The Blade Of Frontiers! ✨

sweet

I made a list of Halsin facts for my own entertainment a while back but forgot to post it. Dunno if anyone would find this interesting but in case here it is, enjoy~ o/

ACT1

-He writes in tight scribbles, smokes the pipe and loves reading (likely non-fiction). He’s the studious sort, considering his unprompted interest in the parasites and his hunger for knowledge. This aspect of him was more defined in Early Access but sadly got lost during full release. It also briefly comes up during one of his banters in later chapters.

-He rarely drinks: he’s a lightweight and gets overly affectionate when drunk. He also sings when drunk. Badly, per his word.

-Is an actual Disney princess (he has birds scouting and reporting back to him).

-He has a strong sense of duty, so much so he will stop paying attention to other aspects of his life in the pursuit of it. At least in one instance, this has been depicted as a flaw (when he abandons the grove looking for the Nightsong).

-He enjoys spending time in his bear form, and appears to have been the main caretaker for the bears in the grove. Ormn in particular acts heartbroken that Halsin is missing.

-When given the chance, he’s eager to give up his position as archdruid, as he felt it was too draining and confining. Despite his insecurities in his ability as a leader, he’s more shrewd and wise than he lets on: he can play politics when necessary. And people around him have been more than happy to rely on him. He cares about those under his protection. A lot. “The grove is everything to me”.

-He doesn’t shy away from violence when provoked.

-He feels responsible for the shadow curse, and is compelled by the need to fix everything.

-This is a relic from Early Access but you’ll have to pry it from my cold dead hands: in the grove there used to be a fanfic titled “Shadow’s Kiss” written by the druid Roan that featured a certain “Balsin”. At the end of it a written entry by Halsin would threaten to feed Roan to Ormn if he ever saw the name “Balsin” again.

ACT2

-He likes open spaces, reading and whittling utensils and ornaments (ducks in particular). He’s got a sweet tooth and a fondness for honey. He finds it hurtful when he's made fun of for his interests: he admits people tend to underestimate his sensitivity.

-He’s a very religious man and invokes Silvanus any chance he gets. Even so he doesn’t believe in blind faith and chides Shadowheart for not questioning Shar’s teachings.

-He’s 350 years old.

-He has no mercy for goblins, to the point where he disapproves if you spare them in Moonrise. A bit funny, considering there’s a banter later on with Karlach where he insists that “mercy costs us nothing”.

-His scars were caused by a bear who didn’t appreciate being spurned during mating season.

-He’s a veteran who served in the battle against Ketheric Thorm in Reithwin, where eventually the druids and Harpers won. At the time he was likely second to the archdruid that led him into battle. When the shadow curse started spreading, said archdruid died, leaving Halsin in charge. He immediately evacuated the survivors. He still feels guilty for not being able to help more that day. From one of his party banters it’s clear Halsin suffers from survivor’s guilt. He’s lost many friends to the curse, so many in fact that “it would take a day and a night to recite the names of the fallen”.

-Considering how obsessed he’s been with the curse ravaging the land for the past 100 years, it’s unlikely he had any intimate connections during this period of time. He also claims that more good has been done since meeting Tav than in the 100 years before their meeting.

-His family is dead and buried at the foot of the Grandfather Tree in High Forest.

-He seems used to changing environments and affiliations. Once recruited, he’s quick to call Tav his new family.

-He remains polite in the face of scorn and ridicule. Right when he joins if you suggest all he’s good for is cleaning camp he responds with an awkward chuckle and a “wherever you need me”. Later in Act 3 his affections can be brusquely turned down by comparing him to a deep rothé, to which he calmly responds “a simple no would have sufficed”.

-As a child he befriended Thaniel, a spirit of nature, and ever since then he felt a higher calling. Thaniel appears to be as fond of Halsin as Halsin is of Thaniel, mentioning him often to Fist Art Cullagh during their imprisonment in the Shadowfell.

-He is the only expert of shadow curse alive, and if killed in Act 1 the curse cannot be lifted.

ACT3

-He believes himself, or at the very least aims to be, a protector. Any failure (or perceived failure) in fulfilling said role leads him to spirals of self doubt and insecurity. His self worth is heavily dependent on how useful he can be, and without a big purpose or mission to fulfill, he appears lost. In the same vein he seems incapable of staying still and relax, he always needs something to focus on.

-In true druid spirit, he considers cities to be intruding on nature’s realm. On his arrival to Baldur’s Gate, he's appalled and disgusted by the class inequality encountered in the city. He’s disturbed by the suffering of children, in particular.

-When called naive for his dream of a better future he mentions he gave up cynicism when he was 200 years old.

-He’s all for heckling Dribbles’ corny jokes.

-He sees his body as a vessel and his physical prowess as a tool. He takes no pride in it.

-He admits that he didn’t realize how much his responsibilities had been weighting on him until Tav showed up and took that burden away.

-He’s polyamorous, and pretty lax when it comes to sex and relationships: he has no qualms in taking pleasure where “desire finds purchase”. He mentions that he had many lovers in the past and that his heart doesn’t stir lightly. This might imply he’s laid with many, but cared for few. He also doesn’t appear thrilled by the prospect of marriage/tying yourself forever to someone. For a man so against putting a relationship into words, he acts incredibly smitten when romanced and showers his partner in all kinds of sweet praises.

-He’s so attuned to his wildshape that he tends to lose control of his transformations when overcome by strong emotions (i.e. anger, arousal). He appears embarrassed when this accidentally happens in an intimate situation. He does enjoy wildshape during intercourse though, as he even proposes it himself during an interaction with Shadowheart. Per his word, he doesn’t discriminate against any type: in an interaction with Lae'zel he implies he slept with a chimera.

-He considers lust to be the most essential of impulses and feels it’s only natural to be guided by it.

-He’s travelled far and wide. Where we do not know, unfortunately. He mentions he’s been to the Underdark many times and possibly the Nelanther Isles. In his youth he ventured into the Underdark to sate his own wanderlust, where he got captured, enslaved and sexually abused by drows for 3 years.

-He’s self aware of his obsession with nature. When Jaheira warns him not to fall into druid stereotypes, he comments that he does think about other topics such as high art and politics, but to him nothing compares to a tree.

-When speaking of his past, he comments that people seem to focus on the more “salacious chapters” and disregard his years of study. When confronted about it, he seems perfectly content with a life spent studying, meditating, counselling, fighting, training and fucking.

-He used to hibernate as a bear and mentions he spent at least 100 years of his life sleeping. It’s unclear if he’s still in the habit.

-At the end of the campaign he sets out to create a new community in Reithwin with the victims of war and refugees that were turned away from the city. The children of this soon-to-be-founded community refer to him as “daddy Halsin”.

-He considers himself an exceedingly patient man.

「The Pale Bat」

❗️Minor BG3 Spoiler Ahead❗️

(Edited because I forgot a panel, oops)

Astarion finds a bat and saves it, because I said so.

I did it, I did the thing!! I drew the wonderful and wholesome idea that originated from this post made by @miraculan-draws :

Tumblr

mood lights the mood tonight

Arcane Trickster should get a familiar. Give me Astarion blubbering bc he found a baby bat on the ground and it's not doing that great :( sc

I loved this post so much, I had to make it real, and I hope people might find this entertaining as well. There is no way Astarion would not see himself in a little white bat who desperately needed help. This is set after traveling with my Tav for a while, and Astarion has softened his edges enough to be a bit more gentle.

Thank you for posting this lovely concept, I might continue to draw more of this :)

apparently, if you recruit Karlach before meeting with Wyll, he comes to your camp and tries to attack her

but the whole family's like

don't touch our girl

they're so real for this

BALDUR'S GATE 3

The pale elf has ruined my life

Okay so I LOVE Tav being a tiefling so long story short, just a lil bit of how I think certain characters would react to Tav returning to camp with their horns cut off 👀 once again with a romantic focus on Tav/Astarion/Halsin poly couple. Based early act 3- specifics under the cut!

TW- blood, wounds, trauma

Basically what would have happened if Orin took Tav instead of anyone else, and Tav escaped

When everyone wakes, Tav isn't there. You're gone for days, and when Tav finally does trudge back into camp, you are bloody, beaten, scarred; and your horns are gone. They weren't broken by any means, but had been brutally and roughly sawed off, leaving two mismatched stumps, bloody and jagged.

Halsin being a morning person is the first to see Tav return, and is quick to call for Shadowheart and Astarion as he runs to help Tav, as you collapse into his arms. The two guide Tav to a bedroll and begin using healing spells, Halsin taking care to reassure you that you're safe now. He's glad you are back and you're still breathing, but gods does it hurt him. He's seen you take many hits and still get back up, but somehow...the distant look in your eyes. Something dreadful happened, and he will do everything to help you heal. He's gentle, cleaning what remains of Tav's horns, even as you wince.

Astarion is quick to arrive at their side, kneeling above Tav and letting your head rest on his knees. He's reassuring, he's trying to be strong but it truly breaks his heart to see what's happened to you. The team doesn't know who did this, so he fears the worst; that Cazador somehow did this to you, because of him- and it hurts. He cups your cheeks and brushes your hair from your face and promises you're okay but his heart breaks thinking this was somehow because of him.

Gale and Wyll gather supplies to bring over- water to help clean your wounds, unopened bottles of alcohol for any deep wounds. They're both careful not to crowd around but they're both ready if Shadowheart or Halsin tell them to get anything. When the immediate urgentness of getting your wounds cleaned and your body healed, Gale starts on making a pot of stew. He's the first to notice how pale you look, how past the wounds and dried blood you look like you haven't since you were last in camp. He's sure to make sure it isn't too acidic but with plenty of veggies to help you feel better.

Karlach sees your horns gone and she feels a pit in her stomach. Of everyone at the camp she knows how much something like that can destroy you- she lost one of hers, after all. This was purposeful, to destroy your spirit. She has a sneaking suspicion that Gortash is somehow responsible, that he had your horns cut off to mount on his wall- and it burns. She wants to get angry, she wants to track him down and kick his ass right this second- but she doesn't. She sees how much Tav needs support, and is sure to gather blankets for you, and brings you Clive to hold onto as well.

Minsc, Boo and Lae'zel keep their distance. Particularly Lae'zel gets him to help with patrolling the edge of their camp, keeping an eye out for anyone who might have come after you. Jaheira stands by, particularly to get specific plants that Halsin would ask for to help with the healing process.

When Tav's wounds are cleaned and bandaged, Halsin and Astarion help Tav change into clean clothes. They hadn't even been taken while in their gear- they had only the tattered, dirty remains of their camp clothes on. Helping you change, Halsin and Minsc carefully move you to Astarion's tent, where Karlach helped make a proper bed for you.

When you are resting, the party meets around the fire. Astarion stays by your side during this.

Jaheira divides up shifts of watch. Two on watch for 4 hour rotation during the day, 3 on watch for 4 hour rotation at night. Until you have a more secure camp within the city, there can be no risks.

When Tav wakes early that afternoon, they're screaming. A night terror of sorts- it startled most everyone, but Halsin and Astarion are there to comfort you. There's tears and Tav weeps in the arms of their dearly beloved.

Tav doesn't speak after that. Not for a few days- and when they finally break their silence, it is to Halsin and Astarion. It's to tell them what happened, to tell them they were sorry for not talking sooner, snd Halsin and Astarion are more than understanding and comforting to their love.

Christopher Redfield for @shadowsofrose 💖