Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Shadowheart Romance and the Hidden Fetish - (Spoilers inside)

You know something that I haven't seen touched on in the last several pages of this thread I've read (I haven't followed it from the beginning) is that we actually do get evidence that Shadowheart would be open to a poly relationship. If you've been romancing both her and Karlach, you have to choose after Karlach's heart gets fixed in act 2. If you suggest to SH that you don't have to choose between the two of them, (correct me if I'm misremembering) she declines not because she necessarily doesn't want to share you, but because she thinks Karlach deserves to have all of your attention, given her situation. The clear implication being that if Karlach weren't destined to die, Shadowheart would be open to it. And honestly that is a level of concern, thoughtfullness, honesty and emotional maturity that could be the foundation of a functional polyamorous relationship. And we do see throughout that the two of them have solid chemistry together. What stands out most in my mind is Karlach's reaction after Shadowheart betrays Shar. That dialogue alone convinces me that they could work in a relationship and be part of a genuinely healthy and mutually caring polyamorous relationship.

In contrast, the Halsin stuff is pretty much all just horniness and lust and the pair don't demonstrate anywhere near the same kind of bond at all. But it's probably for the best that Larian didn't try to make it work with Karlach and Shadowheart, clearly they lack writers who can see the difference between a genuine polyamorous relationship and a friends with benefits arrangement with extra decoration.

I can't find any evidence of this anywhere online where she says that about Karlach. The only thing I've seen people say is SH saying something like "I wish I was the one to give you that spring in your step" and then ending the romance.

And doesn't it seem a bit strange that this would only happen with Karlach? Why specifically her? I know she's flirted/complimented her but I'm pretty sure she flirted with Astarion and Gale too. Plus, if it were actual polyamory, why not ask to join in instead? Maybe Karlach wants her attention too..

In act 2, after you get Karlach's 2nd upgrade, she basically says she wants to touch everything and everyone lol and she'll kiss multiple faces. They could have made that the perfect opening for a poly/open relationship because they know Karlach's time is limited. Karlach is legitimately looking to have as much fun as she can.

They could have at least given an option to ask Karlach. Isn't it her who should ultimately decide what she needs and is comfortable with?

It's their endings that don't necessarily match up though, depending on your choices in SH's story especially. So maybe that's what the problem is really. You'd probably have to choose between them anyway.

Looks like I'll have to do another playthrough and romance them both to see for myself. I wish there was a list somewhere, of all the companion lines to the player, to make this easier lol

I think it would be great if there were a legitimate option like this though, because there isn't any poly/casual sex option for lesbians or straight men currently.

This is the evidence I was looking for. It further confirms SH is, canonically, only interested in monogamy. This is also like the opposite of how she responded with Mizora lol wtf

Of course, people can headcanon away, as Karlach SH and Tav would be hot together, let's be honest.

I imagine wood elves being the opposite of our world. Most would be polyamorous but I doubt every single one would be, like how ot is with monogamy here.

It is not even slightly okay to accuse other forum members of this. No more please.

owheart writes him off. I was just discussing in those same posts how she pretty consistently lacks personal initiative. The only time she displays any at all is once you've already made her quite happy and more of an open book in your relationship, at which point she shows more confidence in asserting what she wants for herself. And again it runs through your choices, she only takes initiative for something you first show a shared interest with her in (which is yet another reason the act 3 Halsin stuff has to be revamped). It makes the ACTUAL inconsistency with Karlach stand out all the more because SHE'S the one who seems totally accepting of poly with Shadowheart, only to find out the timing of game events makes it impossible to achieve because Larian didn't fully develop the concept (or Karlach's own personal quest which might have also changed things in Act 3).

Given how she flirts with the other companions in the early acts, it wouldn't be entirely OOC for her to do so with Halsin. IF it wasn't after you've established a committed relationship with her and it didn't involve him offering to join in on your intimate moments.

She could have lightly flirted with him, like the others, before act 3 but she was too busy hating him in act 2. I wouldn't have cared much if she had flirted before tbh, as its clearly just for fun. But the timing in act 3, the way it involves a highly intimate moment between the two of you, just makes it awkward. They definitely need to get rid if that banter, as it just doesn't fit with the times.

You know something that I haven't seen touched on in the last several pages of this thread I've read (I haven't followed it from the beginning) is that we actually do get evidence that Shadowheart would be open to a poly relationship. If you've been romancing both her and Karlach, you have to choose after Karlach's heart gets fixed in act 2. If you suggest to SH that you don't have to choose between the two of them, (correct me if I'm misremembering) she declines not because she necessarily doesn't want to share you, but because she thinks Karlach deserves to have all of your attention, given her situation. The clear implication being that if Karlach weren't destined to die, Shadowheart would be open to it. And honestly that is a level of concern, thoughtfullness, honesty and emotional maturity that could be the foundation of a functional polyamorous relationship. And we do see throughout that the two of them have solid chemistry together. What stands out most in my mind is Karlach's reaction after Shadowheart betrays Shar. That dialogue alone convinces me that they could work in a relationship and be part of a genuinely healthy and mutually caring polyamorous relationship.

I guess SH generally prefers monogamous relationship. She accepts player's affair with Halsin since she is aware of wood elf nature (from wiki: Wood elven romantic and sexual relationships were often polyamorous in nature, members of the race freely engaging or ceasing relations with new partners.) very similar to Mizora case.

Yep, I was on hopium when I wrote it.

Lol I know right. I can't stop laughing at how absurd the Mizora scene is

For what it's worth it was actually a half wood elf, so if that matters for dialogue options and lore you can keep that hopium going!

Unfortunately the Halsin excuse of him being a wood elf falls flat because my first Tav was a wood elf and she was still not interested in poly or open relationship. Never got a single dialogue option pop up that was related to me being a wood elf. Therefore, it is not acknowledged by the game.

I haven't been in this thread in a while and I have to say, my dudes I see a lot of cope going on, on both sides. You can rationalize all you want as to what makes or doesn't make sense but the answer is simple. To be blunt the issue is poor writing (whether you want to accept that or you enjoy parts of it) and the writers decision to season his stories with his own sexual interests.

And before someone decides to jump down my throat about attacking the writer or dismissing other peoples feelings, I don't care about your sexual interests and I don't not think less of you because of them. My point isn't to insult but to point out a certain thing. (observation)

He has written three companions (DOS2 and BG3) and in all three companions you can find aspects of cucking. (An apology to the Red Queen, I know you dislike the word but in this case it applies. Unless you can give me another name for it.)
I would say he felt rather bold when he was writing Halsin since he also decided to add bestiality, a disgusting fetish that I might add Larian decided to market their game with. (No its not one 'funny scene', Halsin has in game/cut dialogue implying he has sexual relations with animals and the whole drow scene leans heavily into it also. As for those that would defend it by saying he is a druid, would you hold the same position if he were to turn into a child? And the consent thing, lol? Scooby-doo can also consent, at the end of the day you are still having sex with an animal.)

So with that said, no its not a bug, not its not an oversight. Its intended and you are not the audience for his characters. (Maybe these things will change if the backlash is loud enough but the same could've been said for Red Prince and he stayed the same)

As for the whole Mizora scene, yes the poor writing shines the most here since she contradicts everything she has said up to that point. And if you decide to sleep with someone else after the said scene she will go back to her base way of thinking and breaking up with the MC. (Unless its Halsin ofc)

And it was/is used to justify polyamory and the sudden change in character seeing how even the militant poly people of reddit are using that scene as a justification for her being poly. (A lot of people don't care about writing or it making sense but are mainly focusing on their own wish fulfillment with addition of projecting their own lives onto it, that's why you will find poly posters being offended as if you were attacking them.)

If multiple versions of a character are supposed to exist and just closing your eyes/ignoring it is enough then I ask for a scene where Wyll is okay with the MC slaughtering refugees in ACT3 and saying he never cared and enjoys mindless killing. Consistency be damned.

I will say this as a closing part of my post. I don't want to play a side NPC in a RPG whether that comes to the main story or romances. (So I don't want to go through a full campaign where my MC is the main hero only to be swept under the rug in the last 5min because a new NPC showed up and killed the bad guy without my input and I don't want to go through a whole romance where the character decided to cheat and the very end.)


ps. Queen you don't have to worry I probably won't be coming back to this thread any time soon.