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[littlemonday]

Baldur’s Gate III and the Queer Politics of Monstrosity

Full Audio Series & Essay

Available on Apple Podcasts, Libsyn, & Medium

Would you become a monster if it would save the world?

That is the central conflict of Baldur’s Gate III, a three-act epic fantasy that continues the story of the critically acclaimed series, bringing a new threat to the city of Baldur’s Gate in the form of an illithid invasion. We, the player character, find ourselves infected with an illithid parasite and must unravel the source of the parasite’s uniqueness, and its connection to the rising Cult of the Absolute before we, too, are transformed.

While an epic fantasy in scope, our parasitic infection brings us into intimate proximity with the monstrous in a relationship best described as Gothic. But what exactly is the monstrous in a setting full of fantastical creatures and horrors that reach out to us all the way from the Far Realm? And why is it so queer? To answer this, I think we need to frame our understanding of the monstrous through one of the most enduring monsters in literature and media: that of Frankenstein’s Creation. Scientific experimentation, body horror, paranoia, and the Gothic all merge in Mary Shelley’s enigmatic monster. Unraveling the seams of this creation, both its horror and humanity, will serve as the foundation to help us piece together the nature of monstrosity in Baldur’s Gate III.

So, what is a monster?

Little Monday Presents: Baldur's Gate III and the Queer Politics of Monstrosity.

Society & Culture Podcast · Series · Would you become a monster if it would save the world? That is the central conflict of Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate III and the Queer Politics of Monstrosity

Would You Become a Monster if it Would Save the World?

Little Monday Presents: Baldur’s Gate III and the Queer Politics of Monstrosity.

To become a monster or not is the central conflict of the award-winning game, Baldur's Gate III. But, what exactly is a monster in this high

Thank you to Moss/Magmethius for providing necessary lore. And thank you to both Moss and Ben for their feedback.

I would also like to thank Glen Eastman, W Reader, Luis Saniger, Kelly Green, and Foxspitt for lending their voices to the audio podcast.

[maidenmocha]

Where in the world is that Cousin?

[littlemonday]

I've romanced Oscar in the last couple of playthroughs I've done of Scarlet Hollow, and this poor man is TOUCH STARVED!

While you're still more-or-less a stranger to him, you can just go up to him the day after the mines and wrap him in a big hug without asking, and he's so happy for your company. While you did save his daughter, this is a very forward thing to do, especially to someone you don't really know. (If you have the hot trait, you can just openly thirst over him in just about every encounter, and he's actually pretty cool about it).

You can do the same thing after the haunting. He has zero hesitation to reciprocate and doesn't want to let you go.

And look how happy he is to get that hug!

You can really see just how touch starved he is during his mania in the basement when you try to snap him out of it by kissing him. Yes, he's manic and talking to the entity through a stone, but his faculties are still present to an extent, he still understands that he has responsibilities that need attending to, and the kiss does bring him back to reality at least some.

I really hope this romance works out for Scarlet Hollow's over-worked, touch-starved single dad.

[littlemonday]

Falling into Wayne's goopy electric arms.

Very romantic. <3

[fabienlaguna]

My one critique of scarlet hollow is that I don't think the devs know how aging works and what a 30 or 40 something year old person looks like.

With powerful build you age about 10 years, you are younger than Tabitha so early to mid 20s. So you'd be in your 30s if you give up part of your life. Even if it's a bad 10 years they way they describe the cousin is like how a 16 year old thinks a 30 year old is. And if you are not playing a powerful build you age 15 to 20 years, which would make the description more reasonable. But that would still only be 35 to 45 years old, which is... not old.

Same with Oscar, he had a kid at 19, Rosalina is 13, so he's 32 years old but he looks like he is at least 45. I get people age in different ways but every older character looks more or less the same and I guess in Scarlet hollow you are middle aged at 30. Doesn't make the game less fun obviously but it just cracks me up. lol

FINALLY someone mentioning the age thing

It really bothered me so much after I pick the sacrifice option Tabitha was probably born in 1998 and could be in her mid twenties at most. The game sometimes say that we sacrificed 10 to 20 years even if you pick PB as a trait but as you said... we can be 45 at most yet still the game treats us like a fragile elderly person? I mean we can't even help Wayne/Reese with the axe and I heard you can't even save Kaneeka if Tabitha isn't there? So what being in your 40's is like this because I highly doubt it.

I agree with Oscar's situation too I genuinely thought he was in his early 40's and in that case I want to believe they wanted to add a DILF as a romance option without a significant age gap still it is funny.

[littlemonday]

I also thought Oscar was closer to 40, but honestly, some people just grey earlier than others. The dad bod is really common, and I knew a lot of guys in their early 30s who looked a lot like Oscar. For me, it’s more of his demeanor. He just seems like a man closer to his 40s. I would have been intrigued by a larger age gap for this romance option.

And I agree that being in your 40s is not old, but there’s a big difference between your early to mid 20s and your 30s. There’s also a surprisingly big difference once you get into your late 30s. I’m amazed how much stiffer I became seemingly overnight. Aging 20 years so quickly and violently would take genuine time to recover from and adjust to. I imagine it’s the manner of aging and not just the total years.

[littlemonday]

I tried to pull her out, but Kaneeka made her choice.

[littlemonday]

Welp...

With these two bringing out the worst in each other, and a romanced Oscar having one hell of a trip in the basement, Evelyn's allies basically come down to Reese and Wayne (not likely) at the moment - and those two need a get-along shirt to work together. Or, maybe a spray bottle if they start hissing at each other.

[littlemonday]

Starting my Oscar romance! I honestly can't wait to see how his mania plays out in this arc.

[knave3]

purple chronically ill wizard i have some thoughts about you

[kitthenameless]

✨💚 New hair for Halsin 💚✨

Featuring my tav because Halsin looks really good in that picture. And a bit of blood, as a treat.

Mods: Myky's Hairstyles (hair). Halsin's Camp Clothes (circlet and leafy shoulder piece). Basket Full of Equipment (outfit). Fangs for Halsin.

[littlemonday]

THIS is the guy who could sell me on I can’t believe it’s not butter.

[magmethius]

illithid travelogue calendar

[a-silly-poll-side-blog-yay]

do you have any piercings?

yes

no

not yet

not anymore

results

Voting ended onMay 26

[magmethius]

For today's @theemperorweek prompt: healing.

infinite baths, bursting colors when you laugh i have fought so long to be here, i am never going back and the waters are warm, where they used to run freezing where there used to be storms, my horizon is fleeting i'm so tired inside, i could sleep through a landslide but i'm finally here, and i'm not leaving this time

[stsebastiens]

finding out there's a frankenstein ballet and that it was in october of last year…DEVASTATING

look at this. look at these. im foaming at the mouth

[kaijutegu]

It was stupid good. So good in fact that the bbc filmed a version and put it on dvd when it debuted. I bought that dvd after I saw the show and put it up on the Internet Archive. The audio is not great but the dancing is spectacular. Ever see a pas de deux around an anatomical dissection? You will.

[adhdedrn]

@softest-punk

[embrace-your-illithid]

some squiddies from the book Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: A Visual History

[chexala]

Damn, Scarlet Hollow is really good. Went in knowing zero about it except that it's made by the people who made Slay the Princess, which I also loved, and yeah. Yeah. Both really good games. Insane dialoge trees and choices that matter and replay value. Accepting an invitation to get a biscuit can radically alter your life. Great writing, great setting and characters. I would burn down the world to protect Dustin.

Now I really want a biscuit.

[littlemonday]

When all is said and done, the only thing that matters is that Dustin is safe.

[littlemonday]

The full essay is now available on Ao3!!!

Chapters: 8/8 Fandom: Baldur’s Gate (Video Games) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: The Emperor (Baldur’s Gate) Additional Tags: Essays, Analysis, Character Study, Nonfiction Summary:

Would you become a monster if it would save the world? This is the central conflict of Baldur’s Gate 3, a three-act epic fantasy that continues the story of the critically acclaimed series, bringing a new threat to the city of Baldur’s Gate in the form of an illithid invasion. We, the player character, find ourselves infected with an illithid parasite and must unravel the source of the parasite’s uniqueness, and its connection to the rising Cult of the Absolute before we, too, are transformed. While an epic fantasy in scope, our infection brings us into intimate proximity with the monstrous in a relationship best described as Gothic. But what exactly is the monstrous in a setting with both high fantasy and Lovecraftian creatures? And why is it so queer? To answer this, we need to frame our understanding of the monstrous through one of the most enduring monsters in literature and media: that of Frankenstein’s Creation. Scientific experimentation, body horror, paranoia, and the Gothic all merge in Shelley’s enigmatic monster. Unraveling the seams of this Creation, both its horror and humanity, will serve as the foundation to help us piece together the nature of the monstrous in Baldur’s Gate 3. So, what is a monster?