Baldur&#x27;s Gang

"No, of course not. Now, I can be the real me."

Whisper replied before cringing. At least, she knew what the real her was. It was the Whisper who fought to resist Bhaal. Who disappointed Bhaal so much he created a brother to replace her. Who loved her brother fiercely despite how bloodthirsty he was. Who never stopped believing he could be saved until they fought to the death, like he always promised they would. The Whisper who was hurting herself, telling herself she was trying to redirect her urges on herself when in reality, she was punishing herself for all the awful things Bhaal and her urge had her do. The Whisper who lied to people, pretending to love them when she didn't, so she could feel loved, because she couldn't love herself.

She remembered it all. She was free in-between her urges. Erris never had that. He wasn't free to be the real Erris. Only to search who it was.

"I wasn't saying the others shun violence. But they do shun violence without purpose. The definition of violence with purpose is where disagreement will strike."

She added those last words with an amused smile. Then, she leaned forward and added more seriously.

"But listen to yourself. You're not bloodthirsty anymore. You standed before Bhaal and stand up to him! To the cost of your very own life. They saw that too. I'm sure they respect that. Even if they're still a bit awkward, they know just as much as we do this happens. They might not know the changes it brought to the same extent we do, but they have to recognize what it took to do it in the first place."

If they had to hate someone, surely they would hate her. She did some terrible things while not under the impulses of her urges, knowing full well the implications of her actions. And she didn't have Erris excuse of being a different person back then. Because of what? Selfishness? Weakness?

She brought back her attention on the Shadar-Kai.

"You can be a new person now, and denying you the chance to start anew would be criminal."

'I can be the real me'

Those words echoed in Erris' skull. Because...what was the real him? Had there ever been an Erris Mestar without the Raven Queen caressing his soul or Bhaal bleeding form his veins? Did he like decorating his body in tattoos and jewels or was that the Raven Queen's influence? Did he actually like red meat cooked rare - or was the taste of blood on his tongue intoxicating because of Bhaal?

Who was he? This new chance should liberate him. But instead, it terrified him.

He glanced down at his arms, snaked in black tattoos following them down to his wrists as he let his arms fall to his side, holding up his hands as if the answers would be written in his palm. "Shadar-Kai are meant to be the heralds of bad tidings. To siphon all the pain and suffering and intoxicate our Queen with it. Despite being surrounded by so many changes to siphon and indulge in all of your grief... I don't want to. For the first time ever, I don't want to learn about all the miseries. I want to know what life is even about, for people to grieve it so when it's taken from them..."

He took a deep breath. "I suppose that doesn't make me a Shadar-Kai anymore. Perhaps that's even for the best. I'm just Erris now... Erris Mestar, an elf. Guess I better start finding out what I want..." He sighed, but it already seemed a lot lighter compared to how the conversation started.

"How about you, sister? Do you know what you want?"

#whisper #ic #one not two #erris #corvus bound

Sister.

Whisper smiled. A smile both delighted and sad at the same time. Maybe Erris started to trust her? Maybe he would eventually start to really see her as family. But the word was also deeply painful. A reminder her brother, the one who grew up with her, never set himself free from Bhaal. That she would never see his cruel smile, hear his distrusting praises. Because she killed the very person she swore to protect.

The eyes full of grief, the observed Erris a moment before replying.

"Nothing. I just want... To rest. I'm tired of giving everything I have, physically and emotionally. I'm tired of hardships and failures. I'm tired of... Everything."

She closed her eyes, picturing what her life could be once this was all over.

"I'd love to live in a little cottage. I could enjoy the silence while reading. And try all the things I wanted to try. Like... Gardening. Getting my hands dirty with soil instead of blood. With life rather than death."

The drow blushed and reopened her eyes. She peered into the darkness of the night, unable to see much without the dark vision drow normally have. She pondered Erris's words. How lost he had to be, not wanting to indulge is pain and grief for the first time in his long life! But it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Being just Erris might not seem like much, but it's an important step, if not the most important step. To find yourself, you must first reown your own identity."

She smiled and added.

"On that note; pleased to make your acquaintance, Erris Mestar."

Dia Blow lowered his eyes, focussing on his boots, pretending not to notice the tears in Osian's eyes. He shook his head before answering;

"It's not kindness. You matter to me, of course I'd want to keep you safe. In a way, it's more selfish than kind."

He took a few steps back as Osian approached Malis Thorm corpse, watching, quiet but alert. Ready to jump into action if something was turning wrong, or if a monster was jumping from the shadows while Osian was busy. His gaze grew worried as he saw the struggle the wood elf seemed to go through to siphon the shadow weave, and he stomped the ground nervously.

"Are you sure of what you're doing?"

Not that he was doubting him, but it was hard to just stay there, doing nothing when seeing this. When the wizard suddenly collasped, Dia Blow rushed to his side to help him.

"Are you alright?!"

He curved his tail around Osian back in a soothing motion.

"Take slow, deep breath. Take your time. When you feel ready, you can lean on me to get up."

He spoke in a calm voice that contastred with the worry shining in his eyes.

"Did you succeed?"

Even as he lay on the cold floor of the operating room, Osian was fighting an internal battle. One for dominance over his mind. He didn't want to let the Shadow Weave sneak into his sanity and corrupt it. This was only a wisp, yet it threatened to take over completely. Yet, as he closed his eyes, panting through the pain, he felt it wash away...as if someone was calming the wrathful magic. An invisible hand soothing them both until they collaborated. The whisper in his mind praised his bravery and he opened his eyes, colour returning to his face.

Shaking a little, he slowly sat up and felt Dia's tail against his back. He took a deep inhale and wiped the sweat away from his forehead with his sleeve, quickly coming back to his strength. "I-I'm alright." Osian reassured, both himself and Dia, before taking up the tieflings offer and taking the help to get back onto his feet.

At Dia's final question, Osian held out his hands as the darkness seemed to creep further up his scars, now halfway up his forearm. "It seems like it," Osian smiled, turning his hands over to admire the scars he was once so ashamed of. "I can feel the difference already... I think I can safely cast stronger spells now - at long last. Just a little more, and I'll finally be a worthy wizard." He was sure of it. Or it would at least give him the opportunity to indulge in more without losing himself. Whatever was guiding him seemed to be thrilled with his decisions so far. Even if most of the party didn't...

"Anyway, I think we've spent enough time in this ghastly place. Shall we head off?"

#dia blow #ic #osian #imperitvs #trusting strangers

Dia Blow tail rippled happily. He didn't understand nearly enough of magic, and of what Osian what undertaking, but it seemed to help him be happier with himself, wasn't it a good thing?

"We shall."

He answered, nodding. Without a word, he offered Osian to lean on his shoulder on their way back. Behind his eyes, he was clearly thinking, mulling over his words before speaking his mind.

"Osian... You're already a worthy wizard."

He spoke genuinely, gazing at his companion.

"I'm not telling you you should stop if you feel more fulfilled through it. But this isn't what makes you a worthy wizard."

The tiefling blushed, lowering his gaze.

"I may speak as a heretic here, I'm not a wizard myself, just a rogue who can cast some fancy spells. But... Isn't the worth of a wizard first and foremost measured by his study of magic? You were always a worthy wizard."

Dia Blow lifted his gaze again and smiled, warm and friendly. He paused for a moment, searching for his words again.

"Be kinder to yourself. The first person who has to love you is yourself. If you don't it's... It's sad, isn't it?"

ephraal

I'm thinking of doing little doodles of my characters with their pride flags for pride month. Same level of doodle as this one. Hopefully my health will be compliant :)

#mun talks #ooc

For pride month, I made pride flags for my OCs (and myself)

Note; agender is the default gender for my OCs, if not gender is specified, they're agender.)

Lucius: Pansexual

Dia Blow; Gay and Polyamorous

Whisper; Bisexual and Transfem

Mun; Agender, Bisexual, Demisexual, Demiromantic

#dia blow #whisper #lucius #mun talks #ooc

ephraal

I'm currently getting my body used too quitting my antidepressant to start a new one, which means my depression is kicking again.

I have 2 weeks on low dosage before starting the new one, and it'll take approximately 1 week to kick in. So don't be surprised if I have low to none activity til around the second week of June.

#muse talk #ooc

Whisper grimaced.

"Yeah, of course, we didn't know..."

She mumbled. It was a lie. She knew. She always knew. She had a hole in her memory, but she estimated she was only missing a few day before whatever accident led to her being tadpoled. She remembered the rest of her life; fighting to resist her urges. Isolating herself because she was scared she would harm those she would grow close to. Her brother, her dear brother, being her only friend. Because he already kept telling her he was looking forward to the day he'll fight her to the death. Because she trusted him to defeat her if she turned against him.

"I'm sure we could find something to talk about to them. After all, we aren't a likely pair either, and yet, look at us. I bet that, an hour ago, you never would've beleive it possible."

The drow eventually said, determined to stay hopeful.

"Even if they find it odd that we suddenly want to talk... There's nothing criminal about our intentions. If they start asking questions, I'm sure we just need be honest, and they'll understand."

She added before thinking.

"Maybe some are more... prickly than others. If you're worried, we could try starting with the more... Hum... Easy-going. Or Astarion. He might be the one in the team who's the least, hum, put-off by our, er... bloodlust I will say."

Unlike Whisper, Erris remembered nothing from his time as a Bhaalspawn. Even more alarmingly, he recalled nothing of his previous cycles either. As a near-immortal, a gift from the Raven Queen granted him the ability to remember every life he had before his deaths and revivals. The same body. The same mind. All erased because of a blow to the head and a tadpole to the lobes...

"Nothing criminal..." He repeated at a mumble. "Right..." It certainly felt criminal. Trying to worm his way in now after causing so much tension and grief. Talking was always a weak spot of his, but even more so now he didn't have his guide on his shoulder.

"You say that as if Lae'zel hasn't been hankering for violence this whole time," Erris scoffed. "Or Karlach, for that matter." Erris finally used their names rather than demeaning nicknames he had for each of them - back when he didn't want to commit them to memory. Now he had a whole fresh book to start fresh with... He might as well place their names down in ink.

"I thought the whole point of Bhaal taking away his blood means we're not bloodthirsty anymore, right?" Erris folded his arms, raising a brow at her. "Unless you're still feeling that way... Because I'm not. Mostly I'm just wrestling with the abyss of uselessness now both Gods have rejected me."

#whisper #ic #erris #corvus bound #one not two

"No, of course not. Now, I can be the real me."

Whisper replied before cringing. At least, she knew what the real her was. It was the Whisper who fought to resist Bhaal. Who disappointed Bhaal so much he created a brother to replace her. Who loved her brother fiercely despite how bloodthirsty he was. Who never stopped believing he could be saved until they fought to the death, like he always promised they would. The Whisper who was hurting herself, telling herself she was trying to redirect her urges on herself when in reality, she was punishing herself for all the awful things Bhaal and her urge had her do. The Whisper who lied to people, pretending to love them when she didn't, so she could feel loved, because she couldn't love herself.

She remembered it all. She was free in-between her urges. Erris never had that. He wasn't free to be the real Erris. Only to search who it was.

"I wasn't saying the others shun violence. But they do shun violence without purpose. The definition of violence with purpose is where disagreement will strike."

She added those last words with an amused smile. Then, she leaned forward and added more seriously.

"But listen to yourself. You're not bloodthirsty anymore. You standed before Bhaal and stand up to him! To the cost of your very own life. They saw that too. I'm sure they respect that. Even if they're still a bit awkward, they know just as much as we do this happens. They might not know the changes it brought to the same extent we do, but they have to recognize what it took to do it in the first place."

If they had to hate someone, surely they would hate her. She did some terrible things while not under the impulses of her urges, knowing full well the implications of her actions. And she didn't have Erris excuse of being a different person back then. Because of what? Selfishness? Weakness?

She brought back her attention on the Shadar-Kai.

"You can be a new person now, and denying you the chance to start anew would be criminal."

ephraal

nickname(s): Hades, Ephraal, Droon, Raph'

zodiac: Scorpio

last movie i saw: Huuuuuuh......... Idk. Maybe a Disney my bf put in his room while I was playing?

last thing i googled: "BG3 stat calculator". I.... Wanted to do my cat stats in BG3 for the lol

favorite musician: Idk. Multiple of them? I can never pick a favourite thing. Lindsey Stirling violin always gets my heart... "feeling" I guess.

song stuck in my head: Most recently it was "Proof of a Hero" from Monster Hunter. I woke up with it stuck in my head after dreaming a bird was singing it.

other blogs: @dia8low (for other BG3 muses) / @ephraalthegremlin (my Main account from which I follow, nothing interesting happens over there though) and @valeurdesmots (another roleplay blog for a fandomless muse and two divinity muses, but this last one never got to be used)

do i get asks: Rarely

following: I follow blogs I'm interested in roleplaying with.

amount of sleep: Variable. I'm prone to insomnia

lucky number: 8

what i’m wearing: A T-shirt with a cat in a box where it's written schrodinger cat. The cat says "I'm alive". But in dark the t-shirt glow and it become the skeleton on a cat saying "I'm dead". And a jean.

dream job: Working in a bookstore ☺️ I was so happy during my time there

dream trip: As long as I get to visit another country I'll be happy really. I mean, I'd like to visit egypt I guess, but I also doubt my health would allow me, too hot.

favorite food: Anything sour.

play any instruments: I used to play the guitar but I stopped because I HATED the music theory lessons, and when the teacher changed for one that was much more like your classic stern school teachers I dropped. I couldn't endure MORE school lol.

languages: French and English. I can babble a few Japanese and Spanish words.

favorite songs: Just like favourite musician I can't pick one favourite. So you'll get a few random: I'll be complete from Blixemi really resonate with me and I really love A sadness runs through him from The Hoosiers and I'm not going to go through my whole playlist so I'll stop there

random fact: I heard Down by the River at the cinema, while waiting for the movie to begin, before BG3 fully came out. I immediately loved the music but couldn't pick up much of the lyrics beside "down by the river". I told myself to look for the song but ejther never did, or never find it.

A long time later, when I first picked up BG3 and started character creation, I almost cried upon hearing the music and recognizing it.

describe yourself as aesthetic things: Huh.... I'm not sure.... I don't really see... I don't understand? How's someone an aesthetic?

Stolen from: @iron-hearts-ablaze

Tagging: Whoever wants to

#mun talks #ooc

Whisper waited patiently, knowing Erris had a lot to think about. She wasn't expecting him to be able to give a straight answer right away. And yet he surprised her by not only agreeing but asking for her help. She smiled, nodding at him.

"Of course I'll help you. I'm not very knowledgeable about it all myself, but I'll do my best. I promise."

The drow turned to their companions assembled around the campfire, thinking. She was more of an introvert herself, and was fine with appreciating other's company in silence, but that wasn't a way to start things.

"Maybe you could start by joining the conversation. Or bring up a subject of your own, see if anyone share an interest with you..."

She stopped, considering that it seemed unlikely when he didn't seem to know himself what he liked beside what he was made for.

"Ask them what they like to do, be curious about them. Or you can offer to help them with whatever they are doing. Like cooking or something. And you might happen to bond during that moment shared together."

Whisper finally let out a sigh.

"I don't know. As I said, I'm not particularly good at this myself. I usually keep quiet about everything."

Erris stood beside Whisper and listened at her suggestions for a moment, only to hear that she didn't really have a clue what to do and she was just guessing. He threw up his hands in a 'I give up' motion as he turned away for a moment, shaking his head.

"So we're the blind leading the blind, great." Erris sighed. He couldn't help but wonder if asking Karlach would be the better option. She seemed to integrate into the group so quickly way back when they collided with her on the Risen Road.

"If we can even get a word in... They know each other so well at this point, we've been privy to the basic stuff and that's it. No doubt they'll just find it odd we suddenly want to talk!" Erris sighed, pacing a short distance, trying to figure out how to go about this. "Hmm...perhaps we can blame it on Bhaal... That we felt distant because of his influence - not that we knew about it right away. But now we want to try again as a fresh start..."

Not exactly a lie, either.

#whisper #ic #erris #corvus bound #one not two

Whisper grimaced.

"Yeah, of course, we didn't know..."

She mumbled. It was a lie. She knew. She always knew. She had a hole in her memory, but she estimated she was only missing a few day before whatever accident led to her being tadpoled. She remembered the rest of her life; fighting to resist her urges. Isolating herself because she was scared she would harm those she would grow close to. Her brother, her dear brother, being her only friend. Because he already kept telling her he was looking forward to the day he'll fight her to the death. Because she trusted him to defeat her if she turned against him.

"I'm sure we could find something to talk about to them. After all, we aren't a likely pair either, and yet, look at us. I bet that, an hour ago, you never would've beleive it possible."

The drow eventually said, determined to stay hopeful.

"Even if they find it odd that we suddenly want to talk... There's nothing criminal about our intentions. If they start asking questions, I'm sure we just need be honest, and they'll understand."

She added before thinking.

"Maybe some are more... prickly than others. If you're worried, we could try starting with the more... Hum... Easy-going. Or Astarion. He might be the one in the team who's the least, hum, put-off by our, er... bloodlust I will say."

aurorarpresources

reblog this if you're fine with your mutuals sending you asks unprompted

Osian comfortable words soothed Dia Blow. And though he tensed at first at his toiched, he quickly relaxed without rejecting him. He absent mindlessly lifted a hand to his head.

"My mind? What's wrong with my mind?"

He shouldn't have lost patience so easily, he knew it. But learning magic wasn't quite like learning to use a crossbow or use a knife. It all happened in his mind, he couldn't see what he was doing wrong. It made him feel at loss when facing failure. What to do? What to change?

He stared at Osian and breated out deeply. Surely thinking that way was not going to help him cast anything. He had to calm himself first. When the wook elf picked his staff, Dia Blow eyes widened.

"Wait! What a..."

No time, the wizard was already casting, and Dia Blow could read pain on his face. His first instinct would be to tackle him, to make him stop, to stop his suffering. He didn't need to go so far for him! They were barely more than strangers! But what if doing so was making things worse? So, instead, the tiefling obeyed, swearing to kill Osian ghost if he had the audacity to die in this folly.

In the blurr of the emergency, he wasn't even sure if he did anything correctly, if he could be able to concentrate on the spell, but when he repeated the words, dancing specks of light illuminated them. For a moment, the tiefling forgot Osian, staring at them with awe, his eyes shining brighter than his spell. But when it broke, Dia Blow attention was brought back to the elf.

"Thank you for the help, but next time don't do something like that on an impulse. I don't need you to put yourself in harm's way to learn magic!"

He had raised his voice a bit. To him, who centered his life around nothing but survival, such a behavior was upsetting, impossible to make sense of. He forced himself to speak more calmly to add;

"We need you in full health for the road, and the fights that might erupt. Not hurt in what was supposed to be a simple lesson. Take better care of yourself."

"Nothing wrong with it," Osian tried to smile through gritted teeth as he tried to hold onto his grip on the weave. "Just n-need to stay calm..." Osian spoke as relaxed as he could to try and imitate what he needed Dia to do.

Osian knew he wouldn't die from trying to channel the Weave - as all Wizards should be allowed to do. Yet, for some reason, Osian was barred from such things. At least, for long stretches of time. Certainly not long enough for a more powerful spell. Mostly, the staff did the work. He just tried to syphon the steady Weave from the staff to the outside so Dia could use it. It was tiring, and made his bones ache, but it wouldn't do any serious damage.

Upon seeing Dia successfully pull off the spell, Osian forgot all about his pain. "See, you did it!" He declared before wincing once more, but quickly relaxed as he let go of the Weave. A roll of his shoulders and a shudder later, he soon felt better. He was used to this kind of pain.

But his excitement quickly became snuffed out, his face falling. "I-It wasn't impulse...a-and I'm fine." He muttered. "I hurt myself more casting d-dangerous spells to k-keep us safe than I did channelling the Weave..."

Osian was usually quiet, reserved and buckled under any kind of pressure - and he did here, to an extent - but he dared to roll his eyes at Dia's last statement. "I'm. Not. Hurt." He emphasised. "I'm h-helping. I know m-my limits. Y-you don't want me to use my a-ability to channel, but want me to split m-my hands asunder to cast spells in a f-fight? Do you not see the h-hypocrisy?"

#dia blow #ic #osian #imperitvs #trusting strangers

"Fighting is necessary to survive. We have no choice in the matter. But this... This was just a lesson. You can't put yourself at risk just to teach a stranger!"

Dia Blow retorted before sighing.

"Sorry I yelled. I shouldn't have. Even I know it's not a proper way to thank someone. I was just... Scared, I guess."

His tailed was twitching with awkwardness as he was stomping the dirt. He wasn't sure how to go on after this.

"I huh... I guess we should sit a bit, you look like you need to catch your breath."

He muttered tentatively before tilting his head on the side, thinking back on Osian retort.

"You do seem tired just from this. Even when you told me about it, I didn't realize casting was so demanding for you. And yet, you fought by our sides without complaining... You're stronger than I thought. I mean. It must take so much willpower."

He thought for a moment before adding;

"Thanks again. I owe you one. If you ever need help with anything in the future, let me know, okay?"

He offered a shy smile.

"The spell was... Truly gorgeous. I never thought I would be casting something like that one day, even if it required some help."

Whisper eyes filled with pity as she listened to Erris. She never realized how isolated he was feeling. She thought he was fine with loneliness, that he preferred it that way, but hearing his voice break as he mentioned losing Branoc, she realized how wrong she was. He did enjoy some form of company.

"I'm sorry."

She replied softly, not knowing what else to say.

"I promise you it's not too late. And you don't need excuses or sob story, you know. Just, show them who you are today, who you could become. And if that's not enough for them, that's their loss. You can still find a new purpose in life. And you will find new company who will like you for who you are, whether you find it in our companion, or somewhere else."

The drow smiled before adding;

"If it matter, I don't see you just as a Shadar-Kai, a monster or a freak. I see you as an individual with emotions, who can make choices, good and bad. And I'll never stop believing in you."

Perhaps Whisper had a point... Even if he was restricted to this final life, maybe he could do something decent with it. Starting with making friends... Or at least attempt to do so. But it was still a scary notion. Usually, Shadar-Kai did dwell in their loneliness as mostly solitary creatures. Only coming together to fight or lay with each other in brief company. To raise the next generation of servants for the Queen. That was it. There was no real love between them.

Erris had always been different during this rebirth. Tainted. Now he knew that was Bhaal's doing. But instead of feeling as he should have been - as a true Shadar-Kai - and having his memories of his centuries worth of previous lives... He had nothing. And it was cold.

He sighed, tossing the last of the leaf pieces, holding his arms instead. Less crossed-armed and more an attempt to hold himself together. It really did mean something, he just wasn't sure on how to convey that without scoffing or brushing it off.

"Then... Can you help me?" He gestured again to the campfire. "Where do I start? How do I start?"

#whisper #ic #one not two #erris #corvus-bound

Whisper waited patiently, knowing Erris had a lot to think about. She wasn't expecting him to be able to give a straight answer right away. And yet he surprised her by not only agreeing but asking for her help. She smiled, nodding at him.

"Of course I'll help you. I'm not very knowledgeable about it all myself, but I'll do my best. I promise."

The drow turned to their companions assembled around the campfire, thinking. She was more of an introvert herself, and was fine with appreciating other's company in silence, but that wasn't a way to start things.

"Maybe you could start by joining the conversation. Or bring up a subject of your own, see if anyone share an interest with you..."

She stopped, considering that it seemed unlikely when he didn't seem to know himself what he liked beside what he was made for.

"Ask them what they like to do, be curious about them. Or you can offer to help them with whatever they are doing. Like cooking or something. And you might happen to bond during that moment shared together."

Whisper finally let out a sigh.

"I don't know. As I said, I'm not particularly good at this myself. I usually keep quiet about everything."

Dia Blow was all ears, drinking in every word, carefully following his instructions. He repeated the words under his breath multiple time, until he was sure he knew it, until he was sure he'd be able to say it out loud with hesitation, without stuttering. His heart was beating with excitation and nervousness.

"That's fascinating. I didn't knew wizards needed material sacrifice to cast magic. I thought the staffs were just here to help channeling the wave."

He admitted before smiling to Osian.

"Thanks for letting me "borrow" you materials then."

The tiefling rubbed the moss as the wood-elf showed him, breathing deeply to soothe his nerves and keep his hands from shaking. He repeated the gestures Osian taught him and spoke loudly;

"Glowicus Drablocus!"

Then, he stayed silent, holding his breath as he waited for something, anything to happen. But after a moment his tail drooped with disappointment. That was a failure. He stared at the scattered moss for a moment before shaking his head. No matter, he just had to try again. He repeated it all, rubbing the moss, the gestures, and this time, he spoke more firmly;

"Glowicus Drablocus"

For a moment, he thought he saw something, a glint, but it was brief and died almost immediately. Dia Blow let out a snarl of frustration, lashing his tail.

"I can't do it!"

Osian's eyes glanced from hither and yon. He watched the moss for a reaction, kept an eye on Dia's stance and hand movements, before flicking his gaze to the barrel to see if there'd be any result. Osian wasn't put off by the failed attempts - but even still, despite them, he looked proud of Dia for trying.

"It's alright!" Osian smiled, placing a hand on the tiefling's shoulders. "No-one pulls off a spell the first time. These things take time and practise." He patted the shoulder before stepping back once more. "Your stance and gestures are perfect, but I think it's your mind. Think of it this way, the Weave needs to be able to glide through you without a conduit. It works better on ice than on rocks."

Osian picked up his staff once more and took a deep breath. "Alright... I've never been able to hold this for long, so you'll need to cast quickly." He closed his eyes for a moment, his breathing settled and both hands clasped the staff in front of him. The air around him seemed to change as he expelled the channelled Weave from the staff to the outside. The air seemed pleasantly warm - like a summers day. A hint of fresh grass and wild flowers. But as soon as he started channeling the Weave around them, he was screwing his face up in pain.

"T-Try it now." He insisted through gritted teeth.

#dia blow #ic #imperitvs #osian #trusting strangers

Osian comfortable words soothed Dia Blow. And though he tensed at first at his toiched, he quickly relaxed without rejecting him. He absent mindlessly lifted a hand to his head.

"My mind? What's wrong with my mind?"

He shouldn't have lost patience so easily, he knew it. But learning magic wasn't quite like learning to use a crossbow or use a knife. It all happened in his mind, he couldn't see what he was doing wrong. It made him feel at loss when facing failure. What to do? What to change?

He stared at Osian and breated out deeply. Surely thinking that way was not going to help him cast anything. He had to calm himself first. When the wook elf picked his staff, Dia Blow eyes widened.

"Wait! What a..."

No time, the wizard was already casting, and Dia Blow could read pain on his face. His first instinct would be to tackle him, to make him stop, to stop his suffering. He didn't need to go so far for him! They were barely more than strangers! But what if doing so was making things worse? So, instead, the tiefling obeyed, swearing to kill Osian ghost if he had the audacity to die in this folly.

In the blurr of the emergency, he wasn't even sure if he did anything correctly, if he could be able to concentrate on the spell, but when he repeated the words, dancing specks of light illuminated them. For a moment, the tiefling forgot Osian, staring at them with awe, his eyes shining brighter than his spell. But when it broke, Dia Blow attention was brought back to the elf.

"Thank you for the help, but next time don't do something like that on an impulse. I don't need you to put yourself in harm's way to learn magic!"

He had raised his voice a bit. To him, who centered his life around nothing but survival, such a behavior was upsetting, impossible to make sense of. He forced himself to speak more calmly to add;

"We need you in full health for the road, and the fights that might erupt. Not hurt in what was supposed to be a simple lesson. Take better care of yourself."

paarthursass

Baldur's Gate 3 Companion!Tav Ask List

What if your Tav was a recruitable companion, instead of the main character? (contains major spoilers for the game, and for some dark urge runs as well)

General

Where can your Tav be recruited? Are they first encountered on the Nautiloid, or in the Nautiloid crash region? Or are they not recruitable until a later act?

Do the other companions have special comments or reactions upon recruiting your Tav?

Does your Tav have any comments or advice when you recruit other companions?

What sort of general actions raise or lower their approval?

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

Do they have any secrets that can be revealed? What are the prerequisites for this secret coming to light?

Do they have their own personal quest that spans the course of the game? Can it take different branching paths depending on the choices the Player Character makes?

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?

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

Are there any unique NPCs associated with your Tav that can show up during the course of the game?

Are there any moments in the game that trigger unique dialogue for your character? (Like Gale’s anecdote about the barfight after you save the goblin prisoner)

Story Specific

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

How do they advise the player character on Raphael?

How do they react to Astarion biting the Player Character?

How do they react to the Player Character letting Abdirak whip them?

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

Will they stay with the Player Character regardless of siding with the goblins or the tieflings, or is it possible for them to leave the party permanently?

What can they be found doing at the tiefling/goblin party?

Do they have comments on who the Player Character chooses to spend the night with?

Do they have unique dialogue if the Player Character lets them die when they steal the Blood of Lathander?

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

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

Is it possible for your Tav to be kidnapped and replaced by Orin? How is Orin's deception revealed? How do they react to the PC rescuing them in the Temple of Bhaal?

How do they react to the PC either allowing Astarion to ascend or convincing him to spare the 7000 spawn?

How does Tav react to the PC becoming a mind flayer? Can they offer to become one themselves? Does their reaction change if they’re romanced?

How do they react when the Dark Urge first reveals their amnesia and murderous thoughts to them?

How do they react to the Dark Urge killing Alfira?

If romanced, how do they react to the Dark Urge trying to kill them in Act 2?

Romance

Is your Tav a romanceable character? Are there any specific requirements to romancing them?

Does your Tav need to be flirted with to start the romance, or will they approach the PC themselves if approval is high enough?

Are they a polyamorous or a monogamous option?

Do they have a special romance scene at the tiefling/goblin party?

Does the romance have different branching paths, or just one route to take?

How do they react to the player character breaking up with them, or choosing another character over them?

What questions can Zethino ask the PC about Tav in the Love Test?

If they’re poly, do they have a reaction to the PC engaging in a relationship with Halsin?

How do they react if the PC has sex with Mizora? The Emperor? Haarlep?

Will they join in with the PC and the Drow Twins, or no?

What are Tav’s plans for the future? Do they propose to the PC, or is marriage not something they’re interested in?

Free space! Share anything from your companion!Tav au!

#ask meme

Lucius listened to the conversation between the two tiefling, with, he had to admit, a twinge of anxiety. If Dammon couldn't do anything for Karlach, he would have to find someone else, and this one looked so useful! So powerful! He doubted he would be so lucky a second time. Luck wasn't usually in his side... Or he could keep travelling with her, but it could prove dangerous, even for him.

But he wouldn't have to think about it, because it turned out the tiefling was able to help Karlach, given they found some infernal iron first. He couldn't help himself and happily unfold his wings for a moment before quickly clutching them again in his back. He grinned back to her;

"More goblins to kill? Count me in! Looks like I'll get to show you how I heroically saved this grove! Soon enough, I'll have killed so much of them, there won't be any left around to keep the tiefling in this hole."

He playfully bragged before adding with a wink;

"But I won't be the only terror this time. If there's any survivor left, death won't be enough to soothe the nightmares they'll have about us."

He lifted his fist, almost about to give a friendly tap on her shoulder before remembering about her "condition". He lowered his arm, embarrassed. How could he forget about the very thing they were trying to fix? He let out an awkward cough.

"Anyway! Let's go!"

Turning towards the entrance of the grove, he realized with dread they would have to do MORE walking. He sighed, he'd have to get used to it, there was going to be a lot of it in their future. And not much flying.

"How far from here is it? Do you think we can get to the village before the end of the day?"

He didn't want to be exhausted by all the walking to fight. Not that he was scared he couldn't defeat mere goblins just because he was too tired, but... Well, actually with the tadpole, he maybe he wouldn't be able to? That was a worrisome thought.

iron-hearts-ablaze

Karlach couldn't help a smirk, hands on her hips as she soaked in his enthusiasm. "Well, can't say you're not keen! I like it." Karlach could feel it rubbing off on her even more than her own. Hope was starting to bubble away in the pit of her stomach. Terrible, gut-wrenching hope. If it was taken away from her now- No, she couldn't afford to think that way. She had to stay positive.

"Dammon says the village is just north of the Grove, just across the bridge. So, no, not too far. I imagine we'll have time to get there, raid the place and get rid of the pest infestation and find the infernal iron all before dinnertime!" Karlach stated, confidently. She started to make her way towards the exit as well, a clear skip in her step.

True to her word, the village wasn't too far. It was actually worrying how close the Goblins truly were to finding out about the Grove - but at least it wouldn't be a concern for much longer.

"There they are..." Karlach whispered, gesturing up to a couple of goblins on the roof. She only took notice when the metal of their weapon glinted in the sunlight for just a second. A foolish mistake if they wanted to be stealthy. "How do you want to go about this? I'll take the ones on the ground, you get the ones on the rooftops?"

#lucius #ic #dysfunctional #karlach #iron hearts ablaze

Lucius could almost taste it. The hope rekindled in the tiefling chest. He liked it. Mortals could do anything in the pursuit of a feeble twinkle of hope. Let me be your last hope.

He followed her, watching the way she was walking. It was almost endearing. He would've expected a mortal who went through hell and back- litteraly - to be much darker. But here she was, looking like she had no care in the world - which certainly wasn't true considering the state of her heart. It almost made him feel ashamed for ever feeling sorry about himself. Almost. But maybe she was just euphoric from being free for the first time in forever? The cambion nodded. That got to be it. Soon, the darkness of her past would caught up to her.

Their arrival at the goblin infested village broke the flow of his thoughts. He hid beside Karlach, listening to her words, nodding along.

"Seems like the most sensible option. It'll be easier for me to reach them with my spell than for you with your axe."

He answered, his tail twitching with excitement. There was nothing like beating up and humiliating a lesser being to feel better when the tadpole was making him feel so weak.

"Let's do it, we'll get your heart fixed in the blink of an eye."

He stepped up, starting to cast a spell.

"i thought we agreed you'd stay out of it and let me handle everything?" (from imperitvs)

"You read the conversation wrong. You asked me to stay out of it and let you handle everything, but I never agreed to it."

Replied Dia Blow with a smug smile.

"Frankly, Osian, you really thought I was going to let you risk getting hurt, or worse, all by yourself? I can't..."

His voice broke, and his smug smile vanished for a sheepish, more genuine one.

"I can't let that happen. I have to watch over you. Over all of you. You're not just travelling companion I had no choice but to work with to survive anymore. You're like a family to me."

He let out an awkward cough.

"And, if you're hurt, who's going to teach me magic, heh? Gale? Come on! We know he'd love it, we can't do him the honor!"

Osian, really, should have been irritated. He should tell Dia to go and wait for him at a safe distance - like he had instructed. Osian should really emphasise how dangerous dark magic like this could be to someone unprepared. He should say all this...but he couldn't quite bring himself to. If anything, his heart stilled and his anxieties quietened down knowing he had someone supporting him.

Osian's listening expression melted slightly as Dia continued. His eyebrows raised slightly in heartfelt surprise. He didn't realise Dia saw him that way - he didn't even contemplate that anyone in this group could see him in such a positive way.

"That..." Osian muttered at first, clearing his throat as his eyes prickled with heated tears, trying to bite them back and not embarrass himself. Instead, he smiled back. "That's incredibly kind of you to say. I want to look out for you too - for all of you." He glanced back at the body of Malus Thorm, radiating with horrendous Weave. "Alright, you can stay, since it would be a shame for Gale to take over our lessons." He smirked. "Just...step back, at least. I'm not sure how the magic will react."

Once in position, he rolled up his sleeves and removed his gloves, revealing his jagged scars creeping up his arms. Showing how the once pearlescent Weave markings were now turning purple and black. Reaching out, the leaking shadows from the corpse began to cling to his fingers - and Osian began to siphon out the Shadow Weave. But it wasn't an easy task. It was a battle of the mind as well as body and by the time it was over, he collapsed onto the surgery floor, beads of sweat running down his temples as he tried to catch his breath.