Even back in Early Access, I was crushing on him so hard yet still, in a bit of denial. (And well, more than a little distracted by Astarion.)
"He's just an NPC. He's not even a companion-just a merchant but... gosh I really hope he makes it and we get to see him again. I really hope he gets himself a proper forge. Ow! Why do I like him so much?" I would murmur at the screen, get misty-eyed, and then scoff at how mushy and sappy he made me feel.
I dreaded and yet looked forward to this moment. Because on the one hand, we had a new conversation with him. But on the other, we were watching him get ready to go with no clue if he would make it. He would give this huge sigh of relief, and my usual salty heart instantly melted into a happy and silly puddle.
After the party, I could barely stand being in the grove's hollow. It became too damn quiet. No ambient conversations anymore, but worse no more sounds of him hammering away and mumbling to himself wistfully. Not seeing him at the forge working felt like staring into a void. I'm grateful he sticks around after the party now that the full game has dropped, but it makes me wonder how exactly he makes his way to the Last Light Inn without the others.
Slaughtering the tieflings, and siding with the Absolute is something I don't think I can ever bring myself to do. Because of him, Karlach, and Halsin, but truthfully, it's mostly him.
Whoever wrote him and to everyone else who breathed life into this character, I just want to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you for making such a sweetheart to help give us some light to push away the dark. That and many of us hope he can be expanded upon more if there is a DLC or patch in the future.
