#specifically in relation to karlach knowing durge

[mymreaderlibrary]

Unironically would love to explore this concept in a more serious tone as well. Karlach having met or at least seen Durge around Gortash's home. They were always odd and off-putting, but so was most of Gortash's crowd. Still, their presence was oppressive and she sometimes had to consider them as a threat against him. They could be some noble trying to seize power through him. Or they could be just another bed warmer with mindless intentions. Regardless, they were on her radar. Then of course the Hells happened and after those 10 agonizing years she's finally free, and who does she see first things first? Durge, that same motherfucker who used to haunt the halls of Gortash's manor. Gortash's manor. Karlach doesn't believe them when they claim to not remember the past, convenient amnesia is just a bullshit excuse cowards use but she slowly realizes they're dead serious. Beyond serious, they barely even know who they are. She won't be finding Gortash through them, but maybe she could turn his former adversary into his enemy, give that bastard an extra kick in the ass with some betrayal of the inner kind. However Durge begins to get their memories back, each one more vile than the last. They chose not to tell Karlach about their memories of Gortash, knowing that it may send her into a spiral (justifiably). But each memory spells out a clearer picture as Durge realizes they were not just one of Gortash's dolls. If anything, Durge had some form of power over the man, their mutual obsession fueling a strange and twisted affair. They were neither of each others lapdogs, they were equals. Eventually Karlach finds out and she ends up as the one feeling betrayed. Gortash's "nearest and dearest" was RIGHT THERE the whole time, they were someone she even considered a friend. She regrets giving them the benefit of the doubt, she should've known better than to trust any who aligned, formerly or currently, with that bastard. Maybe they didn't remember who they were at first, but eventually their former self would return.

And then that leaves it up to Durge, if they wish to betray their former relationship with Gortash for the sake of their new ally. Or if they want to finish what they started and let Karlach be just another casualty in their quest to greatness. If they pick Karlach it won't be easy, she will be broken from her shit life and it will take more than a little convincing that they're on her side. Undoubtably she will have Wyll to support her, but there's only so much a shoulder to cry on can offer, especially given what she's been through. Durge won't be forgiven, at least not quickly, but if they put in the time, put in the effort, they could forge something new. Perhaps forgiveness is unattainable, but allyship is possible. But if they pick Gortash I feel it would be oh so simple. He was practically waiting for them to return, every since he got the news his beloved slayer was still alive. Who better to top of their grand scheme than the mastermind themself, Gortash's own lover (if they even dared to call each other such... and perhaps, with all this power in their midst, they now could). They're already at the climax of their story, why back away now? Why keep the people waiting? This is their grand finale.

Listen. I don't know exactly how long Durge and Gortash knew each other, but wouldn't it have been absolutely hilarious. if upon meeting karlach the first time just

Wyll: ah I have finally found you, advocatus diaboli-

Karlach: yeah okay give me a minute before you kill me, YOURE THAT GUY THAT FUCKED ENVER WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE

durge, like 3 days old, freshly discovering the whole "sex" thing again: I did what. With who

[kawareo]

Thank you lovely people for giving me a chance to ramble more about something (this is genuine, i mean no shade)

I find it really cool how every character has a parallel with Durge! In general every single romance pairing has reasons for why i think "yeah i could see them being good together", but I love those for Durge especially since I think about Durges way too much

Gale. Prodigy, Chosen of a God(ess) with a relationship that went far past god/Chosen, with him and Mystra being 'lovers' and Durge and Bhaal being 'family'. They were also both groomed to a degree to fulfill a role and have since fallen from grace of their gods.

Lae'zel. Raised in what is essentially a cult, having her entire world fall apart when she learns the truth about Vlaakith and Orpheus (while Durge's world falls apart when they learn about who they are in act 3). Cult has harsh and merciless punishments for those that disappoint, with death and beatings for githyanki and... Well. You know what, for Durge (looking at you, deleted bad ending).

Shadowheart. Having an equivalent of an electric collar on you that her God(ess) can punish her with (for Durge, that punishment isnt so immediate but Bhaal can literally stop their heart if he wants to). Amnesia. Having to choose between leading your cult or leaving everything you thought you knew and being an outcast. Depending on what you do with Shart, they also both kill their parents.

Karlach. Having your body changed without your consent, in drastic ways that you have no control over; the engine for Karlach, lobotomy + Slayer form for Durge (slayer in a more minor way but i will say that even in evil route you dont get a say whether or not you transform the first time). They both hurt people that get close to then without meaning to. They both have someone more powerful who sees them as property. Also, ties to Gortash.

Wyll. Daddy issues! And being rejected and outcast by your Father, wanting to prove yourself that you're still worthy. They were also both given shitty fucking names by their dads. They both at some point chose between power at the cost of freedom and freedom at the cost of literally everything; Wyll when he made a deal with Mizora, Durge at multiple points through the game when it comes to Bhaal. They both struggle with being tied to an evil, manipulative being that wants them isolated and weak and alone. Similar with Karlach, unwilling body modification, but specifically one that turns you into a 'monster'.

Astarion. 'Father'. 'Siblings' that you are in constant and brutal competition with, for momentary approval of your Creator who will never have enough of anything short but the world. Creator who's end goal very much includes you dying for him. Having no bodily autonomy as your Creator can literally violate your mind whenever. Sexual abuse. Struggling with bloodthirst! Your existence itself is violent, you can't live without hurting someone! (Bloodthirst for Ass, Urges for Durge)

Halsin. (Potential) guilt for something you have done, being pushed in a leadership position (Halsin at the grove, Durge with companions) that you may or may not be unsuited for. Being so, so alone, without anyone to care for your feelings. They both also have sides of them that they sometimes can't control, with the Bear and Urges, or more literally, the Slayer.

Minthara. A proud and efficent warrior that got one upped by a person they underestimated. Ties to Orin. Living as someone with the highest social status in a brutal, cruel society. Fanatic worship of an objectively evil god(ess) and then the betrayal that follows, waking up from quite literal brainwashing, seeing how your God(ess) turns against you.

And I could go on! Theyre all so good and interesting and depending on what path you decide to take, there is always something that Durge can relate to on with any companion! I tried to avoid repeating points or talking about my Durge specifically by just talking about what is set in canon for them, and there is still! So! Much!

[alicelufenia]

It's patch day for Baldur's Gate 3, so you know what that means

Time to Ctrl+F Minthara in the patch notes to see what they've done to my wife this time. (below the cut in case anyone wants to go into patch 8 blind)

Bug fixes, lots of bug fixes. Holy fuck her Emperor dialogue has been bugged one way or the other for as long as I've been playing.

But what's this about Thaniel? You can't have him without Halsin, but there's no mention of Halsin and Minthara interactions here. So I guess previous patches stand, and Minthara will just steal his tent spot, but now Thaniel won't remain at Halsin's (former) spot. Gotta say, I was looking forward to Babysitter Minthara when I restarted my Tav run, so that's a bit of a disappointment. Oh well, bug fixes are still good.

I'm super curious about this one, I don't recall which dialogue this is. They don't specify Durge, which has a bugged dialogue option. This is counted as a writing change, so hopefully previously datamine-only line? Gods know she has a lot of those.

Also speaking of that:

I'm sorry, does this mean her unused early access SWD lines are finally going in the game??

Could this mean her lines mentioning her daughter are now in the game? Is Momthara canon now?

I don't dare hope until I see it myself, but if so this is HUGE for lore implications!

This on the other hand, has me worried. Are they implying they patched her act 1 silence trick? I sure fucking hope not, us Minthara fuckers have been starved for content, that was our last thing we had! You scrapped durge breakup in its infancy, don't ruin this for us too! 😭

The rest is general bug fixes, usually related to random NPCs aggroing on her specifically. Coulda done something with that, like how the paladin in BG1 will turn on Viconia and your other evil companions, and you have to pick who to side with. Obviously the dickhead paladin would have to die in my games.

I've never encountered this bug specifically. Obviously I'll be testing my Murder Method to keep Karlach and Wyll after completing Raid the Grove, so nice yet another potential roadblock to that exploit is gone.

[ryttu3k]

There was a thread on Reddit about non-Tav or Durge BG3 ships and I'm a chronic overexplainer and my reply ended up being 1,250 words and three comments long, not including the 725 words of an Astarion-related post I had done earlier and linked, or the shorter Wyllachstarion mention from yet another thread. For my own records, here's about two thousand words on BG3 characters I want to smush together like Barbie dolls.

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Rampant multishipper (and also honestly not really into OC ships, so this is my preference over Tav or Durge anyway), this will get long-winded. Apologies in advance. The short version is: basically a tadpolycule, also a concerning amount of ships for Astarion, Karlach, and Halsin specifically, but Wyllachstarion is my ultimate ship.

The number one ship: Wyllachstarion. They just... work together in every way possible. I absolutely goddamn adore all three of the constituent ships too, and even if only two of them got together, the third would 100% be a huge part of their lives. Some linkspam here.

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Wyllachstarion for life.

Art, art, art, art, art, art (and tag commentary), being Ulder's in-laws, Astarion's plans, shenanigans, little things, and some fic recs in the comments of my own 70k fic.

Anyway. I goddamn love them.

(Oakbloodweave is also very good! I'm doing that in my current Gale Origin run.)

[Original thread: favourite throuple]

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Now, character by character! I got extremely long-winded for Astarion here, so I'll just link that instead of repeating myself;

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Top favourite is probably Wyllachstarion just because they balance each other in such wonderful ways. There's a great post about their dynamic as a trio here (platonically, but I feel it works just as well romantically too). I love all three pairings individually, I think they work amazingly together, they're just. So good. I may have written a 70k fic for them.

For the listed ones, honestly, I adore all of them except Astarion/Shadowheart (although I do love them as bitchy siblings, I just usually ship Shadowheart with Lae'zel or Karlach).

Astarion and Gale? Both know what it means to hunger, not just for blood or the Weave but for power - not power for its own sake, but the power to be safe and free of others that would control them. Both have a strong narrative arc of being corrupted by the idea of power and changing irrevocably, or of coming to accept that they're worthy of being loved as they are, and I can see one encouraging the other that they're enough, and also coming to realise that by inference, he himself is enough. Not as the Vampire Ascendant and the God of Ambition, but as Astarion and Gale. They could make each other worse, but they could also make each other so much better.

Astarion and Karlach? As a friendship or as a romance, they adore each other and it's canon. If you start out romancing them both then leave one for the other, they're both completely understanding, because they know the other deserves love and care and gentleness. But the two of them, romanced? They fit together so well. Astarion gets someone who will fight the world for him. He gets someone who loves so openly and loudly and without guile that all his usual manipulations and tricks fall flat. He gets someone who drags him into caring. Karlach is a precious golden retriever of a woman, but she's also strong enough to survive the Hells for ten years; she's no pushover. In her own words, she can handle Astarion. It's not a perfect romance. Their first scene (playing as Karlach) can be pretty rough, and it's going to get messy. But there's enough genuine care there to make it work - he'll literally go to Hell to be with her.

Astarion and Wyll? They balance each other perfectly. Wyll is selfless to the point of self-sacrifice; Astarion has spent two hundred years having to think of no one but himself just to survive. Wyll can slowly coax Astarion into caring about others; Astarion can coax Wyll into caring about himself. Wyll starts out as a monster hunter who is forcibly changed into a monster himself; Astarion has been a monster for a long time and is only just starting to rediscover his humanity (elfmanity?) when he's freed from Cazador. They meet in the middle. Here is some propaganda, and I wrote about them more here, also includes a bit of Wyllachstarion at the end. Anyway they're down hilariously bad for each other and it's canon.

Astarion and Halsin? Halsin offers stability, caring, and strength. He's got his shit together to a much greater degree than the others - while I feel Astarion would want or need to be careful with some of the others, just because they're a lot younger and have gone through some awful stuff as well, I feel he could be unashamedly vulnerable around Halsin, who's a natural and willing caretaker, is older and wiser, and is also an elf, someone who at least gets Astarion's lifespan (which would be uneven with the others, even without vampirism!). Halsin definitely isn't 100% well put together - he has unresolved trauma about the three years he spent held captive by the drow, and about the Shadow-Cursed Lands, and he's still trying to find a path that truly suits him other than Grove leadership - but that's something he can work on with Astarion, on an equal basis.

And Astarion and Durge? Quite literally, they're made for each other. Their stories are intrinsically intertwined. Playing my resist!Durge against Astarion just... was one of the most satisfying gaming experiences I've ever had.

So basically, hard to answer, so many of them are amazing pairs. I think, in lieu of being able to answer Wyllachstarion, I'm going to vote for Hellspawn, but really, it's close!

[Original thread: favourite Astarion ship]

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I'll also add in Spawn!Astarion/Gandrel, in an ending where he stays in the Underdark, Gandrel admires Astarion's self-control and ability to change and turns to him for advice on raising his newly-turned daughters, and they bond over time; I also enjoy Raphstarion in an absolute trainwreck kind of way, here's a fun fic for them.

Karlach: Basically... everyone? She loves so fiercely I can really see her with anyone. See above for Astarion. She and Wyll are just made for each other, they're perfect for each other, there's affection and care and concern and love. Shadowheart - I feel she'd be very drawn to the initially withdrawn cleric with a surprising soft side. Lae'zel? They bond over sparring and end up teasing out each other's soft sides, knowing the other has the strength to support their softer sides too. Karlach and Gale are a really fun combination, the whole Bomb Squad dynamic of considering themselves doomed, so they might as well make the most of things. I can actually also still see it working long-term too, though, with the other able to draw out Karlach's curiosity and Gale's... latent feralness. As for Halsin, she canonically gets a little blushy when Halsin mentions liking strong women in Reithwin, and I like to think that after her engine is fixed and the Shadow-Cursed Lands are cured, a non-romanced Karlach definitely hooks up with him and a good time is had by all. For non-companions, she and Dammon are adorable, and I'd be willing to bet she and Fytz had at least one youthful hookup that didn't go anywhere long-term but was very nice at the time.

Wyll: Astarion and Karlach are obviously my top picks and I don't really see him long-term with anyone else, but I feel he'd also complement Gale extremely well. They could have an absolutely grand romance. Also he is Not Immune to Halsin's biceps.

Gale: Top pick is Astarion, also mentioned Bomb Squad and Bladeweave above, but I also adore him with Halsin! I feel they'd initially bond over discussing different forms of magic (druidic magic is something totally outside Gale's wheelhouse and I think he'd be fascinated), there'd be mutual attraction, and I think it'd be very healing and healthy for Gale to be with someone who appreciates and is attracted to him so physically. I get the read that everything he did with Mystra was Weave-based, it was very detached from his actual body. Halsin would be great at giving him that body positivity he'd be craving, and I think he'd be so into Halsin physically as well (see: comments on musk). I don't see it working long-term, if only because their views on exclusivity are so different, but I think it'd be a very healthy, if temporary, relationship, and I think they'd stay great friends. I also think he'd be super fun with Lae'zel - I first was introduced to the idea in a fic that had Astarion/Wyll and Karlach/Shadowheart, and at first it was like, haha, the nerd and the warrior. But they are actually a fun combo - Gale has a danger kink, and Lae'zel is... Lae'zel ;) She has a surprisingly intellectual side, he has a, well, kind of feral side. They'd likely hook up in the aftermath of a violent battle and just go on from there, I think?

Shadowheart: Shadow'zel supremacy, it's the classic enemies to lovers story. I just see it happening in basically... every universe. She's canonically attracted to Halsin and I love the idea of her farm being near Reithwin and just ending up part of a big happy family and community. And I'm 100% convinced she and Nocturne were together. They both had their memories of the actual details wiped, but the emotions - the care and trust - always remained. I really hope Nocturne is able to leave the Sharrans one day, and I hope she seeks out Shadowheart when she does!

Lae'zel: Already covered basically everyone else! For long-term relationship potential, I best see her with Shadowheart, but all the rest work at least a bit.

Halsin: Not an Origin but I adore him, so. Already mentioned specifics above for each character, with my favourites being with Astarion or Gale (or both, which I did in my Gale Origin run!), but I'll also include Halsin/Zevlor, surprised at how little there is considering how much it makes sense. (You can't romance Halsin at the tief party because he already has plans to Make The Sad Paladin Smile.) Given druid views on casual sex, too, I'm pretty sure the entire Emerald Grove has hooked up at times, too. Halsin and Nettie, and Halsin and Rath, for sure. Also, uh, whatever this is.

tl;dr everyone adores each other and I can just see it being one big polycule. Go read What Drifts on the Air, but also a social forced question and answer game (I first read it when I had COVID and couldn't breathe properly and nearly asphyxiated, which is my highest level of praise: go read this fic, it nearly literally killed me), Did I Think That Out Loud?, and Sharing.

(Can't include Minthara, I have an allergy to evil runs because I don't like making video game characters sad and see also: I adore Halsin, so I don't really know her well enough. I have heard good things about her and Karlach, though!)

For the non-Origins, the canon ships of Isobel/Aylin and Alfira/Lakrissa are both adorable and precious and they deserve the world. Orpheus/Voss is particularly tragic if Orpheus becomes a mind flayer, but I definitely think they get back together if he stays gith (and also adopt Lae'zel), although Orpheus is going to have to be okay with Voss and Qudonos also being together.

For ones that aren't explicitly canon, I adore Blurg/Omeluum (cutest old married couple who haven't actually realised they're married. "It's hard to explain, but I feel happier when I'm around Omeluum." Pookie you're smitten), Jaheira/Nine-Fingers Keene (Keene clearly respects and admires Jaheira enormously, Jaheira is likely the only one to actually call her Astele, if they haven't had a thing in the past I'll eat my goddamn hat), Barcus/Zanner (they bond initially over purely business, getting the Ironhands and Gondians working together, but Zanner has been lonely ever since Obelia's other parent died and Barcus is still smarting over how things ended with Wulbren, and start getting close), and, for a 'they'd be terrible for everyone around each other but also deserve each other', Araj/Dalyria. Unethical experiments ahoy!

Also it's not so much something I actively ship as 'they were 100% canonically together and you can't convince me otherwise and it ended in the most tragic way possible', but Balduran/Ansur punches me in the emotions. I have yet to read 'Dear Ansur' without tearing up.

[nerdalmighty]

For the Tav/Durge Ask Meme

4. Hiding/sneaking/hidden movement

11.Sending them to talk to their romanced partner (or best friend if not romanced)

36. What are some situational dialogues they would say when something happens to another companion or you talk to them while in a quest-specific location (such as commenting on Karlach's heart, Elminster visiting Gale, visiting Cazador's mansion, etc)?

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

25-34* party banter with (romanced companion) and/or (best friend)

*Dealer's Choice/Choose one you'd like to answer*

Oh I'm so excited to do this one 🤩 (Thanks for being patient with me, I've been busy but thinking about this the whole time!!)

Original post/questions can be found here.

AHEM! Here's stuff my Tav, Birdie, a silly bard with mermaid/siren qualities, would say as an NPC (this is kind of a long post so I'll drop my answers below the cut):

4. Hiding/sneaking/hidden movement

I feel like a lot of her sneaking dialogue would be related to not talking/keeping your voice down since she's a bard and singing is normally a bard's jam. Birdie's got a complicated past with singing, but I think she'd still say things along the lines of...

"Keep your voice down," "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" "Keeping my mouth shut," "Quietly now."

She sounds a little like Astarion but I think that's okay! He can't have ALL the good lines lol

11. Sending them to talk to their romanced partner (or best friend if not romanced)

Birdie is currently romancing Astarion, so I think lots of the dialogue I imagine she'd say would relate to him BUT as an NPC, she'd probably say stuff like...

Romanced: "There you are, my love!" "When an idiot loves an idiot..." "A word, muse of mine?" "My favorite melody..." Best friend: (Humming some sort of jaunty tune), "Time to cause a ruckus," "Yoo hoo!" "Stopping by for a chat."

She's silly and she likes to keep things silly, but I believe she'd be more earnest with her romanced partner.

36. What are some situational dialogues they would say when something happens to another companion or you talk to them at a specific location (such as commenting on Karlach's heart, Elminster visiting Gale, visiting Cazador's mansion, etc)?

This one's tough. Birdie's silly so I think a lot of the things she'd say would be similar to Karlach who's hilarious and has a huge heart. Birdie is just as sweet and loves to cause trouble when she knows it'll get a laugh and not harm anyone in the process (unless they deserve it). I think the most unique dialogues she would have would be at the Water Queen's House. In my head, she was raised there and was looking for an escape when the mindflayers got to her (Which you can read more about here). She'd probably have a scene like this:

Birdie: You guys go ahead. I'm going to hang back for a moment. Tav: Are you alright? Birdie: The music... It's our mourning song. I can't go in there. Tav: What do you mean? What are they mourning? Birdie: This is a Temple to Umberlee, the queen of the depths. I was raised here. When we sing that song, it only means one thing - a drowning. Death.

I think like Astarion, her plot wouldn't be integral to the main story, but it would be rewarding to players who want to help her. I think you'd either be able to help her get revenge on the servants of the Temple or gain closure. There's probably an ascension plotline in there somewhere, lord knows everyone else has one 😂 I also think the Harpies in Act 1 would really spook her. That would probably be what kicks off her personal quest.

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

Interesting! I love this idea. I think she'd probably get giddy or bashful about it and occasionally get serious. Maybe like...

Asked for a kiss: (Smiling and humming a happy little melody before going in for a kiss), "Who, me? Oh, alright!" "Have we met? Kidding," "Get over here, you," "Please do." After the kiss: "Don't be a stranger," "I really like you, did you know that?" "You're good at that," "The bards could write songs... oh who cares" "Come back, my love."

That's my favorite one so far! I think there's a lot to play with with those interactions. Astarion ALWAYS has something to say, but Gale doesn't say anything which is a shame! (I can't speak for the other romanced NPCs, I only know Ass and Gale because my roommate romanced him lol)

25-34. Party banter with (romanced companion)/(best friend)

SO MANY OPTIONS! Since in this scenario Birdie is an NPC, I don't think she and a romanced Tav would be able to banter (since that's not really something that happens in game, they more or less just comment on the situation). While yes, in my game she's romancing Astarion, there aren't really any banter sequences between them besides the ones I make up in my head lol. Therefore, I'm picking Gale, since I think they'd be besties:

[How to trigger: have the two of them in your party in Act 1] Birdie: Have you ever written a song, Gale? Gale: Not a song, per say, though I have been known to try my hand at poetry. Birdie: Is that so? Got anything for me off the top of your head? Gale: There once was a wizard from Waterdeep... Birdie: Sing it for us! Gale: (Clearing his throat and inhaling as if he's about to do it) No. Birdie: Booooo. BONUS! (Because I love them) [How to trigger: Find Skittle the rat in the Heapside Prison in Act 3] Birdie: (Gasps) Gale! Come look at this! Gale: What is it? Skittle: Step up! And marvel at the spec-rat-ular wonders on offer! Gale: Oh. My. Gods. This is rat-solutely amazing. Birdie: May we have a squeak at your wares, sir? Gale: That's good. A rat merchant. What sort of work does that en-tail? Birdie: Careful Gale, he may not want to let you in on his squeak-rets. Astarion: Would you two shut up? [Beat.] Astarion: And Birdie, you said "squeak" twice. Birdie: Rats. Astarion: (Groans loudly)

I could banter all day ladies and gentlemen. I'm constantly rotating these guys in my mind. If you LIKE banter (and are 18+) please check out my fic that I posted on my writing account! It's got banter FOR DAYS. And is sweet too or whatever. You can find that here and on AO3!

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Anyway, THANK YOU @the-pale-elfs-love for tagging me in this!! It was such a blast to think about Birdie as a character I was writing for in game :) I'M COMING FOR YOUR INBOX NEXT!

If anyone wants to answer these questions for their own Tav or other ones from the original post, feel free! Tag me in them so I can read them too!

[crossdressingdeath]

Ooh the idea that you get slayer no matter what happens to Isobel! I like the idea that, if you don't kill Isobel then player has less control of the slayer. something like losing health while in slayer form or attacking you teammates. Something to really make you feel like Bhaal's leash is tightening around Durge!

I'm so sorry, Tumblr straight up didn't tell me I got this ask, I have no idea how long it's been in my inbox.

Anyway, it feels weird that you only get the Slayer if you're a good little murderer in BG3 given in the earlier games you get it either way. Even in BG3 that book Volo gives you on the subject specifically calls out the fact that Bhaal uses the Slayer as a means of controlling unruly children! As it is it feels like Larian wanted to make destroying Last Light a somewhat tempting option, but instead of adding in additional content to balance out how much you get cut off from they just added one new gameplay feature, which... I love the story implications of the Slayer, but as a gameplay feature it's incredibly lackluster given how much you have to lose in order to get it. Similar to how up to Patch 5 the fact that without mods or the sheep trick you had to side with the goblins (losing Wyll, Karlach, Halsin and potentially Gale as companions and cutting all the tiefling-related content short in the process) to get Minthara meant she wasn't worth it no matter how good a companion she was, losing Isobel, Barcus and all the tieflings makes destroying Last Light a very rough trade to balance out and the Slayer really isn't enough. But the story implications of Durge having it are so tasty! It wouldn't be such a big deal if it wasn't for the precedent set by the previous games that makes it clear there's nothing stopping Bhaal from giving Durge the Slayer either way, but because we know he does give it to disobedient offspring as a means of controlling them the fact that he doesn't do that here really sticks out.

[mcscouty]

4, 5, 10, 20, 22, and 23 for any/all ocs you wish!

ohhhh... more kore answers i think...

4. How easy is it to earn their trust?How easy is it to earn their mistrust?

kore thinks it's harder to earn his trust than it is. like. i'm not going to say it's easy. but kore is immediately won over by gale, karlach, and wyll. he trusts but doesn't like lae'zel (and astarion) for most of act 1 (the feeling is mostly mutual). the only one he's really outright suspicious of is shadowheart because kore's like there is no way we have two amnesiac bitches in this camp which feeds into shadowheart not liking him and it turns into a whole Thing.

but. basically. kore is actually a lot more trusting than one would think. he's unwittingly a big proponent of OTHER people who are not him are probably a lot more trustworthy and have no reason to Be Evil. this does bite him in the ass.

5. How easy is it to earn their mistrust?

ironically i think it's also really easy to earn his mistrust. he holds himself to high standards so he does the same to others. it makes building relationships difficult. kore is a complicated and contradictory man.

it also makes his life hard because anytime he fucks up he holds himself responsible to the point of self flagellation.

10. What lie do they most frequently remember telling? Does it haunt them?

"it's fine" and "i don't remember"

i know i keep mentioning how i have a durge/gale fic that i have squirreled away from prying eyes but like... it's the crux of kore's character. he believes that since he's in a leader role that he needs to have his shit sorted and packed away. so he'll tell (gale mostly) that he's fine when he's actually about to burst at the seams or is so ragged and tired that he's having trouble being him. lae'zel does not believe him when he says these things btw but it isn't until much later that she intervenes and calls kore on his bullshit.

i think i unintentionally made kore high-masking autistic. oops.

and that leads into his other lie. "i don't remember." i won't get too into durge related stuff because i know u did tav run first but. kore does have more flashes of his past than he cares to admit. and he tends to conceal it from everyone. it makes things really difficult for him. but... like i said he's convinced he has to have himself collected so he's like.

i'll deal with that later.

20. If they were asked to explain the difference between romantic and platonic or familial love, how would they do so?

i think kore has a lot of problem describing things in words so he'd give up on describing the difference before he ever started LOL. but if he could find the words he'd say something like: familial love is dangerous and can never be trusted, platonic love is safety, and romantic love is the feeling of coming home.

22. How does jealousy manifest itself in them (they become possessive, they become aloof, etc)?

it depends. i see kore as having really dynamic behaviors so it's either one extreme of the spectrum or the other... but i think with jealousy he would withdraw but still has those passive aggressive possessive behaviors.

if he's not explosive with his jealousy he's definitely an ignores you and won't talk about it sort of guy that makes you feel insecure about what you've done. like i can easily see him refusing all communication and giving his partner/whoever the cold shoulder for days.

it's not cute.

i do want it noted that under the right circumstances though that kore could and would be the typical red flag toxic jealous you'd expect from a guy who can't articulate his feelings. so like. y'know. pick fights. make threats. manhandling gale his partner. etc. etc. but this would have to be like. very specific conditions since kore has a fucking complex about being a good guy.

23. How does envy manifest itself in them (they take what they want, they become resentful, etc)?

kore of "present" and "canon" definitely ruminates and tries to put it out of his mind. but it will ultimately consume him and lead to him acting stupid and making a fool of himself eventually. and if he doesn't make a fool of himself... well. here comes the self flagellation again.

part of kore trying to be that "knight in shining armor" type is that he does try to compartmentalize all the things he sees as "bad."

in the past/pushed just right he'd be a take what he wants kinda guy but.

[durgetavoc]

Tav and Durge's tents

For Tav's tent, I like to draw inspiration from the dark cottagecore aesthetic for its esoteric/mother nature vibes. My Tav lived for a long time in the middle of Cloakwood, almost cut off from civilization. She feels more into her element in the wild than in the city (her wild magic also has an influence on that).

Her tent is smaller than those of her companions and is very worn (you can see seams and patchworks here and there). Around it, you can find herbs and plants hanging or placed on her side counter where she makes potions for the group, with a "alchemist" kit, vials and a cauldron that is always boiling (there are bowls at the foot of it, but it's better to ask her opinion before trying to taste a spoonful, since there's a fifty-fifty chance it will kill you). You can also find small sharp knifes, useful for cutting up hunted beasts in order to recover the parts useful for alchemy.

Next to the tent, a planter and some pots where she can grow the plants she finds during her journey and thus cultivate them (for unlimited potions!!).

Her bedroll is very messy, she sleeps around books that she finds during her travels (but never finishes) and many arrows with her bow.

Tav works better on the floor, so she places mats on the ground in front of her tent to spread out her loot. There's also her old big backpack always open so she just has to dig into it when she needs something. Fun fact, she paid a small fortune for it at a market in Baldur's Gate. It's very big to the point where, when traveling, anyone can see the backpack before Tav... It has several handles, as well as shoulder straps and belts so she can keep it hanging around her. It happened several times that Karlach lifted Tav by one of these handles (for example, to help her climb a high place) (some accidents happened because of that too) (like Tav falling into the river because she forgot to fasten the belt around her before Karlach tried to lift her).

Durge's tent is a mixture of refinement and disorder; She likes pretty things and tidy things, but sometimes she gets lost in her organization, creating a whole chaotic mess. This fits both her god-like status and the fact that she has amnesia, constantly searching for any answer. So the first things one will notice in her tent, which appears spacious, are specific pieces of paper, letters, and books that she kept. This serves her to develop theories and carry out investigations into her forgotten past. What she considers not necessary in her investigation but still important to her, she puts it in her chest (after all, you never know if a particular discovery might trigger a familiar memory or sensation.) She keeps a diary, or at least has accumulated three, to leave traces of her adventures, days and discoveries as well as to record her theories and schemes.

Not far from her bedroll, Durge likes to make a pile of gold and other valuables that she amasses during their journey. Lae'zel once pointed out to her that this behavior looked a lot like a dragon, and since Durge has scales, this allowed her to confirm that she surely has a dragon part in her. At the top of this golden pile is a jewelry box. Really, no shiny thing is safe with her around.

Speaking of piles, she has another one that makes one part of the tent quite messy where she collects pieces of metal and iron, everything related to mechanics, engineering. She doesn't know why she does this, Durge is simply fascinated and feels a kind of adoration and admiration when she manipulates these kinds of objects.

Durge has a collection of daggers, it's her favorite weapon, as if she could become one with them. She only keeps her favorites. Often well-elaborated daggers with twisted blades. Not far from this arsenal of weapons is its more practical and medical corner. It seems that she has a gift for recognizing a particular injury or illness, her equipment being stored in a first aid kit. She also has poisons and antidotes, apparently these are her specialties.

And finally, hidden in this beautiful mess, among the pretty red fabrics with intricate patterns, is a poster of Enver Gortash. It's a poster that she tore up when they arrived at Baldur's Gate when no one was looking. And honestly, I don't think she wants her companions to find out - it would be complicated and awkward for her to explain.

[loderlied]

i am so sorry for the amount i am about to send you. general 5, 8, and 9. story specific 1, 5, 10, and 11? you dont have to answer all of them lmao

zeke’s story will never be at full potential without the durge stuff and you didn’t ask for any durge related ones so i will just pretend that he’s still the most specialest bhaalbabe ever just as a companion lol. i’m gonna excuse this self-indulgence by reminding myself that i heard that default durge was supposed to be a companion early in development? anyways.

5. Are there any instances where your Tav can permanently leave the party, depending on player character actions?

surprisingly it would be pretty hard to get rid of him once you invited him to travel along with you. i wrote a little fic about this scenario a while ago and he’s just a massive self-centered dick when you recruit him but he’s also so insanely confused. not even mentioning the memory loss, he’s a sheltered, paranoid, stressed to hell and back guy who’s being exposed to a new environment and he’s clinging to anything that makes his confusion a little easier—zeke doesn’t know a life without being led by someone, so even if he thinks your leadership is lofty he’ll probably stick around for a while at least, even if you don’t exactly want him around, like a cockroach infestation.

8. What do they say when the Player Character asks them to stay in camp?  How about when the Player Character asks them to come adventuring again?

“Pah, y-you think you and your sorry excuse for a brain up there would survive for A SECOND without my expertise? S-Suit yourself. “ *looks away from player pouting*

“Aha, aha, look who’s here again! Knew you’d crawl back to me. Yes, I suppose I could consider coming with you… Just say the words ‘You were right, Zeke.’ and my mastermind is at your side again. He-Hey! Wait! Don’t leave! For fucks sake, I’m right behind you…”

9. Does your Tav have any escalating conflicts with one of the other companions, like Lae’zel and Shadowheart’s knife-fight?

oh god of course. it’s zeke hello. first off we have karlach.

act 1: i think after you’ve traveled with them both for a bit and have beaten the “paladins”/she has revealed her backstory, you get a scene in which you approach zeke like usual but see that his eye is completely blue and bruised, and if you press him he says “that brute devil attacked him for merely trying to have a conversation with her. his fault really, for assuming that she’d be good at anything but mindlessly bashing people’s heads in” (wild statement to make with 6 cha lol) if you then question karlach about it you find out that he was actually incessantly pestering her with questions about her past, completely disregarding her trauma or or discomfort. (this is because his like brain like. tingling? at the gortash mention but he doesn’t know that yet so neither does the player)

act 2/3: so, i haven’t used karlach beyond act 1 yet because i attacked the grove with zeke, so i can’t include anything about her personal quest, but i think they’d sort of. hesitantly grow together over act 2, only for that to get shattered on the big reveal tm at the coronation. there’s so much that can be said about this and i’m already rambling like crazy so i’m gonna summarize: karlach gets super duper fucking pissed, but also is probably smart enough to notice how gortash hurt zeke, not how he hurt her but not any less cruel, when zeke’s mental health starts to deteriorate after reuniting with him. so you can keep them in the party for a while longer together—until zeke straight up tries to murder karlach for being a threat to gortash in a weird panic attack induced mania. he will not have anyone steal his kill. you can either kill him then, let him kill karlach, or knock him out and send him away, but you cannot keep him in your party if you don’t kill karlach.

uugh yikes. shart time!

these bitches are also fighting tm. zeke in the early days essentially sees her as a rubik’s cube to solve, a way to distract himself from his own memory loss by seeking recognition in hers. so while his pestering of her is out of genuine interest, it’s certainly not any less annoying.

zeke also has a complicated relationship with shar. he can get behind the “shadows” aspect, loves those as a stalker, but he has the chronic need to solve mysteries, uncover secrets, know everything, so sharrans are obviously not to keen on him lmao

1. How does your Tav advise the player character when it comes to the Dream Visitor?

zeke is incredibly distrusting of. well. anything really, so he will advise you to be wary, but he is also smart enough to realize that what they’re saying about them being the only reason they’re protected from the absolute is most likely true, so he tells you to keep them around for as long as they’re useful.

5. How do they react to the Player Character taking their first tadpole power?

asks you how it feels to be one step closer to squid town, then dismissively waves his hand and probably makes a comment how it’ll be fine: there’s not much up there to burrow into anyway. if your approval with him is high he’ll still say that line but sound notably different—louder, more venom, stuttering a lot more, trying to overcompensate for his clear worry for you.

10. How do they react if the PC licks the dead spider in the Gauntlet of Shar?

wants a bite! zeke is a full body investigator, meaning that he’s not above licking and sniffing everything that seems even mildly intriguing to him lol

11. What do they say if the PC tries to force them to go up on stage with Dribbles the Clown?

you don’t get approval or disapproval, when you first prompt him to go he remarks something along the lines of “of course you’d pick me! not like the audience would cheer for any of the other losers in our party” but when you actually force him he’s really nervous lol “o-obviously every good comedian re-rehearses their jokes before! wh-what? no i can improvise, it’s just- well- i’d be at an obvious disadvantage…” and so on lmao

[litsenn]

I get your point. I sincerely do. CW: I'll be discussing SA and coping mechanisms But I actually feel like it's important to have to have sex with him to start the romance. I believe (my opinion, you don't have to agree ofc) it's the best way to tell *his* story; and not that of our Tav/Durge. As you noticed yourself, it's the whole point of his storyline; it's part of the way he evolves from act 1 to act 2 (when you romance him). Without that hyper sexy, "depraved carnal lust" step in act 1, the act 2 confession wouldn't feel as powerful. Whereas when you have "meaningless sex" with him in act 1 and still care about him in Act 2, that confession falls like huge slap. And that's the point. The game is telling you : "he was hiding it so well, didn't he? And you can't blame yourself, you couldn't know. But now , you know. What are you going to do?" It feels exactly the same when your long-time partner eventually tells you they are a survivor. It hurts, you feel somehow guilty for not seeing it before, but it's not your fault. (Of course it feels different when you're metagaming. But eh, you're playing a rpg, you're character is **not** supposed to know) Astarion's act 1 hedonistic mask underlines how much he struggles with boundaries, how much he doesn't know how to bond with people if there's no sex involved (the Karlach origin bit underlines that, indeed). It makes so much sense. It's a quite common trauma response from survivors: being sexually abused and coping through a lot of meaningless sex. (That being said -- Astarion's true feelings about sex, it's all up to each players' HC.) Transparency: I'm talking as an allosexual - too sexual according to the norms - but also as a survivor. And it means a great deal to me to witness his evolution through the game -- and his decision to not have sex for a while, even with someone he's attracted to...THANK YOU @johnlarian! I needed to see this in fiction. It's so important to me <3 Of course, all survivors don't cope the same way; we've had different experiences and different relations to sex and it's normal to not relate to that specific way to cope. But from my own perspective, Astarion's evolution is very powerful, it's the fist time I actually feel seen.

EDIT: My only struggle, is that we can't tell him that he can drink from our Tav/Durge without it being a sex-kink

My one major issue within Astarion's romance storyline (spoilers)

TLDR: player shouldn't have to sleep with him in act one to initiate the romance.

(also please correct me if I'm wrong about this being the way the romance triggers. All the information I found said that the act 1 intimacy scene is necessary)

First of all, this just locks you out of romancing him unless you’re a very particular kind of person. On my playthrough, my character is not at all the type to sleep with him casually, but I went through with it because I very badly wanted to see his romance storyline. 

So let’s examine what leads up to the scene. Astarion, upon meeting the player, recognizes power in them and thus someone who can help protect him. He comes up with his “nice, simple plan” to seduce the player in order to get them to trust and care for him. This makes complete sense for his character, as he sees his main and perhaps only source of value being what he can offer physically. It’s what he knows how to do, and so in this crisis situation, of course it’s what he defaults to. The fact that he propositions the player is not what I have a problem with. It’s the fact that they have to say yes in order to further the romance, or else they’re locked out of it. 

On a practical level, I can understand what the thought process behind this might have been. Having a character proposition the player, being turned down, and then coming onto them again in the future might make them come off as a pest, which can make a character majorly unlikable. However I would argue this can be worked around because it is made very clear that the first encounter with him is meant to be a purely casual intimacy. Having a confession scene later where he proposes something more sincere would feel completely different, offering something new rather than not taking no for an answer. 

But the game forces you to accept his offer if you want to further the romance. This leaves the player in an uncomfortable position no matter what. There are two intimacy scenes possible in act one, the first being his high approval scene that can trigger whenever, where he makes the offer and the player can choose. Skipping this one does not lock you out of the romance IF you do sleep with him at the Teifling party afterward (if I’m not mistaken). The Tiefling party version of the scene is much much better if you care about him as a person, in my opinion, because he keeps the fact that he sees it as a transaction to himself. In the high approval scene, he outright says, albeit flirtatiously, that this is a reward for letting him drink your blood. Him presenting the encounter that way feels very icky if you say yes. So while it’s very in-character and a very honest and raw portrayal of how his trauma has affected him, it leaves the player in a bad position. 

Now, this plot point is crucial to his overall story, yes. He needs to initiate this kind of pandering to the player character, trying to seduce them and get their trust and loyalty. My argument is that this can be done *without* the sex scene. If I were to rewrite this scene, I would have it that he invites the character to the woods after the party in a more ambiguous way unless you yourself bring up the topic of sex. Then, when you’re both there having your private conversation, you can choose to decline his advances. He could become puzzled and maybe a little annoyed and say something like “why did you come here, then?”. The player could then have the option to respond with “I wanted to get to know you better” or something. This could be a really sweet and heartbreaking moment to look back on after you learn more about him. Give him a genuine moment of confusion in this scene, because it challenges what he thought about himself and other people; someone doesn't want him just for his body, and they also want to get to know him as a person. This would probably be a confusing and difficult feeling for him. He’d mask it quickly, of course, but still. Then, there could be a nice moment between them where they just have a cute conversation about anything. Maybe they could even just make this scene into a slightly different version of his scars scene the morning after. He showed up shirtless after all, so the player could go on to ask him about that and it could be a wholesome bonding moment. This would allow the player to show interest in him without it being explicitly sexual, but also not locking you out of the romance route with him. Also it’s asexual friendly. On a narrative and emotional level, this serves basically the exact same purpose as the sex scene(s), with the exception of the regret and moral greyness, which I think the player should be able to avoid anyway if they choose. Especially upon replays, this forces the player to engage in something they know is not an enjoyable experience for him, in order to trigger his romance storyline, which I think is kind of wrong. 

Interesting point here, though: If you’re playing as origin Karlach, then you can't sleep with him at first without, you know, burning him to a crisp. The romance plays out the same otherwise, PROVING MY POINT that it’s not necessary. In this version of events, they just “talk and fall asleep”. This would be exactly what I wanted. I just really wish this were an option in any other case.

I'm too demisexual for this.

[dykexenomorph]

"show me yours and ill show you mine" ACTUALLY SOBBING

Anyway music related asks! As always answer whichever you want however you want!

1. OBVIOUSLY GOTTA SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE LINE I JUST SAID?

2. The song Crosses got me thinking, Mina obviously helped everyone else with their problems but do any of the companions try and comfort\help her? And if so does she accept the help?

3. "When you saw the dead bird, you started crying" is actually so interesting to me cuz its MinaxKarlach, does Karlach hold any grudges against Mina for being durge? And what were your thoughts exactly w that song?

4. No question here just Saint Bernard Mina </3

[FOR context, these asks are about my mina chara playlist, if for whatever reason anyone wants it feel free to ask and ill make it public ���]

1- tbh this song is mostly on this playlist bc i feel it sorta describes how mina sees herself in her and karlachs relationship? its one of those times where the overall song isn't maybe a good parallel, but a few lines of it fit to a T. that specific line is fairly self explanatory though i feel LMAO, its just mina and karlach swapping horror stories about their past (ESP since i feel karlach likely wasn't able to be the best of people pre-worm. she talks herself about not doing anything for the folks in elturel out of worry for what it'd mean for herself)

2- while most of the companions are sympathetic towards her and maybe try to lend a listening ear, i feel jaheira and minsc are the only ones who actually get anywhere in terms of helping mina. from the moment jaheira confronts mina about being bhaalspawn, she's making sure to keep an eye on her and tries her best to help her when the urges come along (her and minsc are the only ones who are able to read her well enough to know when she's trying to battle an urge). mina LEAPS at the chance to finally share the burden with someone else. some of the companions probably tried talking to her about it pre act 3, but there was no way in HELL she was gnna risk losing the relationship she'd built up w any of them by talking about her urges. she'll never say it, but she's incredibly grateful for jaheira being as stubborn and blunt as she is. mina probably would've had to deal with everything alone had jaheira been any less firm about confronting her. (also unrelated to everything i just said but crosses is actually technically one of the songs leftover from when wyll was the one mina was romancing. NOW i see it as her being there for karlach, but before it was wyll helping her)

3- so this song is ANOTHER ONE where its not the entire song tht fits, but just a part of it. the last like. minute or so of the song (from "if i could give you the moon" to the end) is EXTREMELY them coded to me. the line that you're pointing out in specific ("when you saw the dead little bird / you started crying / but you know the killer doesn't understand") just makes me think of the HUGE mental disconnect pre act 3 mina has from her feelings. like, before getting to act 3 and acknowledging the depth of her feelings for karlach + knowing what the deal is w her own personal history, mina has trouble understanding affection and DEFINITELY doesn't quite know how to show or receive it yet. i dunno if that parallel makes sense outside of my own mind, but hopefully i explained it well enough?

4- [nodding sagely in aggreement] saint bernard mina

[xanfeursel]

heard you were bored so here are some questions :) (i realized halfway through that these are all durgetash because those little shits have taken over my mind) do you like leaning into the angst of durgetash or do you prefer the more lighthearted (aside from the atrocities) dynamic? if larian dropped a gortash romance, is there any icks that would absolutely ruin it for you?

or conversely, what would be the best thing they could add in a hypothetical gortash route?

what were your biggest inspirations for lophi and vyper? do you prefer one over the other or are they equal in your eyes?

(hopefully you won't have to answer these since you'll get out of work soon)

HELLO ANON. im sorry to tell you infact waited till i actually got home to answer these because i have!!! THOUGHTS and OPINIONS about the questions asked . thank you very much btw these are all really good questions ill have fun answering

FIRSTLY, it all depends on the kind of durge gortash is being paired w imo. with vyper i tend to lean more into These Two Are Fucking Insane while w/ lophi i lean more into the sort of melancholic 'angsty' side of durgetash that i think can be real yummy too. and it's all because of who vyper and lophi are as characters pre-tadpole, too. vyper liked being a loud insane freakus while lophi was a lot more reserved and kind of a miserable mess, and that informs their relationships w/ the characters around them. i think both are good and fun to explore and i definitely like exploring the more angsty side w vyper x gortash and vice versa w lophi x gortash, so. i guess both. really. LOL .

secondly, going to answer both of the gort romance related questions in one, but i think i'm probably in the unpopular opinion that gortash doesn't really neeeeeeeed a romance and i could go without it in game. i do think he deserves more content and screentime, but that's something i can say about orin also, and frankly a Lot of parts of act 3. me and act 3 have a toxic on/off again relationship. alright.

that being *said*, if i was mr larian and i was to implement a gortash romance, i'd have it be something exclusive to a durge/evil run. or at the very least, have it have consequences with your party (i.e karlach leaving or something. love gort but i do not think you should go off romancing him scott free).

i Do think having it be exclusive to a more evil-aligned run would help add more actual content to doing an evil run (and god knows we need some with how bg3 seems to like punishing people who just want to do the evil options They Gave You) and would make the most sense, but all in all i'd just hope it's handled better than the mizora sex scene cause god how that whole thing is handled still pisses me off. hopefully this all makes sense

tl;dr, its a fun idea but i can very easily go without it especially knowing how the game treated its one other antagonist romance option

now for the lophi and vyper question... i do obviously have my biases towards vyper /looks at my blog theme/, but i genuienlly cannot pick favourites with them besides that... i use them both to explore different aspects of the durge origin in different ways bc despite what some other people say i Do think you can be very flexible w durge as a concept despite the pre-established lore for them ^_^ and i think it's very fun to play around with.

as for specific inspirations, lophi takes a lot of insp from vintage pierrot art + has accidentally gotten a very 1920s makeup vibe in My Mind. i should also note her name comes from the scientific name for anglerfish, cuz thats what i had in mind when giving her those freaky sharp ass teeth i always draw her with

and while of course, both of my durges are trans, lophi specifically was birthed from my want to make a dark urge that leans in as heavily as she possibly could in the whole trans allegory thing. so theres that as well!

vyper's specific inspos are harder for me to pinpoint cause he's much more of a 'made up as i went' character than lophi, given he was my First dark urge and i didnt really fully know what i was going into all this yet while making him (and also i was maybe a little bit high while doing so...lol) THAT SAID THOUGH, i did initially make him with akira fudo from devilman in mind. he has the horn style he does because it reminded me of devilman ... although the akira insp is very lose and barely effects his character now.. ~_~ despite bg3 being my main fixation atm devilman is still a very very important piece of media to me so vyper being loosely akira-pilled is not too surprising if you know me well enough lololol

[showyoumyfavoriteobsession]

endgame spoilers

finished playthrough #2! orpheus fucking rules and i'm so glad i went that route this time, it was very exciting to fight the emperor at the end. also led to the most narratively satisfying nat 20 i've ever gotten:

however, i was a little surprised lae'zel didn't seem to get a more finished scene after you decide what to do with orpheus. in my first playthrough i didn't do any of her story, and she got a little scene where she called down a dragon and flew away satisfied. knowing now what that actually meant, i would have liked to see a little parallel scene where she and orpheus (and/or voss) get to fly off into the sunset to confront vlaakith. i really really loved her storyline but i wish a little more had been put into the end.

the final moments are a LOT more satisfying if you're actually romancing someone lmao, i loved that i got scenes with both halsin and astarion, loved the implication that my tav and "daddy" halsin just spent their first night of freedom fucking the hell out of each other, and loved assuring astarion that i did want to stay with him and guide a whole horde of vampire spawn together. very fun stuff.

i let karlach die on the surface again, but reloaded the conversation after the credits to see what it's like if you convince her to go back to avernus. it was a cool scene, and i shouldn't have been surprised that it overruled all your other romance scenes (you ARE going to hell, after all), but if i had gone with that "canonically" in my run i probably would have felt a little cheated out of the other relationships i spent so much time on. i love karlach but she wasn't even in my party for most of the game.

i can't believe i'm considering even more playthroughs - i am starting to feel a little burnt out on this game, but there are still more things i want to see. the main ones i'm considering are a gale origin playthrough where i romance wyll (the last male character i haven't romanced, plus actually running karlach in my main party and i'm curious what the origin stories are like), and a full evil durge playthrough to recruit minthara and get a bad ending. i'm tempted to try and do the evil playthrough next since both of my first playthroughs have been basically good-aligned, and a gale origin with wyll romance is going to be like. peak goody-two-shoes energy lol. maybe i'll try to do the next playthroughs a little faster, although i was expecting my second playthrough to be faster and it took almost exactly the same amount of time as the first lol.

anyway, final thoughts! durge was a really interesting run, it’s such a cool idea to make the player character feel a lot more integrated with the world. i loved that whenever i ran into random npcs who knew my character, i still had a good canonical/roleplay reason to not know them. and while i'm a little iffy on the ~durge/astarion is canon~ discourse that's floating around, it was a really good complement to the plot and both of their character arcs.

i think my main complaint about the game is a common one, and it's that i wish there was more content for platonic companion relationships. i understand it makes sense (and adds replay value) to have some stuff locked exclusively behind romance - and i like the romances a lot! i've had more fun with them than i have in maybe any other game! but i felt this very acutely with lae'zel's story this time around. she and astarion have similar approval triggers, so she also had very high approval even by the end of act 1, but the only character moments we got were specifically related to her quest, and it doesn't feel like you get as much of a chance to just... become a friend. halsin definitely suffers from this too, to some extent; i know he's a much more secondary character, but even wandering around the world it felt like he didn't have nearly as much banter or random observations as the rest.

there are also still a good number of semi-distracting bugs. nothing game-breaking for me, and it's been nice to see a lot of stuff get fixed! (since patch 3 i don't think i've seen the dreaded "1. Continue" one time!) but i saw a lot of surprisingly janky animations for my player character, and even though i didn't interact with him much this time around, gale has seemed especially buggy since patch 3 - saying the wrong things, fully facing the wrong way in some conversations, weird camera in his scenes, etc. and i've heard that minthara is still pretty buggy, so maybe i'll wait for the next major patch before i start a new playthrough for real. i saved before major plot points a lot more consciously this time, so i have some places where i can go back and replay things in a different way without starting a whole new run. plus, there's always character creation...

anyway. it's past midnight on a work night. one last picture of my tav in his slutty little robe for you all: