Make A Wish/he Will Live On With All The Love

my friend @vilemoonwitch just told me about the fact that gale is the only li who doesn't need to be persuaded to stay with the protag or just leave them outright if they chose to become a mind flayer in order to defeat the absolute.

in fact, very little changes for him. he still proposes, he still wishes to take the protag to waterdeep:

you'd really wish to marry me, in my present condition?

and all he says is, "your 'present condition' is that you're the one i love. and your current form is merely a reflection of the depths of your sacrifice. it only makes me love you more."

the love and devotion gale has for the protag are something else entirely.

i am unwell again about act iii gale and the variations the astral sea/boat scene can have:

node context: genuine, vulnerable - the player just told him they loved him in a way no one else has gale: i conjured this illusion often during my confinement in waterdeep. an escape for the mind where there was none for the body. it was easier to stare at the celestial abyss than recognise the emptiness within myself. easier to pretend my destiny lay among such stars, than work to salvage a life on solid ground. you changed all that.

Cazador Stand-Up show when?

What if star map tattoos detailing the places you have been and the battles you have fought were very common in the GAR?

STOPLICKINGTHEDAMNTHING

Man really got hit with that Command: Drop Weapon spell and is now fully disarmed

I used to really love the first romance scene with Astarion (and I still do) but it hits so much harder after you know why he's doing it. That he's purposefully seducing you for protection and blood, that he's forcing himself to sleep with you, and this is a mask he's wearing.

It's a sexy scene and really feeds into the vampy (pun intended) jump-your-bones version of him you get at the start of the game. The whole thing starts out with him being so confident and suave, saying that he's wanted you ever since he set eyes on you and how you want to be known and tasted. It's like everyone's perfect vampire romance novel.

He's laying out the bait that's worked thousands of times over and luring you in. And you can just get right to the kissing if you want.

But, you can also stop and ask him, "And what do you want?"

And for just a moment the mask drops. This is not the same cocky seductive face we've had up until now. This is vulnerability showing. When has anyone asked him what he wants? When has anyone cared? Does he even know the answer to that question?

So he pivots. The mask snaps back into place immediately. He turns back into the master seducer and feeds you a line about shared ecstasy to get you back on track.

And then comes what is, to me, the pivotal moment. He asks you "That's what you want, isn't it? To lose yourself in me?"

Looking at his body language he seems unsure at first, maybe questioning his previous tactics. Then he slightly cowers back, lowering himself as he asks the question. The total opposite of his confidence from earlier where he's standing with his arms out wide.

He's not sure what you want anymore. You're not playing by the rules he knows. Why haven't you taken the bait yet? Why haven't you thrown yourself at him?

And when you finally Nod in agreement, confirming you're here for sex?

This. This is the face he gives you. He just looks so damn sad. To me, it hearkens back to "Of course it'll turn me into a monster. What else did I expect?"

Whatever momentary blip made him question why you're there with him, he's just been reassured about both of your roles in this situation.

He sounds so quietly resigned when he answers: "I thought so."

And then the scene transitions into the actual act. I do like to think Astarion enjoyed himself as I'm sure the PC did, but it's hard for me to watch this scene now that I know his story and history without being uncomfortable.

Just that line "lose yourself in me" is so difficult to hear. Because on paper it's so sensual. Who wouldn't want a lover to feel that way about them? But knowing the context of what Astarion expects and believes in this moment is just... oof.

And to me, this is what makes this scene brilliant. The writing, voice acting, and the mocap/animation are all just SO GOOD. It's so delicately done and Astarion the character is so good at playing a role that you can completely gloss over the deeper stuff. But once the mask is eventually stripped away you can't help but see what was there the whole time.

And as we've established, being seen is a whole aspect of Astarion's romance arc.

I originally romanced Astarion for the same reasons I'm sure most did: he's a hot, sexy vampire elf (i.e. everything that's on the surface). But, I keep coming back to him over and over again for the person I know is waiting for me underneath the mask.

reblog the money pigeon for a financially stable future