Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Halsin Romance, Expectations and Obligatory Poly

Thank you so much for you thoughrough response. You make a lot of excellent points.


Your comment: Fetishizing his trauma: fine, harmless, normal, common. I get players wanting player character to have follow-up dialogue like that's like.. trauma mention aftercare.[quote=Tharrow]If I am making any kind of misstep in terms of restraint/signal to noise ratio here, I do appreciate intervention.

My reply: Common, yes? Harmless? Absolutely not. And the reason for this is that when it keeps reaccuring it speaks to conditions of CT-PTSD and unhealed trauma, that is still so impactful that it still guides your emotions and sexual arousal. This means, that if Halsin is still at this stage 250 years later, he still hasn't healed from the trauma.

Personally, I absolutely buy this. But that only makes his reaction of downplaying it in a way that is supposed to make us as the player "Oh, he is good with it! What a champ. He repressed his feelings and turned it into a kink." Other than being extremely incentisive to men who have been sexually assaulted (and before anyone chews my head off: I know from very intimate firsthand experience), it also encourages this toxic idea of "dealing" with it. In addition to this, the fact that this information is not only gated by some rather immature and, for me, uncomfortable content and then you only find out AFTER. This means that your character just became implicit inan experience that was deeply related to Halsin's still ongoing trauma, without knowledge or consent.
The PC got linked to that traumatic episode without consent, and was not given as an option of "we could explore this for you to face your trauma and find healing" - from personal experience this usually backfires, but I know not all agree and that experiences aren't the same.


You comment: Early access players owed a more widely-liked and anticipated type of guy after putting in three years of campaigning: Not how it worked out, Larian went in a different direction. Got a traditional wood elf character romance, sorry.

My reply: Wood elves traditionally have polyamorous relationships, yes. Halsin is not this. Halsin goes under the category that you posted earlier "swinger", and will repeatedly tell you it is not a relationship.
If you look at Halsin's character outside of his romance, he is loyal, dependable, steadfast, devoted, and gives an air of wanting to create beloging and family.
But in his romance, you get everything but this. It is actually the only thing you don't get.
And just the pure irony of him in the end scene of him saying: "Now is the time for us to take care of each other" immediately after he has told you that he is leaving, is one of those whiplash moments where I am certain he is rolling a critical 1 in wisdom. Add to that that he says "precious few hands with which to do it" and that he earlier compares you to family - the closest and often most permanent bonds you can have - that pushes every sweet word he has said down the gutter.

This is not about mononormative behaviour; This is about using deliberate words that build up expectation of an action or outcome, and then pulling it out from under you without discussion.

Gaslighting in Romantic Relationships

Corecion

Coercion is a spectrum of behaviours. It ranges from convincing someone by using charm or seeming to be very caring. It can also be exerting pressure or being emotionally and/or verbally manipulative in order to get one’s way. Often the gaslighter uses something important or close to your heart as ammunition.

Halsin: "We never said we would have a relationship or a future together. You must have misunderstood."

What he said: "I can scarcely imagine my life without you now", "I belong at your side" and "You are all I want"

Do I think Halsin was written intentionally to be a gaslighter? No, I actually think they completely missed it in there hurry

As any person who has experienced any sort of emotional abuse or has an understanding of it, can it be read this way? Oh absolutely.

And gaslightning is not gaslighting because it is viewed by mononormaritive eyes. It is gaslighting because the person thinks only of themselves and how the other person might best suit their needs. Halsin does not once ask the PC what they want, does not once ask "what do you need?", but keeps circling back to what he wants over and over.

From a business point of view: Making Halsin this narrow of a targetgroup in enjoyability when the request for him has been huge is the equivalent of: "So, we have heard your feedback! And we know that you all would love this new model of car. But you can only drive it if you're between 190 - 195 cm as there are no adjustable seat options. In addition, you should know that it has a one time battery that lasts for about a month and cannot be recharged."

(Suggestion: You might want to delete the snarky remark at the end. I am not sure you intended it as it is written)
No
Your comment: trauma without letting it overtake his priority of care to others romantically

My reply: I would agree if not for this;

1. He has been dreaming about you
2. He keeps having very sexualized banter, as if that is his main focus
3. After his quest in act 2 he doesn't stop obsessing. It just shifts. And that is perfectly normal and works for the character, but the danger is not less, the topic or responsibility not less grim, so while I understand his reasoning (and I even find it wholeheartedly endearing), it simply isn't what actually occurs. Especially when you then add the drow situation - it creates a complete disconnect.

I do find it concerning that we mention actual signs of trauma and it gets swept under the rug of "mononormative". Trauma and trauma responses is not something that is that excluded. And because gaslighting is preformed in a different setting doesn't mean that it is not toxic or not abuse. Especially in a community where personal agency is so damned important.