Originally Posted by KillerRabbit
However, if they then proceed to punch you, it is no longer open to interpretation. It happened. Claiming anything otherwise is choosing to be ignorant of the fact that it happened.

Yes!

I know the horse is dead but I'm going to hit it one more time and see what happens.

Yes, yes, yes. The response "not tonight" in reference to sharing with others could simply refer to wine. Or if we're really stretching it could mean "I only do monogamy" and will only "share a bottle" with one other person. But since Shadowheart later says (in paraphrase) "not with the twins tonight, let's wait until we've had sex with each other first" and then she says "sure, lets be with the twins and, hey, let's add someone else" the clear pattern, the punch that has landed, is that Shadowheart is open to sharing.

To belabor - "not tonight" wine, "not tonight" twins and then okay tonight is the night let's invite even more people to the party. Tells me that the "threat to land a punch" was a real threat indeed.

Fine, I'll indulge you. Here's the facts about what actually happens. Not what happens in your mind, but in the game. I will, for the sake of clarity, quote the entire conversation, including all relevant dialogue paths (optional dialogue that can be skipped past will have an (O) in front of it, different choices numbered (1) and (2)). This is all so you understand how badly you interpreted this scene for the sake of your own headcanon in the case of no other companion being involved, and how badly you ignored character development in the case of another companion being involved.

If you go to Shadowheart without going to another companion first:
Shadowheart: Share a bottle with me?
(O)Tav: Just a bottle?
(O)Shadowheart: It's quite a bottle. I liberated one of the finer vintages earlier.
(O)Shadowheart: Best enjoyed someplace private, I think.
Tav: I'd be glad to.
Shadowheart: We should wait a little while. Until the others have drifted off.
Tav (1): Not keen on sharing with others?
Shadowheart (1): Not tonight.
OR
Tav (2): I'll find you after everyone's turned in for the night.
Shadowheart (2): Best not keep me waiting, I'd prefer not to entertain myself...

So lets ignore what actually plays out for now. In that sense, it's still open for interpretation. The optional dialogue is you hinting at wanting sex with her. This cannot really be interpreted another way. She doesn't want that, as is implied by the dialogue. Her saying "best enjoyed someplace private" is irrelevant, because it will be repeated in the non-optional dialogue.

You then agree to sharing a bottle with her. She mentions that she wants to do it after the rest has gone to sleep. You ask if she doesn't want to share it with others, OR you simply agree. She says not tonight, OR she tells you not to leave her hanging. Again, lets ignore what actually plays out. She wants to wait with sharing the bottle until the rest are asleep. You wonder if she's not interested in sharing it with others. The logical, most basic interpretation is that you simply ask if she's not interested in sharing good wine with the rest of the folks at the party, and she implies she wants to share it with you alone. She's asking you on a date. However, here you can also interpret it as her asking you for more.

However, the only, and I mean ONLY, way you can interpret the "not tonight" in a sexual way, even if you think her proposition is sex, is by interpreting it as you implying that you want a full party orgy and she doesn't want that tonight. This already makes ZERO sense, but remember we haven't looked at what actually happens yet, we're still interpreting.

Which we're stopping here. It's reality check time. You start the long rest. The scene plays out. It's a first date. You share a bottle, just as what was implied, said, and now done. There is no sex, in fact a second attempt made to make it so is shut down again. Any interpretation of "not tonight" meaning more than just sharing a bottle at the party is therefore, completely, and utterly, wrong. And it was already a massive stretch.


If you go to Shadowheart after going to another companion first:
Shadowheart: Share a bottle with me?
Tav(1): I'd be glad to.
Shadowheart(1): I won't keep you long - I gather you've already made plans with someone for your evening.
OR
Tav(2): Just a bottle?
Shadowheart(2): Just a bottle. I think you have other plans afterwards - wouldn't want to keep you.
Shadowheart(2): ...Well, maybe I would. But first come, first served.

(Both the above lead to these 2 replies)

Tav(1): I've arranged for some... company, yes. It could be a long evening.
Shadowheart(1): There - some liquid courage. And try to get some rest too if you can; tomorrow's another day.
OR
Tav(2): Maybe those plans could change, for the right person...
Narrator: *Shadowheart says nothing, but the glimmer of interest in her eyes is unmistakable.*
(O)Tav: I don't suppose you'd consider some sort of shared arrangement?
(O)Shadowheart: Not tonight.
Tav(2): I'll find you later, once the camp's asleep.
Shadowheart(2): Best not keep me waiting. I'd prefer not to entertain myself...

So she knows you have plans, but she's still interested in sharing the bottle with you. If you tell her you are going to honor those plans, she does EXACTLY what she says she will and said she will in the dialogue where you don't go to another companion first: she shares the bottle with you, but now on the spot.

If you indulge her interest, you get to ask her if she wants a shared arrangement. This heavily implies a threesome. This time, the "not tonight" is her saying she's not up for that tonight. She wants a night just with you. As we know, she doesn't even want anything sexual in the first place. However, you can interpret this "not tonight" as her being open for a threesome with that origin companion another time. Regardless of you asking for this, the rest plays out the same as before. You get your first date, nothing more, which means she never meant to share anything more than a bottle with the rest at the party, which is also shown by her sharing it with you on the spot if you double down on going with the other companion.

So that leaves the question of the interpreted interest in a threesome - everything else, you misinterpreted.

Well, guess what. We know what happens with this, too! Screw interpretations, bring on the facts.

Just like I said many, many posts ago, this implied threesome is with another origin companion. And do you know when else such a proposition with other origin companions is made? In act 2. Up to 5 times, including with that same origin companion. And she shuts all of them down. Because she, if she was ever interested in the first place (this is left to interpretation), is no longer interested in it (not left to interpretation, because she shuts the idea down even with the very person that you suggested it with in the first place). This is because she's now in love with you. It's not about asking you for a first date anymore to see if she really likes you. It's her actually really liking you, and thus no longer even considering the idea that she may have considered at the party. She's entirely, utterly, mono at this point, and wants only you. That's the character development she went through. Assuming anything other than that is insanity. Just like me making this post was insanity.

Edit: Rephrased one line at the end.

Last edited by Michieltjuhh; 18/10/23 03:13 AM.