone, not really… That he’ll spend a lifetime by her side, waiting for her time to come.

-

Victoria spent the next couple of days at home, having texted Meabh some excuse about wanting to be home to receive Simon’s ashes from Price, who was going to deliver them soon.

Meanwhile, she simply went about cleaning their house. They had had plenty of fresh produce, fruit, and meat in the fridge, which had spoiled after a week away. He watched her, like always, make herself feel better by deep cleaning the entire home.

He hovered over her shoulder the whole time, wishing he could just reach out with a firm hand on her shoulder like he usually did, making her turn around, hugging her tight to his chest, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head… But he couldn’t. So, instead, he just hovered… watching her as she went about it all.

It was only after she was done cleaning, after she showered, after she took some melatonin gummies and passed out on the couch on day two, clutching his dog tags tight in her fist, along with her brother’s and father’s, that he heard it.

“She’ll be alright.” A manly southern-American-accented voice reverberated from behind him. 

Simon turned slowly, coming face to face with an older man with short black hair, greying stubble, and intense, stern blue eyes.

“Are you-” Simon began.

“Owen Callahan, son.” The man introduced himself with a light, lazy salute. Simon returned it without even thinking about it.

“Worst possible way I can think of to meet my father-in-law.” Simon muttered sarcastically.

Owen’s eyebrows raised and he smirked a bit. “Can’t kill you again, son, so don’t be scared.” He added.

“‘m not, sir.” Simon added and shook his head, watching his father-in-law’s ghost move about the room, coming to stand over Victoria, a hand caressing her head, much like he’d seen Johnny do to Meabh while she slept, and her dad, Seamus, as well… when John was too busy fussing about his mam and sisters at the funeral. He didn’t want to show himself to Johnny, Simon had noticed.

“Is her brother around? Nathan?” Simon asked and looked around himself, seeking out another ghost. 

“I’m here.” Nathan muttered as he fazed through the bedroom wall into the living room. He was a handsome young man. A crew cut worth of black hair, a shaggy stubble that extended down his jaw onto his neck, slender hazel eyes, and a notch cut into his left eyebrow.

“So… you two been here this whole time?” Simon asked as he looked at them, brows raised in confusion and surprise.

“Haunting her? Yeah.” Nathan replied as he came to stand by Simon’s side. He was a few inches shorter than him.

“So you’ve seen… everything?” Simon asked as he looked at them.

“If you mean you fuckin’ my daughter, no. We made sure to be far fuckin’ away from here when you two would get close to it.” Owen muttered crudely from next to Victoria.

“Ah-” Simon nodded a bit and scratched at the back of his neck, feeling, for once, a bit embarrassed. He could, strangely enough, feel at himself, just not others.

“Don’t get all coy now. Like I said, should be grateful I can’t kill ya again.” Owen added.

“I am, sir.” Simon nodded. 

“But, all things considered… she could’a married worse, dad.” Nathan muttered as he slid over to Victoria and sat at her feet, on the armrest of the couch.

“I know…” Owen grunted as he looked at her. Then, he looked at Simon. “You did her good. Ain’t seen her smile as much as I saw her with ya, since we passed.”

Simon nodded and looked away. He’d never been good at this. Taking praise and compliments. Socializing. “Thank you, sir.”

-

On day three, she was awoken by a knock on the door. She was still in the clothes she had changed into last night. Not pajamas, but rather a pair of black leggings and one of Simon’s t-shirts. 

Simon followed after her, like a lost puppy, constantly wanting to stay around her. Nathan and Owen remaining lounging about in the sitting room. They had more experience and no longer followed her so desperately… other than when she went into battle.

Price and Gaz stood on the other side of the door. Price held a non-descript matte black ceramic urn. Gaz, next to him, held Ghost’s balaclava and gloves, as well as a few of his throwing knives.

Victoria took the mask, gloves and knives first, looking at them closely and taking a deep breath before she set them in a shelf inside the coat closet. Then, she turned to Price and looked at the urn closely.

Her hands shook as she took the urn into her hands, feeling the weight of it. So much of Simon had been condensed into ashes inside a small pot that could be confused for a decorative jar if one wasn’t paying attention.

“Thank you.” She told them with a nod as she carefully wrapped a hand around the urn and clutched it to her chest protectively like it was a baby, and not just her husband’s ashes.

Price gave her a look and then looked down at the urn. She seemed to pick up on the sign he gave her, and returned the look with a barely-there nod.

“Do you need anything?” Gaz asked her softly, politely, caringly. “Food? Company?”

Price was still silent, however. He knew better than to offer. He might not have known Victoria as well as Simon and Meabh, but he knew enough.

“No, thanks,” Victoria said as she nodded at them. “I’m fine.” She lied and forced herself to smile a bit.

“Are you su-” Gaz was about to ask but got struck to silence by a sharp elbow to his side, from Price.

“We have things to do, Gaz. Gotta get back to base.” Price said, cutting him off.

“But si-” Gaz attempted again, instead, simply earning a glare from the man.

“We have things to do, Gaz.” Price repeated sharply. Then, he turned to look at Victoria again. “Will be expecting you to report to base on Monday.” Price told her, knowing she’d want to work through her grief. Just like Simon would.

“Copy that.” She nodded, then, the two men stepped back, and she closed the door in their faces, walking her urn back to the couch and carefully setting it atop the coffee table.

Simon was hot on her tail and sat beside her on the couch, peering over at her with a tentative glance. He could tell she was on the verge of breaking down again, now that she had Him home.

Nathan and Owen were gone. They tended to do that, sometimes. Disappearing.

She took a deep breath and popped open the lid, peering inside the urn. The ashes were inside a ziplock bag inside, as usual… But, atop of them, rested a small black velvet box. She pulled it out of the urn and onto her lap, then, slowly, opened it.

Inside, nestled in a foam pad, rested two rough-looking wedding bands. Made of gold but full of marks and scuffs… and with a dark grey piece of rough stone on the center, where one would expect to see a precious gem.

Simon wanted to hide away in shame when he saw them, groaning loudly, glad she couldn’t hear him. Of course Price would go and find his failed metal-work creations and give them to her.

Simon had spent the last year in a metal working class, trying to make them a proper set of wedding bands. They had gotten married without one, instead using their dog tags during the vow exchange, and then had never bothered buying some, because Victoria thought they were stupid, and it’s not like they could wear them out in the field…

But Simon wanted to give her something. He wanted her to surprise her! Wanted to make her all kinds of gold jewelry because he knew how much she loved to wear it when they were on leave… He just had to get good at it first! But he didn’t. 

These rings were the most recent pair he tried to make, gold and meteorite stone, which, one day, he’d hope to substitute with an actual precious gem, once he got good enough, once the rings were smooth and sleek.

He just wasn’t good at it no matter how many times he practiced. They were still rough and uneven and her wedding band was twisted and strange… He just wasn’t made for making beautiful things… But he was willing to try… for her.

And yet, as she looked at them now, clutched in her hand, tears streamed down her face… All Victoria could think was how beautiful the rings were. “Fuck…” She grunted through her teeth. She slowly grabbed her ring and rolled it between her fingers, feeling the rough texture of it with her fingertips… 

“Fuckin’ ‘ell, Simon…” She murmured as she looked up at the urn, almost like she was looking at him, unaware that his ghost was right there, beside her, wanting nothing more than to wipe her tears and hold her hand.

Simon slid away from the couch and sat across from her on the coffee table, parking himself over his ashes, wanting to feel like she was looking at him… even if she couldn’t see him. “How long did ya keep these a secret? I wish you would’ve told me you were making ‘em…”

“I’m just fuckin’ unlucky, ain’t I?” She muttered to herself as she kept gazing upon her ring. “You ain’t that lucky either, are ya?”  She asked, soft tears rolling down her cheeks, sniffling away the tears, batting her eyelashes to try and contain them. It was unsuccessful.

“You couldn’t tell me you were making these… I couldn’t tell you ‘I love you’...” She trailed off as she looked at him, smiling sadly as more tears ran down her face, her lips scrunching up to stop a hiccup and a sob.

“It just wasn’t in the cards for us, huh? Never is… for people like us, ain’t that right?” She asked him, looking right at him, but not seeing him. “It was never gonna end with us (retiring) together, was it?”

Simon reached out and placed a hand over her cheek, unable to do anything more than hold her like he had so many times before, muttering a reply that she wouldn’t hear: “I love you too, Victoria. You’ll see me again.”

the rings in question:

@crashtestbunny better see some tears bestie

[the-healthy-human-mind]

Bastard

A/N: When depressed, don't do it alone, make others suffer- (/j)

Pairing: F! OC Evelyne "Snake" Gray x Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, mentioned Moot! OC Kathleen "Brass" Moore x John Price, Moot! OC Meabh "Pirate" O'Malley-Mactavish x John "Soap" Mactavish

CWs: Canon MWIII, Major Character Death, ANGST, hurt/no comfort, talk of death, funerals, cursing, canon-typical violence, mention of past scars.

Kyle could see the stress on Evelyne's entire being, her body tense, and her eyes flickering across the tarmac, mind on high alert. Her body jerks when he steps out of the helo, instantly moving into motion. He's almost shocked when she throws herself in his arms; almost. He wraps his arms around her, holding her close. This mission was hard on all of them, and yet Makarov still got away. Evelyne pulls away from him when she deems his body free of major injury.

His heart aches when she looks over his shoulder, a mix of anxiety and confusion plaguing her features when she only sees Ghost and Havoc walk out of the helo after him.

"Where's Soap?"

Evelyne's voice cracks on the name of her friend. John steps into her line of view, face grim. The captain holds his hand out, Johnny's vest patch sitting in his palm, the British flag glaring back at her. When she looks up at him, she doesn't see John William Price, she sees the same monster she saw in her father. A bastard who doesn't give two fucks about those around them, making decisions based on how it affects them, damning innocent people involved.

"You bastard!"

Kyle barely has a second to react before his wife lunges and lands a solid right hook on the face of his captain. He can hear the crack of John's nose breaking upon impact, the smell of copper filling his own nose.

"You killed him! This is your fault, Price!" Evelyne screeches into the night as Kyle tries to hold her steady, failing until Havoc comes over to assist.

"It should have been you!"

John watches as a wailing Evelyne is carried away by Havoc and Kyle. He should start coming up with excuses to give Kathy as to how he broke his nose. He tightens his grip on Johnny's dog tags, coming to terms with what comes next. If Evelyne could bring even a SAS soldier to his knees with her words, Meabh could move mountains with her voice. There was nothing more powerful and fearsome than a woman who has lost everything.

Ghost rests a hand on John's shoulder as he walks past. Kate takes the patch from his hand, promising to give it to Evelyne when she calms down. John doubts that will happen anytime soon.

Evelyne was never one for poetic things in life, but it was damn near ironic that it was raining the day she visits Johnny- well, his grave, that is. She tries to imagine how his wife reacted; if she screamed, or if she was in too much shock to react. Her curls rest on the nape of her neck, hidden beneath the hood of her sweatshirt. Her hand shakes around the handle of her umbrella as she stands before the tombstone, her boots sinking in the mud. Her lower lip wobbles as she sucks in a breath.

"The intel was bad, Johnny, I fucked up."

The ground beneath her moves as Evelyne falls to her knees, the fabric of her jeans darkening from the wet soil.

"I'm so, so sorry"

Next to the other flowers that rest there, Evelyne lays upon the disturbed earth a single rose.

"Kyle?"

"Yeah, love?"

Evelyne moves onto her side, slowly laying her head on his chest. Kyle's hand hesitates before lightly resting on her scarred back.

"Promise me you won't leave me."

She knows it's a cruel thing to ask, given their line of work, but she can't help herself. Hot tears stream down her cheeks when Kyle places a kiss to the crown of her head, holding her close, before uttering the words she needed.

"I would never,"

[targaryenfamilyorgy]

I feel bad now bc Méabh was supposed to romance Sera and she romances Josephine instead. It’s a game but I feel bad bc I was at the point where Sera is starting to like you and tells you abt the cookies ;-;

[iguessishouldbethankful]

Whenever you post your Sly Cooper art it makes me more overwhelmingly curious about your stories surrounding them. Link a lazy soul to where you're writing them, if any?

Omg I’m so happy you’re curious about the HCs and backstories I’m working on. I just get very shy because I haven’t finished the entire series yet but I’m inspired by the first game already. And while I work on the other games I’ll adjust stuff as I go along. But this still makes me happy. I really do not have a place where I post my writings, I just chat with friends and sort of think of things on Discord I guess. Most of my stuff is here in my Sly Cooper tag. But I guess the universe where I have my SC OCs do need a specific tag... Here: sc crooked path. This is basically where I’ll keep most of my drabbles and writings for this specific verse that includes Masha, Meabh and Brais and Danny, etc. Where I am exploring my own take of Sly Cooper.

Honestly, if you want to know more, just poke me with questions and I’ll do my best to answer them. I really do enjoy this curiosity it makes me beam-- and I’m just really happy this got you interested ; v ;

[omgkalyppso]

I did this after seeing @bhaalbaaby's post in between chores tonight.

Template.

I'll turn it into a tag game! @bosspigeon, @boghermit, @sp3llw0rk, @lucius-the-sinful, @razrogue, @luinen-bluewater, @klkirbles, @the-eldritch-it-gay and YOU.

Human Étoile is unsettling.

[omgkalyppso]

writer vs oc's

@korcariiwitch tagged me in this game that I'm breaking the spirit of: to use This Picrew to depict oneself and your muses.

I previously used the picrew in This Post for Étoile, Astarion and Halsin. So I'll reshare Étoile and some other oc's. One of which I haven't written at all for yet, but it's fine.

Anyway, let me tag @spadefish, @bloodcathedrals, @wild-moss-art, @toucansafari, @umbralstars and YOU to either play the original game or to just share some oc's. (:

Left to right, top to bottom: Étoile (they/them), Faedolyn (they/them), Almanzor (he/him), Meabh (they/she)

Had to edit Al a bit to get a skin tone closer to his.

[omgkalyppso]

What's in your tent?

Template by @menzoberranyr.

The tent photos are from p/intrest: no source for Étoile's, a source which is an in/stagram for Borgakh's, a source which is a webpage I did not read at all for Meabh's.

Things to note: Étoile's tent is also packed with whatever they or the rest of camp has saddled them with carrying. Borgakh likes tinkering with clockwork, wires and weapons. Meabh doesn't have bedding in their tent; they'll sleep out by the fire.

I miss tabletop Outlanders getting an instrument proficiency. Borgakh is a durge in bg3 and so technically a Haunted One, but the spirit of her character is the same.

I was initially thinking "reverent" might be the mood in Étoile's tent, or "soothing" but neither of those were quite right. Astarion would initially think their faith was what was unsettling about their tent until he determined the issue was homesickness, where Étoile also seems to have an issue identifying where their home is or whether it was somewhere they could return to.

Shadowheart would like Borgakh's tent. It's dark and quiet, but lively in all the little tasks she's got going on; and smells of earth, greenery and spices.

The thumping from Meabh's tent could be them going through a bout of compulsion or riding out migraine or working out nervous energy with their knives and tools — pliers which aren't quite what you'd find in thieves' tools, items that might be for carpentry or taxidermy but never any animals or gore. The tent, inside and out, appearing clean, and yet the smell of blood lingering even where the bedding and painting, sans frame, hint at level of class incongruous with Meabh's familiarity with violence. They say it calms them to look upon the symbol of the Absolute. They feel the letters might be useful to someone or material for blackmail, but the books are printings of which there must be others — something to take knowledge from, but not to lament in their destruction.

[omgkalyppso]

Tav Banter and Dialogue

This ask game.

Clicking on them once (non-combat)

Étoile:

(gasp) Someone stepped on my grave. [said as if they had a chill] And onwards. Need help with a high shelf? Taking point. Worried I'll wander off? I remember what we're doing. [unconvincingly] Ready to keep going? Two steps forward. Do you think it ever snows here?

Meabh: Watch yourself. [warning] Borgakh: (soft laughter) [ticklish] Inithray: About time. [entitled]

2.Spam clicking on them too many times

Étoile:

We need to find you a cat to bother. [barely holding their irritation together] I hope that isn't the parasite squirming. [despondent] I think strange things, which I dare not confess to my own soul. [with dread]

Meabh: Just like a sibling. [fond] Borgakh: Need something? [amused] Inithray: You won't like it if I poke you back. [calm, questionably flirtatious]

All of the answers after this are for Étoile only:

3. Directing them to attack/move in combat

Place me at the center. Let their blood run cold. No room for hesitation. Need a shield? Their mistake, ultimately. The cold chill of death. Once more, with feeling!

4.Hiding/sneaking/hidden movement

I know how to hunt. No footprints. As the wind. And now for the plan. Carefully.

Spam sneaking:

You know what they say about the dead of winter? I've crouched already. I won't crawl here. Any lower and you'd lose me.

5.Taking a short rest

And up again. Reminded of academics living on Haste. [exasperated] Ready to press forward. Helped with the aches.

6.Low health/asking for healing

Close. [as in, opposite of far] Hope only my skull is cracked. Armor's expensive. Could use an ice pack. Fu-frozen firesides. [redirected swearing] Rattled, but still in reach of healing.

7.Attacked by a party member

Is this what we're doing? I know we're all worm-brained, but smarten up. You want more enemies?

8.Companion/romance death reactions

From Étoile about:

Gale: Snows above. [like a curse] Gale! Karlach: Karlach! No. Not yet! Lae'zel: Orta Ohtar! [Rise Warrior] Lae'zel! Please. Shadowheart: It's not that dark yet, Shadowheart! Astarion: Astarion! You and your wasted blood. Astarion, post Pale Elf: Astarion! Pairëtulte. [Vengeance comes for them.] Wyll: Wyll! Blade?! Hey! Ravengard! Jaheira: Jaheira! Ama, ama, ama Thalieth! [with increasing volume] [Up, up, up heroine / dauntless woman!] Not here. Minsc: Shit, Minsc! Hang on! Halsin: Taurëva! [one from the great forest] Si tauvar. [this] [endure] [Endure this.] Minthara: Minthara! Avanwa Ainolto arwatyë. [forbidden] [gods-they] [possessing you (informal / familiar)] [They (the gods) are forbidden from taking you.] Hold on!

About Étoile dying from:

Gale: Étoile! No, not now! Gale, if Étoile's faith is known: Étoile! Don't you dare seek out that frozen palace quite yet! Karlach: We need our Bulwark, don't we? On your feet, Étoile! Lae'zel: No! Étoile! Your life won't end here! Shadowheart: Étoile! Prove me wrong and get! Up! Astarion: Damn you, Étoile. You can't die. You hear me? Wyll: Étoile! Not like this… Jaheira: Every paladin the same! This is no time for sacrifice! Minsc: Étoile! Now is not the time for the resting of peace! Do not get comfortable! Halsin: No, Étoile! Please, Oakfather, not yet. Minthara: Étoile proved as reliable as expected.

9.Going to buff/heal a companion/romance

Answered here.

10.Sending them to talk to an NPC

Any:

Excuse me. Just a quick word. Hear me.

Companions / At Camp:

Building bridges. A friend indeed.

11.Sending them to talk to their romanced partner

Act 1: Stop blushing. [at self] Act 2: Perfectly normal feelings. Act 3: Lúmënya an mírë. [my time = time that belongs to me] [for] [a precious thing: jewel, treasure] [I'll give my time to my beloved.]

12.Encountering a locked chest/door

Secret or private? Should I give it a good shake? Must have a solution somewhere. Hope it isn't also Alarmed.

13.Picking a lock

A lucky new skill. Not as hard as I thought it'd be. Glad that worked. Hello, secret stash.

14.Looking at a globe

Impiltur doesn't look that far, like this, comparatively. I really hope there aren't creatures of a size that can look at us like this. I wonder if there are enough place names on this to date when it was made?

15.Looking at an astrolabe

I love the sky, but these make me dizzy. Planes over planes over planes. Glad the nautiloid found Faerun. Get lost out there and— Snows above.

16.Looking at a telescope

Should point one of these at the Tears later. I wonder if the person who made this imagined it could end up here. I wonder how far these can be enchanted to see? Could I see home?

17.Looking in a mirror

Am I just another horror someone saw on this journey? Should trim my hair when this is over. Best not look too close. If I see the parasite I'll— Eugh.

18.Looking at a nonmagical lamp

Always felt special to read by lamplight after years of candles, even lacking a genie.

19.Noticing a trap

Trap! Mind yourself. Trap here. I wonder who they were keeping out? Careful. At least one trap to avoid.

20.Can’t fit into a small hole

Small: That hole is too small for elven hands. Tiny: I will not peek into that tiny hole and risk a rodent to the eye.

21.Comments/reactions near an Act 1 location

The Harper lookout on the hill: Recent fire, long dead remains. Magical, you think? Or did they just like to sit next to Old Boney?

After killing the Harpies: With nests so close to the Grove you'd think there'd have been a warning.

Blighted Village, centertown: I wonder if wherever I was originally from looks like this now.

Blighted Village, hopscotch: I wonder when this was last used. Do you think these goblins—?

Ethel's Teahouse: Mind your manners and want for nothing when dealing with, well— You never outgrow some lessons.

Underdark, post Spectator: That was terrible. We're standing in a tragedy of drow. Do you think I could take a tooth from the beast as a souvenir?

Underdark, Stool of Hill Giant Strength: Feeling pretty powerful in this seat. It would be nice if it lingered a little.

Underdark, by the lava pools: Is the smell of molten rock bothering anyone else? And it's so sweaty down here.

Temple of Lathander: Do these ruined halls not bother you?

22.Comments/reactions near an Act 2 location

Entering Act 2: Adventurers in the area have avoided this cursed patch of land my whole career. Easy to see why.

Shadow-Cursed Lands, dead tieflings: I … I'd just learned their names. Why were they on this path? Did the curse do this?

Shadow-Cursed Lands, releasing Doly Dolly Dolly: Freedom. Will be happy to share the sentiment once we have the parasites gone.

Gauntlet of Shar: There was almost nothing left of Lathander in his temple, but Shar still walks here.

Moonrise Towers: Selunite priests walked these halls once, and now Absolute … Absolutists?

Reithwin Tollhouse, Thayan Shipment Box: Acursed thing.

The Waning Moon: Oh, eugh.

House of Healing, with reference to Étoile's personal quest: It looks like someone left this window in a hurry.

House of Healing, after reading the betting records: I … I have found myself thrilled in killing, time's past; but not killing as a thrill. I am not this. I cannot abide this.

23.Comments/reactions near an Act 3 location

Rivington: It’s a miracle it’s still standing, with all it’s been through, with all that’s coming.

Wyrm’s Crossing, checkpoint: Don’t pay the Fist. I’m sure we’ll find a way to get word inside that’ll lead to a cheaper and, ironically, less corrupt way to access the Gate.

Lower City, graveyard: I know too many people here. The way of things. Let me know if you want a tour sometime.

Lower City, residential quarter: It’s good to be home.

Lower City, Umberlee’s temple: As a worshiper of Auril, I feel it prudent to leave something with Umberlee’s donations; but that doesn’t mean I dream of navigating the sea, I’m not an idiot.

Lower City, docks, below ground, approaching the submarine: Noooo. [groaned] No, no, no, no — snows below, can you not bring someone else into the depths of the sea a stone’s throw from Umberlee’s temple?

24.Lines said in the Morphic Pool or High Hall

Morphic Pool:

Étoile: I wish we had a back up plan. Gale: We could always— Étoile: Nevermind. Gale: I was going to say, we could always try Divine Intervention. I don’t think Shadowheart’s had time to commune with Selune yet. Étoile: (laughing) Come on. We have to use Netherese Stones to command an Elderbrain into sparing the city. Gale: Oh, well when you put it like that.

High Hall:

Étoile’s Personal Quest Dependent: I can feel Sozican. Flying higher than the fires here could ever rage. She will answer when we call, and I will see you through, no matter where you place me.

Étoile’s Personal Quest, Sozican defeated: All those lives lost to the Netherbrain and her stolen Chosen … I would gladly fight fruitlessly against her, but with you I have purpose, and together, we have a chance. As you have so ably since our first meeting: Lead on.

35.How would your Tav/Durge greet a player character if they were a companion at low, neutral, high, or romanced approval?

Very Low: Yes, friend? [stiff] And what now?

Low: Can I help you? Something to discuss?

Neutral: One step at a time. Looking to talk? The wonders never cease, eh? What’s on your mind?

High: You’re moving with purpose. Am I in trouble? Aiya. [Hail] Need to talk something out?

Flirting: Sparing time for me? How gracious. At your disposal. You’re lovely. What do you need?

Romanced: Ter melwa. [So lovely] What can I do for you? Ask away, alassënya. [my joy] You clearly have something on your mind. Do you need me serious? I can be serious. Go on.

37.How would they respond to a player character prompting them with, "Tell me about yourself"?

I am a Paladin, have been for the past sixty-six years, the last thirty of which have been spent in and out of Baldur’s Gate. Gainfully employed with the Adventurer’s Guild. Feeling … worn, by the parasite. Spells and reactions aren’t coming as readily as they should, but even so, I am accustomed to holding a shield over peers that strike enemies harder than I could, and I prefer it that way. I do like helping people.

I. Sixty-six years? II. Is your Oath very restrictive? Paladins have that reputation… III. What sort of jobs did you do with the Guild? IV. This isn’t an altruistic situation we find ourselves in. V. Where were you before Baldur’s Gate?

I. I honestly can’t tell if you think I’m too young or too old for that, but yes. All my adult life after my first century.

II. In most things, I’ll defer to your judgment. I’m not exactly prepared to face this [gestures to head] alone. I do know the types of Paladins that you’re referring to, and I suspect you’ll find me at least marginally different.

III. There are monsters enough across the coast. Terrorizing people, needed as ingredients for adept wizards, threatening the safety of her roads. Then there’s disbanding banditry, escorting pilgrims, researchers, the rich, and there’s always a job or two that can be summed up as ‘vengeance.’ That was the last one I was on when the nautiloid picked me up.

IV. You and I are people much as anyone else. I’ll help us first, and leave the rest in your hands.

V. East and east and east. I’m originally from Impiltur, and left into Cormyr to see the world, as one does, and as the years past I just continued west until I ran out of land. Baldur’s Gate’s been a good resting place. I don’t think of it as my permanent home really, but my history probably says otherwise.

38.If a player character asks them to consider consuming tadpoles or using the Astral tadpoles, how would your Tav/Durge respond?

Asking Étoile about the tadpoles: Having a single parasite in my head is enough for me. I want that one gone, and have faith that there is plenty of outside magic with which to confront our challenges without needing to resort to empowering our brain worms. No offense. I’ll trust you and the others to make your own judgments, and will endeavor to protect you either way.

You have to click Étoile on the tadpoles 6 times before they’ll eat one: No, thank you. I don’t want that. I especially don’t want that inside me. No. Please, no? I really don’t think I should. Fine. If you really think it’s best.

Asking Étoile about the astral tadpole: You know my feelings on our dream visitor turned Emperor. Even if this is honest and whoever consumes this tadpole gains the promised power … It’s uncomfortable. It risks too much. How much influence might our existing parasites, and their puppetmaster, might have already exerted over us. If it sounds reasonable, it is because the Emperor wants it to be so, not because it is. No.

I. You just confessed you’re not being objective. This is power you could wield over your parasite. [Persuasion 15]

I. Persuasion success: I … Maybe? I — I don’t know. And that’s the problem isn’t it? But you’re sure. [pause] Alright. If this is our way out, how we take control of ourselves and stop an Elderbrain … Alright.

I. Persuasion failure: [-10 approval] You are being entirely unreasonable, and don’t even have the courtesy to be honest with me about why you’re asking me to do this. I’m done. [un-interactable until after a long rest]

39.If romanceable, what lines would they say if a player character prompted them with, "Can I kiss you?"

You are entirely my pleasure. Netë, netë, netë… [one more, another : used in enumerating a series: e.g. 1, 2, (3), netë, netë, netë…with netë used instead of citing the actual numbers ] Please?

40.If romanceable, what would they say if a player character asks for a "last kiss" at the Morphic Pool/HIgh Hall?

Unchanged: It hardly feels the time, but when you phrase it like that … [kiss] Now focus. I’d rather survive and kiss you again.

Ceremorphosis: I— [turns away briefly, a heavy breath] Of course. [Étoile kisses their cheek / side of a tentacle] I hope that wasn’t an idle curiosity of a new being, and that you’re holding onto yourself. Let’s survive so you can prove it so? Induinya. [my purpose]

[omgkalyppso]

OC Associations

I was tagged by @razrogue. Thank you! I'll tag @boghermit, @umbralstars, @lemonbronze, @cherrypikkins, @toucansafari, @luinen-bluewater, @sp3llw0rk and YOU!

Meabh Foley

1. Animal: Cuckoo Wasp (deadly and parasitic), Displacer Beast (violent and strange), Crocodile (strongest bite)

2. Color(s): Unassuming Brown, Saturated Blood Red, Apatite Blue

3. Month: Uktar, The Rotting, November

4. Song(s): 505 by Arctic Monkeys, Easy Target by blink-182, Autopsy Song by Otep and In The Room Where You Sleep by Dead Man's Bones

5. Number: 3

6. Day or Night: Night

7. Plant: Blackberry

8. Smell(s): Salt Water, Molten Metal, Spiced Cologne

9. Gemstone: Garnet, Pietersite

10. Season: Autumn

11. Place(s): Bhaal's Temple, Gortash's Estate, Alleys in the Lower City

12. Food: Broccoli Stir Fry in Garlic Sauce, Mashed Yams, Garlic Pickles

13. Astrological Sign: Scorpio

14. Element(s): Water, Darkness

15. Drink: alcoholic - Barovian / Borovian Wine, Bronze Draconic Ale, Dark Smoke Bourbon; non-alcoholic - Apple Juice, Cocoa

[omgkalyppso]

For Étoile, Borgakh, and Meabh from ship questions redux!

PRE-RELATIONSHIP:

3. Who felt romantic feelings first?

7. How do their friends and family feel about them as a couple?

GENERAL:

9. Who gets jealous easier?

12. Do they hide anything from each other, big or small?

LOVE:

8. Do they prefer verbal or physical affection?

14. Who is more protective? Who would get into a fight to defend the other? Who tends to the other's wounds?

DOMESTIC LIFE:

10. Who is more likely to convince the other to come back to sleep in the mornings?

13. Do they have any "couple traditions", or family traditions?

Thank you for the ask! (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.) I'll stick to their longest lasting relationship for Étoile (Astarion) and Meabh (Enver), and I think for Borgakh I'll talk about a non bg3 version of her ... redesigning a d&d setting lover of hers for the nth time for this ask game, people might remember him as Ga'el, Iberis, or Aveillor (people more likely don't remember them at all). I'm calling him Iberis again.

This post is long as hell. If you open it and experience regret on desktop, you can press J to skip this post.

3. Who felt romantic feelings first?

Astarion. Étoile was fine with things remaining casual / with the presumption that things were temporary. It was Astarion who first falsely implied that he wanted something more with the whole confusion caused by Étoile and Wyll sharing a kiss; and then who truthfully, but indirectly, set his hopes after the Araj Oblodra situation.

Enver. Meabh was still going through feelings like "joy," "security" and "possession" for the first few years of their relationship before she hit on romance. It was perhaps their third time sleeping together that Enver realized that there was more than friendship and Meabh's curiosity fuelling his (arguably bad) decision to continue finding intimacy with the maniac (I think he didn't even know she was a bhaalspawn yet).

Borgakh. I think she has a really hard time saying it / communicating it, and I like to envision an italicized "Oh" moment for Iberis where he ("average height," maybe 5'07" / 170 cm) wakes up wrapped in Borgakh's ("huge," 7'03" / 221 cm) thick arms, and the weight (ha!) of her attachment makes his own immediately inescapable.

7. How do their friends and family feel about them as a couple?

Astarion's vampiric siblings largely come to love Étoile. Yousen and Violet take the longest to come around. With the exceptions of Leon and Violet, who are kind of uninvested in Étoile and Astarion's relationship, Astarion's siblings are more defensive of Étoile than Astarion when difficulties make their (Étoile and Astarion's) relationship feel more delicate. Petras makes a "pass" at Étoile during one of these early moments, and doesn't do this explicitly after Étoile is turned to a vampire, but Aurelia warns Astarion of Petras' ongoing questionable behaviour at that time. It isn't because Petras specifically disapproves of Étoile and Astarion's relationship, but he 1. is initially covetous of Étoile as the only permanent living being among the vampires and spawn in the Underdark in those early days and 2. is ultimately attracted to the power Étoile easily holds over the vampires and spawn.

Astarion's relationship to his living parents, Antoinelle and Rasileth, is forever strained, and I think they wouldn't understand various decisions he and Étoile make over the course of their acquaintance and the breadth of their history, and that part of that comes with Étoile and Astarion being unable to fully trust these extremely normal people with the full context of their lives. Antoinelle believe Étoile uses fair but ultimately deceitful and self-serving language, and that Astarion would ultimately have sought to repair his relationship to her and Rasileth more earnestly if not for them and the Spawn. Rasileth has less compunctions tied up in his gratitude that Astarion could yet live, and happily, and more easily expresses fondness over how Étoile and Astarion seem to defend one another and how this has affected his own life and Faerûn (at least in so far as the defeat of Cazador and the Absolute plot).

Étoile's living adoptive drow mother, Aranea, is far more accepting of Astarion than he ever expects, up to the brief nosedive their (Aranea and Astarion) relationship takes when she begs him not to Turn Étoile, but as she eventually has to forgive Étoile, she makes a point to let Astarion know that she will never apologize for her behaviour but that she forgives him too; and her continued approval is further reinforced by her willingness to act as priest for the sake of officiating their marriage. She's harsh and orderly, but attentive and fiercely loyal. Her uniquely generous approach in providing space and concerned / judgmental comfort clearly communicates her love, and in return for that Étoile and Astarion are more honest and patient with her than they are with most people.

Étoile and Astarion's friends who underwent their journey with the Absolute with them largely approve of their relationship. Wyll had his lingering regrets that are softened with time, and then forgotten as he enters a relationship with the pair of them (and his wife, my oc Zavorys), and Gale feels Étoile's betrayal (their decision to give the crown to Raphael) even after things between them are later repaired (during a shared adventure into Avernus) which sours his perception of any positive relationships Étoile holds for a long time.

Étoile's friends from before the nautiloid are very suspicious of Astarion, and are critical Étoile's decision to more-or-less spend 6+ months of any given year in the Underdark. I think these relationships improve as some of the Spawn seek (night) employment in Baldur's Gate and an impression of the vampires as people and not monsters starts to percolate.

Meabh's family is a mess, but I'll start by saying that idk where bg3 gets the lore to decide on Bane as Bhaal's sworn foe or w/e. They're barely even rivals, especially not without Myrkul in the same whisper. Their (Bhaal and Bane) aims support each other far more than they hinder, with enemies to their divinity usually coming in the form of older or good aligned deities. With this in mind, I headcanon that Bhaal likes Enver just fine for how he focuses Meabh's violence. I'm also a huge proponent for how Bhaal is the god of murder, and not the god of "killing." I have an outline / timeline for the progression of Meabh and Enver's relationship that is preceded by something I'd love to write her saying to Enver in a fic because I'm so bitter over this: "There's no rule that murders in Bhaal's name must be without intent. Assassination is just murder with extra steps. Killing is not murder." Anyway. It is not a good thing for Enver that Bhaal might enjoy him as Bane's Chosen and Meabh's muse.

Orin would rather have Enver "to dinner" than hear one more word from his lips. She feels Meabh would have more time for her (Meabh's) purpose and for her (Orin) if she wasn't distracted by the Banite.

Sarevok thinks Enver served his purpose once the Crown was secured, or even earlier when the plot was finalized — Ketheric too, but Ketheric isn't a bad influence or an interference in cult / family cohesion. He believes that there are plenty of laypersons and Bhaalists that would make for a better obsession for Meabh.

Enver's parents would hate Meabh if they knew she existed.

I haven't gotten to Act 3, but if Meabh has friends then they either don't care about Enver one way or the other (Ascended Astarion, for example), or actively dislike him for being predictable and bland in his ambition (Minthara and Shadowheart perhaps).

Borgakh's sister initially does not like Iberis, perceiving him as bringing out paranoia and selfishness in Borgakh. Years later, she is more forgiving of him as he and Borgakh repair what was between them.

Borgakh's friends like him, and have been supportive of them getting back together.

Iberis' "extended family" and friends think they make an odd pair, but they also think mostly everything about Iberis is odd, and are generally polite and caring.

9. Who gets jealous easier?

Étoile and Astarion are fairly matched in having low jealousy due to high trust, each having moments of insecurity fuelling spikes of jealousy that are gently assuaged.

Meabh has a bit of trouble taking other people seriously at all, and so it's Enver who is more jealous, and able to imagine that Meabh could find another to inspire her and comfort the venomous predator of her heart.

Borgakh is more easily jealous in little bursts. Being so short-lived when compared to an elf or a dragon, there's a lot of Iberis' past and future for her to compare herself to. But Iberis is more powerfully jealous, where if clear boundaries aren't communicated he would be prone to despair over a flirtation between Borgakh and another.

12. Do they hide anything from each other, big or small?

Étoile and Astarion don't really after Astarion's Araj-led confession. There are things that are harder for either of them to talk about, but I wouldn't count that as hiding things from one other. Astarion in particular, 1. likes gossip too much, 2. value's Étoile's opinion too highly, 3. is bad with secrets.

Enver has contingencies, plots and defenses that he does hide from Meabh, sometimes for her sake but often for his own, whether because of her unpredictability or Bhaal's wrath. He also has little personal indulgences, which probably range from cruelties against people trying to keep hope in their lives, to the location of his parents; things that he wouldn't expect Meabh to understand or that he wouldn't want to risk her taking from him in a bout of rage.

When Borgakh and Iberis' romance is young, Borgakh can tell that Iberis is hiding something — because he knows an elven queen on a first name basis, and there are other signs. Worried he may actually be married / be hiding his whole self (he is, but not in the way she thinks), she decides to suddenly leave when she discovers she's pregnant, not trusting the truth of it with him, and not wanting to be a footnote and embarrassment to an elven partner (she later miscarries). It isn't until 4+ years later that they're reunited in an adventure against a powerful necromancer that she discovers that he is a dragon, and feels obligated to confess why she left in the first place.

8. Do they prefer verbal or physical affection?

Astarion prefers verbal affection, whether that's declarations or smaller reassurances like plans made for the next tenday or offers of blood or inquiries as to the state of his clothing and equipment. Signs he's being thought of.

On a character sheet I previously put Étoile slap-dab in the middle of the scale. They enjoy affection, and will do their best to interpret and inquire after a partner's meaning.

Enver prefers physical affection, even his best trysts don't come with the familiarity that he and Meabh share.

Meabh prefers physical affection. I don't have a big reason for this.

Borgakh prefers physical affection. She has a hard time being vulnerable giving or receiving heart-felt words.

Iberis prefers verbal affection. He appreciates recognition and wooing.

14. Who is more protective? Who would get into a fight to defend the other? Who tends to the other's wounds?

Étoile is more protective, more likely to get into a fight to defend a partner / Astarion's reputation (I'd like to think they're both just as likely to involve themselves in a fight to defend the other physically) (Astarion would more likely be confused and judgmental than defensive of Étoile's reputation), and Étoile, ever the paladin, is more likely to tend to the other's wounds, though Astarion isn't without his moments.

Meabh is more protective (to the point that she has killed people she shouldn't have) and more likely to get into a fight to defend Enver's reputation. Enver is more likely to tend to Meabh's wounds, who is more prone to be wondrously distracted (or bitterly soured) by any non-fatal wounds either of them suffer at the hands of another.

Borgakh is more protective and more likely to tend Iberis' wounds. Iberis is more likely to be injured when not compelled to reveal his true form, and he is more likely to get into a fight to defend Borgakh's reputation.

10. Who is more likely to convince the other to come back to sleep in the mornings?

While morning is relative here, Astarion is more likely to convince Étoile to delay responsibilities for the sake of a cuddle.

Another "morning is relative" couple, Enver at least has his midnight prayers to attend to, if not illicit dealings that prefer the cover of darkness, and Meabh does their work on the twenty-four hour clock. Enver is more likely to be romanced by sleep, and to effortlessly seduce Meabh to a few more minutes of indulgence.

Iberis is more likely to attempt to convince Borgakh to come back to bed / the bedroll in the morning. He is rarely successful.

13. Do they have any "couple traditions", or family traditions?

Étoile and Astarion celebrate cultural holidays / milestones, like the new year, and the defeat of the netherbrain (and Auril's Day but I haven't decided how Étoile celebrates that). They probably wouldn't celebrate their birthdays if it weren't for the social expectation. Maybe it's tradition to spend the next 4-9 hours in trance or quiet activity (like reading) whenever they emerge from the Underdark to spend a few days in Baldur's Gate, but really that's just because they're creatures of habit and tired from the journey.

Enver must have his plans set out in stages or steps or milestones, and whenever one is met it's probably tradition to recreate something like his and Meabh's second date, with bourbon and cigars, and as his enterprises expand, perhaps a murder or two, to humor Bhaal and Meabh both, and so Enver can claim authority over people or territory to satisfy his own over-reaching tendencies and Bane's purpose.

Eventually, Iberis and Borgakh probably spend at least one dedicated night per month amongst his hoard. Iberis used to just go on his own for maintenance and security, and to add to it, but no matter how structured those behaviours felt before, it was a monumental show of dedication to share this part of himself with Borgakh. Additionally, at the change of seasons Iberis buys / commissions three new outfits for each himself and Borgakh.

[omgkalyppso]

OTP Asks...again! Creator's choice! 😁

11. Who leaves notes in the other one's lunch? (Bonus: what do they say?)

13. Stay home/go-out? What are their date nights like?

15. Who's the first to cry during movies that don't seem sad?

16. Who hogs the covers?

24. Sleeping/cuddling positions? (Big spoon, little spoon, etc.)?

You spoil me. fghfdgh Thank you for the ask. <33

I'll answer for: Meabh x Enver. Zoran x Jeritza. Celeste x Kaidan. Illusen x Zevran.

11. Who leaves notes in the other one's lunch? (Bonus: what do they say?)

If Meabh left a note for Enver in something like a lunch, he would have that meal incinerated, but he might keep the note. It would be like a bloody fingerprint, perhaps a suspiciously red kiss mark and a note like "[code name] taken care of." If Enver had a meal made for Meabh to take to-go, it might contain a cryptic note that just says, "None of my cheap lies <3." They'd both like that.

Zoran would be more likely to make lunch, but less likely to leave a note. After more than a few exchanges, Jeritza might return the gesture on more than one occasion with simple notes that say, "Thank you."

Kaidan was a little disappointed that Celeste was a dab hand in the kitchen, partially because he was striving to impress, and because they're more than a little competitive; but also because it was another one of Celeste's many passions that she never indulges in. He would make lunches, with little uplifting messages and queries about the food, "You're doing great today." "You remember when we ordered pickles last? That restaurant is still standing because of you; we should go back." "I'm not sure how I feel about this sauce, do you like it?" "Give them hell." "So grateful you're reading this."

Zevran is most likely to leave little notes, "Made with love." "Free of the darkspawn taint!" "Picture my lips around every bite." And on the rare occasion that he finds such a note from Illusen, he would cry over it, "Your favorite, mi amor."

.

13. Stay home/go-out? What are their date nights like?

Young dates between Meabh and Enver are dinner by the pier, making out under bridges and fucking in the room he had in a lower city apartment. Later dates between Meabh and Enver only took place at 12:30 AM or later, enough time for him to have a midnight ritual to Bane, and so sometimes much later depending on Meabh's schedule. Maybe they'd force a party with the criminals, since Meabh wouldn't want to let her guard down among the upper crust; or else they'd just stay up drinking alone, planning, plotting, playing — sometimes with actual board games.

Zoran takes Jeritza out to bars and taverns for singing and socializing, but most of their dates are quiet things where they craft things for themselves, each other, their cats and their horses.

Celeste would rather stay in and read, sleep, or tinker out calculations and simulations on her omni-tool; she comes to like the idea of doing any of those things with the noise of a biotiball game in the background. Kaidan can convince her to go on active dates fairly often, to help Celeste remember the world is out there, to be appreciated by it in turn.

Zevran's feelings are only openly reciprocated when Illusen is at least halfway through a pregnancy, and then she and her baby / child are never really separated. Their meetings and dates are quiet affairs in the sense that they aren't social things, but familial and private. Dancing to the wind or the sound of a music box, stargazing, storytelling, etc. Things change after about eight years, but it takes time.

15. Who's the first to cry during movies that don't seem sad?

Can't see Meabh or Enver crying because of fiction. Maybe Enver might get misty-eyed if something really accidentally hits close to home, but blink and you'll miss it.

Zoran is the first to cry during movies that don't seem sad. Jeritza can and does cry but if he's triggered by a movie, it's going to be that there was too much blood and he's about to lose his sense of reality, not that he's brought to tears.

Celeste and Kaidan are probably brought to tears as often as each other, about equally not-sad things. Kaidan would cry about how small a baby deer is.

Illusen is more likely to be the first to cry during stories that don't seem sad, but Zevran sometimes follows suit, if only brought to tears to see her so troubled.

16. Who hogs the covers?

Enver. He instantly wraps the covers around the pair of them if he wakes and notices.

Zoran. Jeritza keeps extras folded at the foot of the bed the fourth time it happens.

Neither Celeste nor Kaiden. When they are not in mil/itary mode, they both sleep like star fish and the blankets are everywhere, and nowhere, and braided, and it's too hot, but it's preferable to sleeping alone.

It would be Illusen because Zevran's had his physical clinging beaten out of him, but they keep blankets large enough to keep this from being an issue for how they sleep.

24. Sleeping/cuddling positions? (Big spoon, little spoon, etc.)?

When Meabh and Enver sleep together it is most often with one of the two of them with their face in the others' tits. Partially for heartbeat reasons. If they're spooning, Enver is little spoon.

Jeritza initially sleeps flat on his back if he sleeps at all, with no awareness of what is or isn't comfortable. Zoran would sleep on his side facing Jeritza in this case. When Jeritza starts becoming aware of his own preferences, he also sleeps on his side facing Zoran. Sometimes they hold hands.

Kaidan strikes me as a belly sleeper when he's alone, but when Celeste is present he slinks into her space and she stretches and rolls into his, so it's not very consistent until they're both too old to flop around that much. They take turns as little spoon when cuddling that way.

Illusen and Zevran's most common cuddling positions are Zevran on his back with Illusen tucked under his arm, and with Zevran as big spoon.

[omgkalyppso]

For Étoile & Meabh!

face: Describe your OC's face. What's their smile like? Are their orbs cerulean? What would someone notice first when looking at them?

motion: How does your OC move? How does their clothing help or hinder their range of motion? Are they flexible, coordinated, clumsy?

formal: What's your OC's formal look? Do they like dressing up? Do they have different looks for different occasions?

road: What does your OC wear while traveling? Do they have high-quality equipment, or are they making do? What does their gear look like?

change: Has your OC ever drastically changed their appearance? Significant haircuts, big tattoos, complete wardrobe swap, etc? Why? How do they feel about the change?

Thank you for the ask! ♪(^∇^*)

Face

Étoile has a rectangular face. It looks round / ovular often, but I think they look most like themself when you can see the shape of their jaw and cheekbones.

They have a fairly prominent (and expressive) brow, so it makes up for how small their eyebrows are fdghfdh. Their nose is prominent, but it's width / placement (I think it's actually high on their face, but you can't tell because of their narrow eyes) balances well. They rarely smile with their teeth and can come across as reserved to strangers, but while often polite, they lack enough subtlety to be deceptive about their feelings.

Their skin tone isn't one that's available to high elves by default in bg3 - Earth Tone 6. I don't think this means anything.

I describe their eyes as gold, but the setting in-game is actually Brown 3, the light just hits them right often enough that no one's questioned me on it.

They have subtle wrinkles to go with their subtle grey hair that is picked up in almost None of the in-game lighting, but I think their age is obvious / apparent to those who would meet them.

The first things that people notice about Étoile probably have little to do with their face, so for their sake I'm going to reinterpret this as what people start to notice when they start looking, which are their beauty marks and laugh lines.

Meabh has a heart-shaped face.

She has thick eyebrows, and a nose that I would hesitate to call big, but I guess that's perspective? dfghdfg Her smiles stretch and wrinkle her face with mania! Even about the little things.

Her skin tone is Warm Tone 2 in bg3, and so is fairly pale skinned. She has some freckles (about medium quantity with 1/4 intensity).

Her orbs may as well be cerulean (Elf Blue 2). Hate that. fgdhdfghdfg And I've used one of the make up settings to give her discoloration / dark(er?) circles around her eyes.

She has more wrinkles and grey hair than Étoile but somehow looks like she has less wrinkles imo. I think she looks young for her age, the way half-elves can. She's like forty-five.

The first thing people notice about Meabh, if they're lucky enough to notice anything at all, is either her beauty (quickly dismissed by her words, attitude or that smile) or that her eyes often focus a little beyond people. She only looks at a select few directly unless she's tearing them apart.

Motion

Both Étoile and Meabh move purposefully. However Meabh is because she strives not to waste energy, or expend it in wasteful pursuits; while Étoile is considerate about how they might come across to others. And this comes across differently for each of them also, with Meabh generally not touching others except with morbid curiosity, and with Étoile gauging how much contact is polite / expected / acceptable with friends and loved ones.

Meabh is very flexible and will sometimes wear a jacket that hinders this for the sake of comfort or misdirection, but generally she wears clothing and armor that suits their range of motion.

Étoile is fairly flexible (12 Dex from start to end game), and generally does not dress to hinder it any further, however, they wear a bunch of layers to try to stave off any too-insightful criticisms from people who might care too much about their body without actually having a stake in the matter (a desire for intimacy, etc.), and also just for their personal comfort. They typically wear 2 tight upper layers beneath 1-2 loose upper layers, with the topmost of these layers tucked into their pants / belt / whatever. I think their trans features are more obvious than their in-game model suggests.

Formal

Étoile definitely almost-never had any formal events in their adventuring life pre-canon, but they would have had three nice outfits just in case — something for Adventuring Guild events, something for wedding-attendance, and something for nice dates (overdressed twice, hasn't found a use for the outfit).

Unlucky them! Definitely none of these outfits survived all their things being sold on the presumption that they died when they went missing during the nautiloid abduction.

And I didn't buy them they didn't buy any new outfits in act 3. They definitely would have been concerned about needing to pay for a nebulous something else as the journey escalated — bail, scrolls, healing, someone's freedom again based on Oskar, etc. I also think this is very silly, but they would also go back into "work mode" and be thinking about how they'd have to divide the gold at the end of the journey, assuming everyone survived.

All this to say, Astarion definitely bought their epilogue outfit / insisted on the purchase for appearances with the spawn / their friends, and for formality with Baldur's Gate's upper crust, even if generally outfits have to be cheap and functional on the budget that has to account for the spawn.

As for style, Étoile casually likes colors (even if they're balanced on black) and one or two patterns; formality often doesn't change this or even lets them be a little louder. They like high collars.

Meabh's even less likely to be at a formal event. Certainly they've never attended a funeral. I think she was always in the shadows at public events or in ceremonial / Bhaalist garb once the plan was in motion.

If the plan worked, and Meabh had to entertain foreign dignitaries in their ruined city, then she could tolerate looking elegant so long as her entourage was still appropriately intimidated. She could wear a backless dark green satin dress, a cherry red suit, or anything that counts as formal and is black.

Road

Étoile is either travelling as an adventurer or on months-years long journeys to move from one place to another; in either case it is appropriate to wear armour for travel; and up until recently it was habit to wear the tabard of their Paladin order as a point of pride if for no other reason. They have definitely had months-long periods where they were "making due," but for the most part their equipment is of a standard "good" quality; the bg3 adventure stands out as a journey that yielded greater treasures for them.

As for what it looks like, I think when Étoile knows they're going to be travelling and isn't expecting to be facing combat daily that they more sensibly wear leather and other lighter alternatives to fucking plate and splint and whatever. They like being in white and blue for their association with the cold; but they'll be practical about appearances for the sake of travel.

Meabh never really went anywhere pre-canon and doesn't quite intend to go anywhere post-canon. Baldur's Gate is their home and chosen throne, with more than enough lives to entertain for a good long while, and then: a beacon to rival cities and righteous neighbours.

Did the Emperor dress durge? Where did that starter rogue's get up come from? Waking stripped and bloody fresh off an autopsy, it'd be cool to think she could have taken it off someone who didn't survive the illithid's attention; which would make it just something else they didn't exactly choose for themself. They make do.

Adopting Sceleritas as the Bhaalist stylist headcanon, he would have made sure there were sufficient armorsets in unassuming brown and Bhaalist black for Meabh to wear when they needed to venture a few hours down the road or across the planes.

Change

When I think of Étoile as a child, it's much more feminine, with dresses and long braided hair, but still tall and especially awkward. I think they stopped wearing dresses after their first major break-up / heartache, and cut off their long(er) hair when their mother died, and now the kept-length (or having a maximum length before cutting it again) is subconscious.

In Étoile's post-canon, they die (vampirism) before their surviving mother; but if in another scenario they outlived Aranea, then they might grow their hair out again after her passing.

I have not yet beaten bg3 with Meabh, and especially not with the upcoming evil endings 👀. But as it stands, with what I know, I've told two people that Meabh would transform into Slayer form with no intention of turning back after Enver's death if I allow him to die like in canon. Don't you love a tragedy?

Also, Meabh started indulging Sceleritas with more accents and presence and grandiosity in their outfits after Enver found his way back into her life (when she's around twenty years old). A curse in disguise for Sceleritas.

[omgkalyppso]

Decided in advance that Meabh would use the power of Authority upon occasion, but wouldn't consume any tadpoles. Why wouldn't they brand themself with the mark of the Absolute? She probably designed it (unless we're told otherwise by the end of the end of a durge playthrough?).

Vague act 3 spoilers:

Among other thoughts, thinking of Enver saying quietly when it's just the two of them and the brainworm:

"You were never meant to have one. We'll be rid of it as soon as we are able. And then we'll be alone. Just you and I in our kingdom. I promise."

[omgkalyppso]

To pass the time I looked up dice sets for some bg3 oc's.

Étoile

<- Oath of Devotion | Oathbreaker ->

But in either case they get both d8's for Divine Smite.

Source.

Meabh

Dark Urge Assassin Rogue nonsense.

Source.

Borgakh

Orc Hunter Ranger who is green with purple hair and benefits from Relentless Endurance.

Source.

[omgkalyppso]

Random OC questions coming in! OCs of your choice 😁

What do they smell like? 

If they could only take one bag of stuff somewhere with them: what would they pack?

Who looks great in the color red?

Who's the most physically affectionate?

Who enjoys dancing?

Lake, river, or ocean?

Thank you for the ask! ;v;

What do they smell like?

Okay, I was having so much trouble remembering if or where I'd said this, but I found: Étoile's favorite scents are cold, pine and patchouli, their tent smells of cold and sage, and so optimally in their resting time they smell "clean" / like light soap / fresh laundry, pine and cold.

Faedolyn: wildflowers and river water, or spiced cologne.

Borgakh probably smells most strongly of whatever she was doing last, from blood to gun powder to engine grease to spices, and more. Optimally, in her resting time, cinnamon, snow lilies or cactus apples.

Meabh's smell of blood can never be fully banished, but if they were trying to hide it for an event for some reason where they didn't want to smell of nothing, then they might try to smell of jasmine and hawthorn.

Voriya smells of stone fruits, and people have a hard time placing the scent, whether peaches, plumbs or even mangoes, and this is because he smells of an Underdark mushroom few on the surface are familiar with.

If they could only take one bag of stuff somewhere with them: what would they pack?

All of these characters are extremely practical and so besides the essentials (clothing, rations, toiletries, weapons) I'll give them each one personal item:

For Étoile I'm imagining them having to take their one bag alone into the Hells to set Gale up for the hopeful destruction of Raphael's Crown of Karsus; or otherwise just without Astarion because of uncertainty about sunlight in Baator. If Étoile could stomach the humiliation of asking and if Astarion could go through with the heartache of accommodating — then Étoile's one item would be a "favor" like the knights of old, a handkerchief sprayed with the perfume Astarion uses to cover his lingering scent of undeath.

Faedolyn who is Jeralt's child carries around their father's journal.

Borgakh's item rolled as a "useless" magical trinket in one of her dnd iterations and I still love it. A sewing needle that will never break. From her late seamstress mother.

If Meabh is packing one bag it's probably not a good sign for anyone and all the items in it aren't even things she's used before. Less for people to scry on her with.

Voriya packs some indulgent make up that can't be found in a standard disguise kit.

Who looks great in the color red?

Who doesn't? gdfhdfgh Of the oc's I've been talking about I think Meabh looks best in red.

Who's the most physically affectionate?

Of the oc's I've been talking about, Étoile, Fae and Borgakh are all rather physically affectionate. I think Étoile might be the most.

Who enjoys dancing?

Meabh and Voriya would be unpracticed entirely, but I think given time to explore different styles of dance that they'd enjoy it too. Borgakh is the most fluid dancer of the oc's I've mentioned. Faedolyn actually has two dancing scenes in modern settings with their partners, and one in canon setting at their wedding with Claude in fic, that I can think of. Étoile is a little heavy footed, but they have fun and enjoy the bridge it can build between people. They succeeded on their dancing check with Wyll, and I gave them a short dance with the player character (or whoever) and Sozican in their "as a companion" questline.

Lake, river, or ocean?

Étoile: river. Ice water straight down the mountainside.

Faedolyn: river. Across every conceivable landscape in Fodlan and Almyra.

Borgakh: ocean. All Many of the important bonds of her life have been strengthened within a stroll of salt water: durotar, the isle of thunder, the broken isles, etc.

Meabh: sea. The sea of swords holds the core of their black heart.

Voriya: rain. Water free of any basin.