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Submissions Open!

So I opened up my submission box. Feel free to ask about anything (can be Baldur’s Gate adjacent or anything you want to know) and I’ll try to get back to you on here!

Please keep them respectful, I’ve allowed media for now so be nice.

#anon ask #asks open #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #video games #media #film

I don’t have road rage, I have a sort of magnetism that attracts the stupidest drivers in the world to try and merge into my lane when I’m right next to them and whatever I say about them in the comfort of my own vehicle is between me and God

#drive #no literally please just drive #road rage

Professional Scowl-Off 😠

Man fuck this fuckass dork bro looks like this fucking cat I found on Google fuck him

Imagine thinking you’re hot shit you were like mayyyybeeee a tough fight my first playthrough when I didn’t know how to play but now I literally just knock your lanky ass off a balcony fuck out of here you clout-chasing bitch

#this has been a lorroakan hatepost #fuck fake-ass wizards #imagine being worse than Rolan #wizardposting #wizard #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 tav #dame aylin #aylin bg3 #bg3 aylin

tcustodisart

Don't mind me I'm just being cringe.

“She accepts the truth… she has no choice”

Another Minthara Post

So basically this is another Minthara post but here are the others.

~~~~~~~~~

I’ve just gotten off a two-week binge of reading fanfiction of my big 3 companions (Shadowheart, Gale and Minthara) and I was inspired me to come in here and post about it.

But regarding Minthara, I feel drawn to her character not in an attraction sort of way but definitely in a “I must learn as much as I can about you” way. Like when a new kid would move to your school halfway through the year, and you and every other kid would hound them for more information about themselves, ad infinitum.

Anyway, enjoy some screenshots.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #minthara #bg3 minthara #bg3 minthara baenre #minthara baenre #menzoberranzan #dnd drow #drow #bg3 drow #drowposting #drow elf #minthy

WHOOP THAT ASS AYLIN

I mean I did do most of the ass kicking and I did have to use Gale to Dimension Door you away after being downed a couple times so Shadowheart could heal you, but who’s counting?

🌙 🤍

#Ketheric Thorm Pack Watch #belt to ass #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #aylin bg3 #bg3 aylin #dame aylin #aylin x isobel #isobel thorm #bg3 isobel #ketheric thorm #bg3 ketheric

Gale Dekarios

“Damn you for giving me so much to care about”

Previous Gale Post

Gale is just one of the guys, y’know?

I remember accidentally almost romancing him in Act 1 on my first ever play through simply because I just liked making him happy. He just always needs a hug and a friend and someone to help him get over his breakup lol.

In all seriousness though I love Gale. He’s human (literally and metaphorically speaking) and his qualities bring BG3 back down a step from the fantastical and magical universe of the Forgotten Realms. Even his magic and study thereof bring a certain quality to his character. He works hard, he studies hard, he loves hard. Gale is as determined to prove himself to others as he is to live for himself.

His fault is one I can relate to in many ways. He took a step too far, partly out of love for Mystra, but also a half-selfish, half-curious drive for power and knowledge.

Gale didn’t tamper with the Orb to rule the world, he wanted to gain the knowledge within it and to impress his lover, but in doing so, he lost his power and Mystra’s favor. Like Icarus, Gale flew too close to the sun.

When we find Gale at his lowest point, he doesn’t give up and wander off to find some barren place he can explode in peace, he trusts us enough to (eventually) tell us of his condition and find a way through. Ultimately, even though Gale is directed by Mystra to sacrifice himself to end the Absolute, and in turn redeem himself in Mystra’s eyes, he knows doing so would disappoint his friends more than it could relieve him of his burden to his goddess.

He doesn’t want to die, despite it being the most direct way to solve everyone’s problems, but he would do it to spare everyone else of his immediate problem. If you push Gale enough to see reason, and to find another path, he’ll trust you. Not only with his life, but with the fate of the world.

Gale, at his core, is a man who made a mistake. One he would take back if he had the power too, but also a mistake he knows he must find some way to atone for. Gale is also a man who, no matter how hard it gets, won’t give up, either on himself or for his friends/family.

Gale’s just a good guy. I’d be proud to call him my friend.

.

Also give it up for Gale x Minthara shippers I love all of you. Keep feeding me Spiderweave content.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 gale #gale #gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep

*You feel her mind reaching out to yours, tentative and curious. Then it retreats, soft as a whisper*

“Show me myself through your eyes — let me see what I am to you.”

~~~~~

RE: My other post about Minthara, I wanted to add more to it without just commenting or editing the other post.

Minthara is, objectively, not a good person.

HOWEVER

There are certainly layers to being “not a good person” in Faerûn, especially when the grading scale goes from Really Good™️ (I.e. Harpers, Order of the Gauntlet) to Really Bad (literally the Absolute, Ketheric Thorm, Dark Justiciars, Orin the Red, the list goes on really)

Minthara, although certainly nowhere near the paragon of evil displayed by the Dead Three’s in-game followers, is still considered to be your less -than-ideal person in terms of goodness.

There’s a few reasons, one of the main being she is a Drow, and not just any Drow, but a Baenre. I’m sure if she never went looking for the Absolute she would’ve stayed in Menzoberranzan, plotted against her mother or other houses, and feasted on the eyes of surface dwellers for centuries to come.

But the thing is, she didn’t. She felt compelled, out of honor for herself and House Baenre, and also out of a sense of retribution for a perceived offense from this so-called “Absolute,” and sought out Moonrise Towers. In doing so, Minthara found herself on the other end of a blade. Not for the first time in her life, but for once she was an honest victim of evil and not the assailant or a participant in inter-societal fratricide (sororicide?).

Despite being among the Absolute’s thrall, there was a small chunk of Minthara’s soul screaming out from the inside. Begging for the torment to stop, pleading for a release from her servitude, either through breaking free of bondage or death.

When you find her in Moonrise’s dungeon, Minthara is ready for whatever comes. She has embraced her looming death, and fully expects the player character to be the one to finish her off.

After a lifetime of service and killing in service to other gods, Minthara prepared for a painful and undignified end, with her mind wiped clean and her body just a tool for perpetual servitude.

However, unlike her previous masters, you, the player, give her a chance.

A chance to fight for herself and her own survival after years of being controlled. A chance at revenge and maybe, one day, returning home.

Minthara, raised in the bowels of the Underdark, has always been a selfish person. You need to be in a society like Menzoberranzan, where anyone could be holding a dagger meant for you behind their back. It was selfishness that kept her alive for so long. Minthara isn’t selfish because she directly hates everyone who isn’t her, it’s because deep down she knows that she is the only one she can trust. For once, after years under Lolth and the Absolute, her mind is her own, and she plans on using it for herself.

I don’t blame Minthara one bit for being selfish and guarded. She has been abused and controlled and taken advantage of at every step of her life. She is (assuming here bc no concrete source) century old at least and is finally free, and similar to Lae’zel, she is trapped in a foreign land with “weirdos” who know next to nothing about her or her situation.

I do not blame Minthara for her actions, and I do not blame her for whatever she did while under the influence of the Absolute. She did what she had to in order to survive, and if I were trapped in a world where everyone’s immediate perception of me is “evil Drow murderer” I would also be a little thorny to those around me.

Like I said Minthara is a bad person, not out of malice, but out of security. Minthara doesn’t want to rule the world to ascend to godhood or out of greed, she wants to rule because if she comes out on top, it puts as much distance as possible between her and anyone who would hurt her again.

Minthara wants to be safe. She wants to be free and she wants to be feared, but also loved, authentically. When she asks you to use the tadpole and show her what you see, she despises being labeled a monster, and is disappointed to be considered only an ally or a friend. She sees the player character as an equal and is overcoming her prejudice against non-Drow in doing so. She sees you as beautiful, tadpoled or otherwise, and wants more. If romanced, she’ll even forego her dream of returning to the Underdark and stay with you in Baldur’s Gate.

Minthara may not be good, but she’s not evil, not even close. Minthara is a victim, a survivor, and most of all, loyal. She rewards loyalty to her with devotion in kind. She will follow you and encourage you to take power until the end. Power not for the sake of power, but power for security. Minthara knows how evil operates, and aspires never to stoop to that level, but she will do whatever it takes, no matter how distasteful, just to feel safe again.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #minthara #bg3 minthara #drow #dnd drow #menzoberranzan

A moment without Shar, without the Absolute, without the world.

A moment for flowers.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #shadowheart #bg3 shart #bg3 shadowheart

One more trip around the sun, happy birthday to me!

#birthday

BG3 Companion Road-Trip Assignments

After a long day of traveling (hour-and-a-half drive) I now imagine how the BG3 companions felt after marching through endless wilderness.

Astarion: Playlist Setter

If he has to be dragged across the country as part of Gale’s scheme then he’s at least going to enjoy it his way, with his music. Don’t touch the radio unless he’s asleep, in which case try not to wake him up.

Gale: Trip Planner

This entire expedition was his idea. Who else would come up with visiting every city along the Sword Coast in two weeks. If anything goes wrong it falls on his lap, but don’t interfere with his itinerary or risk falling behind. You won’t like grump Gale.

Halsin: The “Get Out And Stretch Your Legs” Guy

Every three hours along the road the Archdruid suggests a stop to get out and stretch. This greatly impacts Gale’s plan for the day. Usually the group will ignore the request but every once in a while Halsin needs to find a stop to pee (usually in bear form, don’t ask why).

Jaheira: Group Mother

Despite mainly joining the traveling group to get out of Baldur’s Gate for a couple weeks, Jaheira finds just as much responsibility on the road as she does at home. To make up for it, she has taken the front seat beside Minsc for the duration of the trip. Between tending to the group’s needs and managing the snack inventory, Jaheira takes every opportunity she can get to take a rest, often coupling with Lae’zel’s need for a moment of peace.

Karlach: Uncontainable Excitement

This is her first road trip with friends, and Karlach is making sure every, and I mean every, base is covered to ensure the maximum amount of fun. Looking up roadside attractions, pestering Minsc with “are we there yet?” every few hours and often being the one to beg and plead for a certain song to be played are all high on her to-do list.

Lae’zel: Quiet Time Enforcer

Sometimes you just forget everything else and feel the open road, just getting lost in a trance as your eyes scan the endless horizon. Other times Lae’zel has a headache from Astarion’s music selection and Karlach’s “are we there yet?” comments and you don’t have a choice but to play the Quiet Game until she’s had her proper nap.

Minsc: Driver

Choosing to sit up front with Jaheira (and being the only one willing to drive) has its benefits, and Minsc will stop by and see very interesting thing they come across, much to Gale’s chagrin. On the bright side, this gives everyone else a break from wondering if Boo is sneaking through the car seats, especially when he sits right up front under the windshield.

Minthara: Motion Sickness Princess

Preferring to ignore her companions and the endless outdoors, Minthara chooses to select a book she has been meaning to finish for her on-the-road entertainment. This however, has its drawbacks, as endlessly focusing on a page while the bumps in the road jostle you around give her a bout of motion sickness. Jaheira and Shadowheart do their best as far as treating the sickness as they can, but Minthara often finds herself agreeing with Halsin’s stop requests just so she can stop moving for a brief moment.

Shadowheart: Road Trip Scrapbooker

Every once in a while a camera flash goes off or a receipt goes missing, and you can be sure that Shadowheart is working hard to make sure no one forgets their trip. Page upon page of the scrapbook shows off her diligent work cataloguing and recording every fun memory the group has from destination to destination.

Wyll: Snack Acquirer

Everyone sent in a snack request for the long duration on the road, and it was up to Wyll to make sure everyone got (almost) everything they wanted. Some members, like Karlach, wouldn’t be too upset, but forgetting to get someone like Minthara or Jaheira’s favorite snack could have dire consequences. Luckily, the Blade of the Frontiers is never afraid of a challenge.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 companions #minthara #shadowheart #astarion #laezel #gale dekarios #karlach #wyll ravengard #minsc #jaheira #bg3 astarion

BG3 Companions as characters in Hamlet

I finally finished Hamnet (the 2025 movie) and thought “what the hell, why not.” Enjoy my special interest.

———

Astarion: Claudius, King of Denmark

Would go super into the conniving and scheming part of the role but would also be a fan-favorite when the production goes on tour.

Gale: Horatio

Gale would definitely lean into his role as “witness” to most scenes of the play, using his sagely wisdom to charm the audience while also fitting in as being the only part of the main cast to survive the whole thing.

Halsin: Polonius, Advisor to Claudius

Owing to his background as leader of the Emerald Grove, Halsin would use his experience to shape his role as the king’s right hand. He would display a fatherly quality over his two children, Laertes and Ophelia, but would maintain a firmness to command the audience’s respect.

Jahiera: Gertrude, Queen of Denmark

Playing the mother of the titular character and love interest of the antagonist, Jahiera has a difficult role in which she must remain endearing to the crowd and yet enable the villain’s schemes. Jahiera would, as the kids say, commit to the bit and relish the opportunity to have some fun being the “bad guy,” in a way.

Karlach: Ophelia, Daughter of Polonius, Hamlet’s Lover

A deep-seated romantic and lover of Baldur’s Gate’s theatre scene since childhood, Karlach would jump for joy after being cast as the leading lady. Despite probably not knowing the full scale of the role initially, nevertheless, she would focus intently and commit to putting on a good show to inspire the next generation of Baldurian performers.

Lae’zel: Laertes, sibling of Ophelia and son of Polonius

Despite not having a penchant for drama, the githyanki would accept her role as Laertes under the condition Wyll not hold back during the two characters sword fight in the final act. In addition, Lae’zel also asked that Halsin (Polonius) refrain from excessive displays of affection while on stage.

Minthara: Guildenstern, Childhood Friend of Hamlet, King Claudius’ Spy, Rosencrantz’s Partner

The allure of Guildenstern’s secret role as a spy for King Claudius caught Minthara’s eye when she read over the script. Though the Drow normally would stay uninvolved in petty entertainment, the concepts of “deceit” and “lying” came naturally to her as she stepped into the role.

Minsc: Ghost of King Hamlet, Spectre of Prince Hamlet’s Father

Minsc, and Boo of course (pun fully intended), would probably have auditioned for one of the guards in the opening scene (Bernardo or Marcellus). Instead , he was cast as the Ghost as the director thought he could use his imposing figure to haunt the titular character and set him on the path of vengeance. He also agreed after realizing he could utilize Boo in his costume.

Shadowheart: Rosencrantz, Childhood Friend of Hamlet, King Claudius’ Spy, Guildenstern’s Partner

Despite hoping for possibly portraying Ophelia, Shadowheart was delighted when she discovered Minthara’s interest in being her on-stage partner. Though suffering from a limited bout of stagefright, Shadowheart was able to feed off of Minthara’s confidence when performing together.

Wyll: Prince Hamlet

A longtime patron of the arts, a fervent dramatist and skilled sword-bearer, Wyll was nothing short of born for the role of Hamlet. The trouble with his own father certainly helps him giving character too.

———

Honorable Mention

Tav/Dark Urge as Fortinbras, Prince of Norway

After weeks of practice and rehearsals and roughly two days before opening night, the gang realized they forgot to cast Fortinbras. Luckily, their friend had returned from a week of painting set pieces and sewing costumes and was able to quickly turn around and volunteer (under the condition Gale and Wyll cast as many spells as possible to enhance the viewing experience).

#bg3 companions #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 tav #shadowheart #minthara #laezel #gale #gale dekarios #astarion #halsin #jaheira #karlach #wyll ravengard #shakespeare #hamlet #minsc #minsc and boo #this play is dedicated to Enver Gortash’s corpse

docisback

“Lady Shar… help me”

~~~Shadowheart Character Analysis~~~

So the post I made about Minthara did really well so I may do more of these and put my minor in Film and Media Studies to some use.

———

So, Shadowheart, aka Jenevelle Hallowleaf. Everyone’s favorite cleric, and God’s favorite princess.

So on my first playthrough I really tried to keep an open mind regarding all of the companions. I had never played Dungeons and Dragons (except for one time in college where I was functionally another characters squire/human backpack for a single session) and so I didn’t really understand any of the lore regarding realms, gods/goddesses, religion or the cultures of the Sword Coast. I only finally caved and bought BG3 when I had a fantasy RPG itch to scratch and nothing else seemed to be doing it.

Thank god I did tho holy hells.

So back to my first playthrough, I didn’t understand the big deal when Shadowheart admitted her faith and devotion to Shar. My first immediate thought to be completely honest was “well at least this god isn’t trying to kill us (for now).”

I figured since Selûne and Shar were sisters, there would be a rivalry of sorts akin to Zeus and other Olympians, but I didn’t quite expect all-out warfare between believers of opposing factions.

After finding the shrines to Selûne and later the Selûnite temple in Act 1, I figured since the Selûnite faith was so mundane that Shar couldn’t possibly be any different…

Boy, was I wrong, but I digress.

As I said, I tried to keep an open mind on my companions' beliefs and lives. When I learned of Gale’s, *ahem*, rather explosive dilemma, I sought to help him no matter the cost. When I discovered Karlach and Wyll's intertwined destiny, I figured I could assist in some way, despite not knowing much about the Hells. Even when I met Astarion and Lae’zel, who, despite their collective thorniness, were looking for an out to their respective situations, I knew I could do something and go along with whatever they needed.

However, as I learned more about Shadowheart, I only became more concerned. I realized she doesn’t just revere her goddess, she expects Shar to be her savior. She expects that her devotion and sacrifice will be rewarded with an ease to her suffering, an end to the pain, but pain is all Shar can provide to her faithful.

Shar does not take pain, loss or suffering AWAY from her followers; she expands it, and in turn, expects them to understand why. Shar does not want followers; she wants servants who will live and die and convert others to do the same, all for her grand scheme of destroying her sister and those who worship her. Shar has no endgame beyond that. If Selûne were to, for some reason, be able to be destroyed by the push of a button, and Shar along with it, Shar wouldn’t even hesitate to be the one to press it.

Which brings me back to Shadowheart, who, likewise, has no endgame.

I don’t mean it in the sense that she doesn’t know what to do when she returns to her cloister; I mean that without her memories of anything, she has nothing waiting for her. All she knows is upon her return, her memories will be granted back to her, only to be taken again pending her next assignment. All part of a self-destructive cycle of pain and loss to continually wear her down until she is just an empty shell, with her memories gone and her usefulness deteriorated, at which point Shar no longer needs her.

And that’s when it clicked for me.

CONTEXT: I had a very religious upbringing. I won’t go into details, but my life here on Earth was nothing more than my ability to live the faith and bring others into it. When I turned 18, I knew I had two choices: Continue the faith, spread the gospel as a missionary for two years in some place I didn’t get to choose, surrounded by people who don’t want me there, or go to college and start the rest of my life.

I knew if I left on a mission, I would be stuck in an endless cycle of faith and I would have to leave everything and everyone I knew behind and start over wherever I end up once it was over. No direct communication, no phone calls, and no distractions.

So, back to Shadowheart, the reason I grew concerned for the constitution of her character and well-being, rather than supportive of her choices, is because I saw pieces of myself buried under the surface of Shar’s desperate grasp on her soul.

I realized all the doubts she has about herself were the same doubts I had about myself. Am I good enough? Will I please my god? What will they think of me? Will my family accept me no matter what? Will they hate me? Why can’t I just be a good believer? Why can’t everything just make sense? Why don’t I feel loved? Are you there, God?

As the game progresses, we learn more about Shadowheart. She was just a girl. A girl with a family, all of whom are now Shar’s victims. She was broken down piece by piece, writing notes to herself just to try and help her remember who she was in case they ripped her memories out again. A girl who never knew a life outside the cold walls of Shar’s cloister under the house of grief, a girl who only knew love under conditions.

But in the words of Dame Aylin, “you are a woman now.”

Now, with the truth in hand, Shadowheart has something she’s never had before. A choice in what she wants to do.

Progressing your relationship with Shadowheart shows she is just as concerned with her family members imprisoned by Shar as with what could happen to her newest family, the player. She wants to free her parents just as much as she wants to be free to live her life with the one she loves, and you, as the player, can support that.

I helped Shadowheart through the Gauntlet of Shar. I knew this was setting her down a road that I couldn’t follow, but unlike Shar or Viconia, it would be fundamentally wrong to deny her a choice of her own after so many years of abuse and having her destiny be directed by someone else.

I think this is what makes Shadowheart’s ultimate choice in Act II, whether to spare or slay the Daughter of Selûne in the heart of the Shadowfell, the climax of her and the player’s decisions. Telling Shadowheart to make her own decision and promising to stand by her no matter what comes is the straw that breaks the camel's back. For once, Shadowheart understands that the choices she makes are her choices, and that no matter how many times her memories are suppressed, the consequences of her actions will linger forever. Shadowheart doesn’t want to be remembered as a killer. She doesn’t want to be a fierce Dark Justiciar, and she certainly doesn’t want the honor of leading Shar’s church. She just wants to have someone have her back for the first time in her life.

With my own personal religious trauma, seeing a character in fiction struggle with their self-worth and seeking out someone to understand them, not judge them, made me feel something that I can’t really say I’ve ever felt in a video game. Shadowheart wants to be loved in ways that can be interpreted as juvenile, but she never got to BE a juvenile. Her childhood was stolen from her, and after overcoming decades of arrested development because of it, she finds herself as an adult without a proper place in the world. She does things she thinks will make people love her. She follows the orders of Shar and Viconia because she hopes the pain of being unloved will go away when she obeys. When you, as the player, tell her you’ll love her (platonically or romantically) regardless of her actions and that no matter what she does, you won’t abandon her, she breaks down the wall she’s built up to protect herself.

In a single moment, there on an island floating in the Shadowfell, Shadowheart finally understands. She risks an eternity of torment at the hands of Shar by defying her and branding herself as an outcast, all for someone she barely met, who sees her for who she is. The player doesn’t help Shadowheart by telling them what they think the right thing to do is; the player helps Shadowheart by encouraging her to do the right thing for herself.

In summary: Shadowheart isn’t just your average fish out of water story. There are layers upon layers of trauma being inflicted on her. She’s doesn’t open up to you at first just because she respects you as the player, but because she also feels she has no choice or that some harm could befall her if she doesn’t come clean to the party about her Shar worship. She doesn’t expect compassion from who Shar views as infidels, but what she doesn’t know is that not everyone in the world would whip or scourge her because of who she is. There is an obvious shift in Shadowheart’s demeanor when she realizes that no matter who she is her party of friends would never betray her the way her adoptive family would.

To circle back one more time, specifically to the questions I used to ask myself:

“Are you there, God?”

Shadowheart’s God was always there, gleaming brightly in the night sky, she just didn’t know it yet.

ly0nstea

I mean, to be totally fair, shadowheart *does* want to be a dark justiciar, she does want all of the accolades and boons and the notoriety that comes with it. As soon as it doesn't put her life in mortal danger Shadowheart will proudly proclaim her love and admiration for Lady Shar, she's only hesitant in the beginning because she's afraid of immediate persecution, but the moment its safe to say so she is Shar's number 1 fan, even after seeing her parents. Her devotion to Shar is equivalent to Abraham, the only difference being that Abraham was stopped.

If you have Shadowheart kill the Nightsong and the Mother Superior to take her place, and kill her birth parents, Shadowheart ends the story happy, successful, and if you ask her about it she very proudly says she would do it all again without hesitation — and that isn't to say this is blind religious fervour either, in the same breath she says her thoughts around the former MS have complicated (a woman who is by all accounts a heretic who defied her goddess out of jealousy), that she sympathises with the woman that was spurned by Shar and forced to raise and train her replacement.

And she does have an endgame, it is just to get the love of Shar (something which she can actually achieve it isn't her being lead down an endless pipe dream). Shadowheart's story is equally about how mortal followers can obfuscate and corrupt one's relationship with a god as it is about an evil god, because like, a large chunk of her trauma and abuse is simply the former mother superior's jealous rage and not actually Shar's direction.

docisback

I’m so glad you added that! (Regarding Shadowheart being happy in the end if she followed the Shar route all the way) I understand Shadowheart’s initial desires and I didn’t want anyone to be confused from what I was saying. Shadowheart CAN and WILL be happy if encouraged by the party to follow either path.***

QUICK SIDE NOTE: I want to add though that Shar also chose not to raise up one of her own to lead her church, but rather instead chose to direct her followers to kidnap and brainwash an innocent child.

***Which circles back to what was saying RE: Shadowheart making her choices. If you allow her the space and time to weigh her own actions, she doesn’t want to hurt anyone at the end of the day. She chooses to let Aylin live not out of mercy for her enemies, but because she empathizes with someone being trapped and abused to fulfill someone else’s desires.