Halsin cannot make himself physically smaller so he diminishes everything in his life including his trauma to make himself less of a spectacle (barring the shadow curse ofc but even then he’s attempting to do it himself (because he can’t get help from the emerald enclave) and accepts our help after a century only to be like “it’s gonna be hard it’s alright if you choose not to do this it’s my burden” if I’m remembering right)
I woke up thinking about Halsin today. I have multiple replays going on right now, one of them with a half elf druid who was supposed to be based on one of my D&D mains but somehow ended up taking on her own personality different from what I intended (characters, amirite?) that I intended to romance Halsin with, but it's taking so long to get through act 2 while, in another game, the wizard keeps tugging at my consciousness.
But his restraint remains a point of fascination for me. I keep seeing people discussing how Halsin is not only conscious, but self conscious about his size, that he's probably had to always be mindful of himself in regards to others and it's got me thinking about his romance scene where he gets so turned on by you that he physically cannot restrain his wild shape any longer and I just know this man craves to let go. I mean really let go.
His line that goes something like, "I'm almost afraid to touch you- If I give in, I may not be able to stop until I have devoured you." This is a man who has spent three and a half centuries learning the art of patience. When dealing with Kagha after nearly wiping out the grove, he is angry, yes, but there's a control about it. A discernment despite his outrage. His punishment is justly delivered. Most people would have banished her, but Halsin wants her to learn from her mistakes. He demotes her back to student so that she can become a better person from having failed.
A man who's used to people fearing him for his size. Who speaks in a soft voice so as not to frighten. Who cares for orphans and gets upset at seeing animals in cages and takes life only when he has to and even when it is justified, finds no enjoyment in it.
I think beyond anything, he craves to be given the permission to truly unshackle himself from the restraints of his path. To find a partner that can withstand the fury of his storms and the wildness of his heart without the guilt that always comes after if he accidentally bruises you.
In fact I had posted the first image with Daily Halsin tag (it had been a lousy screenshot) on July 25, 2025, but on Saturday I wasn't quite myself and forgot. Catching up. It's been a good ride, I have no intention to stop and even hope to resume daily posting when/if reality allows.
I'm not sure I'm capable of shooting anything suitable for the occasion today, so here's a photo dump. May the puppy bear love flow.
Summary: When Halsin arrives back at camp to find you asleep in his tent, late-night talks become whispered confessions.
A/N: A fluffy dribble drabble piece meant to give allllll the feels. I don't post my writing very often... Please be kind!
***I do not give permission to copy, plagiarize, or repost my work as your own in any form!
A crisp chill settled into the air as the stars above flickered brightly against the darkened sky. Night had blanketed the lush valley, the moon already reaching its peak and casting shadows across the land below. As Halsin made his way back into camp, celebrations of the day’s hard-earned victory had already long passed. He had chosen to stay behind with the villagers to help set up temporary shelters for displaced families, sending the party ahead with the promise of making his way back to your group by nightfall.
By the time he reached the camp’s central fire pit, little remained but smoldering embers, a few empty bottles of wine, an abandoned lute, and someone's discarded undergarments… a raucous night indeed. It appeared everyone had turned in for the night; whatever private philanderings had taken place between your companions and local harpers in consummation of yet another community liberated from cultist oppression had long since died down. Or so he thought—the faint sound of pleasured moans reached his ears as he passed Shadowheart’s tent.
Good for her, he thought with approval.
Halsin continued weaving his way through camp, careful not to wake anyone. Despite the size and build of his large body, he was an expert at keeping his footsteps light. He moved with stealth, muscles aching from the brutality of the day, body longing to rest. Yet, despite his fatigue, his heart began to beat a little faster as he approached his tent, eyes focusing on what sat outside the entrance.
A pair of sandals.
Your sandals.
A warmth began to stoke within his chest and a smile effortlessly spread across his face as he stood there looking at the footwear. They were undoubtedly yours—you had been thrilled the day your camp dog, Scratch, turned up with them in his mouth. An incredible find, given both their style and how well they fit you. You had insisted every single one of your travel companions only address Scratch as “The Goodest Boy” from there on out.
Halsin’s smile grew wider as he opened his tent and stuck his head inside, finding you. Asleep. Curled up in his bed of furs.
It wasn’t the first time you had found your way into his tent. No, rather it had become a habit—after a long, grueling day spent on the road, or battling magical forces, or protecting villagers from another cult faction, the two of you in some unspoken agreement had begun to find your way to each other. Some nights you stayed awake talking, confiding in each other, sharing stories, and shedding tears of anguish or laughter or both. Other nights, you stripped away any pretenses and indulged in each other's touch, worshipping one another’s bodies as you tangled together to become one. And then there were nights that you would simply hold each other. Halsin cherished each of those nights. Cherished you. Perhaps more than he had ever admitted out loud.
Stepping into his tent, Halsin carefully secured the flap shut behind him. He reached for the glowing sphere of dancing lights that hung from above and whispered delicate words that dimmed it to a low, warm glimmer before making his way over to you. Crouching down at your side, his heart swelled within his chest at the mere sight of you in the throes of a much-deserved slumber. In his bed.
He couldn’t quite explain the pride it brought him knowing you felt safe enough to allow yourself to be this vulnerable in his space; in his presence. It was a sensation different from any attraction or attachment he had ever experienced before. Pure adoration gleamed in his eyes as he studied you. You lay there so perfectly in the massive spread of blankets, curled up with animal furs draped over your torso. Your lips parted softly, making breathy snores that gave away your true levels of exhaustion from the day.
Halsin pulled up one of the furs and tucked it over your shoulder. His gaze softened as he gently smoothed a loose strand of hair that had fallen in front of your face. His large, calloused fingers lightly tucked it behind your ear, and reverently he let his knuckles caress their way down your cheek. He relished the softness of your skin and silently thanked the Oak Father for the privilege of witnessing this side of you. You were a fearsome thing in battle, yet here, like this, you were equally as breathtaking. One thing was certain—both sides made you the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in his entire lifetime.
He rose to his feet, making his way over to a small table on the other side of the tent. Silently Halsin removed his weapons, setting them on the wooden surface. Next, he released the straps of his greaves and removed his armor, draping it on a nearby hook. He unlaced and stepped out of his boots, then pulled his undershirt over his head and folded it neatly next to his weapons. By the time he was done, he was bare-chested and wore only a pair of loose-fitting trousers.
He made his way back over to the bed, slipping in beside you, careful not to jostle you too much. The warmth of your body was a welcome respite for his tired muscles. Halsin slid one arm under the crook of your neck, cradling your head with his massive bicep. Then, as if it were the most natural movement he’d ever known, he wrapped his other arm around your middle, drawing you in close to him until your back was flush against his naked stomach and broad chest.
There he held you. Your body immediately melted into his, nestling against his familiar frame.
“My heart,” Halsin whispered, the heat of his breath racing down the back of your neck as he nuzzled his face into your hair.
“Mmmm,” you responded contentedly, a sleepy smile pulling at the corner of your mouth.
You weren’t entirely sure when you started waking up, the line between dreaming and consciousness heavily blurred. But slowly, you became more aware of him. His scent filled your senses as you felt his warmth cocoon around you.
“You fought valiantly today,” his voice was a low rumble as his lips traced against the shell of your ear, soft and full of praise. “You were brave,” a gentle kiss on your neck. “Strong.” A kiss on your shoulder.
Halsin lay his head back beside yours again, sighing into your hair. “I don't know what those villagers would've done without you.”
“Without us,” you corrected him in a sleepily mumbled voice, your eyes still shut.
“Us,” he reaffirmed with a soft chuckle of agreement. You could feel his smile against the back of your head, his breath continuing to warm you inside and out as he nuzzled his nose into your hair. He hadn’t meant to make you stir, and he stroked your arm in an attempt to lull you back to sleep.
Your body answered, instead, by pushing against him even further. When your back arched slightly, Halsin tightened his hold around your stomach in response. Slowly, you blinked awake. Turning yourself over in his arms, you faced Halsin nose to nose. Even in the dim faerie light, you could see the crinkles at the edges of his eyes as he looked at you. Those beautiful eyes, which had seen so much in his long elvish life. Eyes that had fought curses and shadows. Eyes that had witnessed nature’s atrocities as well as its beauties. Those same eyes that looked at you now with nothing but unrelenting tenderness.
You rested your head back on his bulging bicep, staring up at him and drinking in the sight. There was a calm, comfortable silence between you two as you basked in each other’s presence. Halsin drew lazy circles on your back with his thumb as he held you to him. You wiggled an arm free, raising a hand up to brush some hair out of his face. Delicately, you traced the scars across his forehead with your fingertips, memorizing their paths.
Your touch brought another smile to Halsin’s face. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to your forehead, and your heart beat a steady rhythm as he rested his own forehead against yours. You breathed him in. Halsin had a way of making even the worst of situations melt away. A calmness that quenched fires. He had become your rock. Your anchor. And, as you had come to realize, your home.
He brushed his nose against yours, and the soft playfulness in contrast to the sheer strength and size of this elf made you laugh.
“What is it?” he inquired with a breathy chuckle of his own.
Slowly you pulled back your face from Halsin's, looking him in the eye. In a moment of pure clarity, you said the one thing on your mind and in your heart that you knew with absolute confidence.
“I love you.”
Halsin’s hand stilled against your back. His eyes became transfixed on you, intense and full. You held his stare, breath catching as you watched his gaze illuminated in the low lighting of the quiet tent. A small crease formed between his eyebrows, and suddenly Halsin brought his hand up to cup the back of your neck, pulling your mouth to his.
Your lips crashed together and moved like waves of the sea, ebbing and flowing as if commanded by the tide itself. Halsin’s tongue slipped into your mouth to meet your own, where they danced and stroked and lapped up each other’s taste. His fingers curled into your hair and with a sinful gentleness angled your head upward so that he might kiss you deeper. You could feel his heart beating wildly as you ran your hands up his chest, looping your arms around his neck to pull him closer.
As if on cue, Halsin let his other arm that remained under you curl around your shoulders and roll you both until you lay beneath him. Careful not to crush you beneath his body, he propped himself up on one massive hand and forearm while his other hand roamed all over you, cupping your curves and stroking your sensitive places. The rhythm of your kisses matched the rhythm of your bodies, moving together as one. You felt him everywhere. Arms still around his neck, you wrapped your legs around him and held on tight, desperate to have him as close as possible. You just about lost your mind when you felt his hardness through the trousers he was wearing. Silently, you begged him to thrust against you, showing him by rolling your hips over and over, grinding against his length. He obliged, causing you to let out a moan.
“Shhh, shhh, shhh,” Halsin teased, nibbling your earlobe. “We mustn't wake up the whole camp.”
He buried his face in your hair, giving you a playful nuzzle. For a moment, the two of you lay there in content silence, the sound of your breaths becoming slower, steadier. Breaking away, Halsin hovered a few inches above you, looking deep into your eyes. His lips were swollen from kissing you and his face was flushed.
Breathlessly, his voice low, he asked, “Say it again?”
You gazed up at him, smiling at his request. Slowly, you craned your neck forward and licked your way up the column of his throat, feeling his Adam’s apple bob as your tongue passed over it.
“I love you, Halsin,” you said once more, looking him directly in the eye.
He stared at you for another moment, his expression a mix of awe and wonder. Halsin lowered his lips to your neck, letting out a growl of approval that you felt rumble through your entire body. He kissed his way down to your collarbone, across your chest, and all the way back up to your jawline. When he finally reached your lips again, he kissed you long and gently.
“You must know,” he said softly, words for only you to hear, “that my heart has been yours for quite some time now. More than that, you not only have my heart—you are my heart.” His hand came up to cup your face, thumb stroking back and forth across your cheek. “You have become most precious to me. It’s as if the fog has lifted and I am able to truly see for the first time. I cannot imagine my life without you. I wish to always remain by your side.”
You let his words sink into your very soul. It was more than you had ever hoped to hear, to feel. They embedded themselves deep within you, igniting a flame that you could feel glow from your very core. You ran your fingers through Halsin’s hair, looking up at him with more hope and optimism for the future than you had ever experienced before.
“You love me?” you asked in earnest.
“Most dearly,” Halsin said, giving you another kiss.
Linking your arms around his neck once more, you pulled yourself up to him. Your lips brushed his ear as you whispered,
“Then claim me.”
A louder growl came from Halsin this time, and as you leaned back to look at him, a wicked grin flashed across his face. There was a hunger that glinted in his eye, and before you knew it, the two of you were tumbling back into the furs.
I noticed that every origin character has something different to say to Halsin, duh, when he tells you to tell him something random about yourself so here they are!
Player: Tell me something about yourself that I wouldn't even think to ask.
Halsin: Hmm, I suppose you wouldn't be shocked to learn I love animals and nature? devnote: dry humour I know, I know; well-trodden territory. Well, let's see... I whittle in my spare time, and I've something of a sweet tooth - though everyone's very amused when I say I like honey.
Player: Thank you for sharing.
Halsin: Thank me by returning the favour, why don't you? Come on – I'm sure you've got something better than carving wooden ducks.
Lae'zel
Player: I despise sunsets, slow wits - and small talk.
Halsin: Luckily there's nothing small about getting to know someone like you. There's little occasion for frivolity in nature - I can appreciate your stance... even if others do not. devnote: Open-minded and unfazed by Lae'zel's gruff response
Wyll
Player: I've always wanted a child of my own. Perhaps one day, when peace visits the Coast.
Halsin: I think I know how you feel... duty, eh? I hope your wish comes true. We'll need new life once all this is over. devnote: smiles wistfully on 'duty, eh?' A little wistful. 'I get it' smile on 'duty, eh?'
Shadowheart
Player: Well, I have something of a soft spot for animals... though I've never had a pet, that I'm aware of.
Halsin: Ha! Pet ownership is an illusion - nature's creatures choose their own companions. No one has true mastery over them in the end. As it should be. devnote: amused. But it heartens me to learn you and I share the same admiration. devnote: Appreciative
Gale
Player: I cast my first spell whilst still a babe. My mother took an awful fright when I conjured up a score of rabbits in the pantry.
Halsin: Ha! Talented from the beginning, then? Almost a surprise you didn't cast magic in the womb. devnote: Amused.
Astarion
Player: Maybe I have a sweet tooth too.
Halsin: Is that so? Would you seek to drizzle honey on a neck before indulging? devnote: droll (in response to a vampire indicating they might have a sweet tooth.
Karlach
Player: When I first got to the Hells, I was so scared and lonely I adopted a pet rock. Named it Crag.
Halsin: Ah, but there are no pets in nature - only companions. Though I'll admit Crag likely made for a rather stoic confidante... devnote: Receptive/playful
Githyanki Character
Player: I once stitched shut a wound using twine made from the entrails of an enemy.
Halsin: You are... nothing if not inventive. I can only hope the foe had already expired before you began your work. devnote: Receptive/tiny bit playful
No flags/Tav option
Player: I live in mortal fear of krakens, though I've never actually seen one.
Halsin: Well they are fierce creatures from what I understand... but as long as you avoid the high seas, I think you can consider yourself safe. devnote: Receptive/tiny bit playful
Since the node numbers for both the player answer and halsin's answer is the same, I'm guessing you don't canonically fear the kraken if you're a githyanki. I guess a gith wouldn't even know what a kraken was.
Dark Urge
Option 1 – Player: I really don't know very much about myself to tell.
Option 2 – Player: Nothing half as charming as that... it's all crimson and rot
Halsin: Oh. Well, your choice, of course. devnote: A little disappointed.
Tav also has a refuse response:
Player: I don't think there's anything worth sharing.
Halsin: Oh. Well, your choice, of course. devnote: A little disappointed.
Halsin's response to it is the same (the same node as the durge ones).
Extra big thank you to every artist out there that draws Halsin hairy with a dad gut. Yall are single handedly holding up society, yet never given enough credit.
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