Originally Posted by Marielle
Poor Doni went through stress and learned to talk. smile It's a good thing they can't die. I remember in the Witcher 3 game, you could accidentally kill a cat in combat - they would run underfoot and random damage would go through them. It was horrible - after a difficult battle and defeating an enemy to see two cat corpses lying on the ground. I restarted and agonized over how to somehow lure the enemy away to where cats don't run. It's a good thing that in BG3 they reinsured and made the kids immortal for such cases. By the way, in BG3 I didn't have a single instance where I ever killed someone randomly who I didn't intend to kill.
Yes I understand, I would reload a fight to save an animal or person I didn't intend to kill. In DOS2 I spent some time moving little rabbits out of an area so that they wouldn't accidentally get killed during a fight there. In BG3 I reloaded the circus fight a few times when any of the bystanders got killed. But yes, I don't remember anyone getting randomly killed by me on accident in BG3. I think it is a good thing overall, but then there are a few instances where they can still be killed by other characters.

Originally Posted by Sini
Sceleritas sees it the same way. It's not his fault, why is Doni standing there?
He doesn't want to be punished by the Dark Urge again because he was nice, even Sceleritas immediately gets sick. "Master, please kill me just for thinking I could be nice."
Sceleritas feels so bad about this that he runs off and buries himself in the garden as punishment.
Dark Urge is confused, not realizing what Scel. even felt so bad about in the first place.

Originally Posted by Marielle
The blood has a rejuvenating effect, Sceleritas has fewer wrinkles and is more refreshed.
Lol. Vampire facial for the whole body.^^

Originally Posted by Sini
Sceleritas looks much better afterwards, he almost thinks Astarion might be right about his wellness spa. Bhaal still won't like this idea... and who will have to pay for it? Poor Sceleritas of course!
Aww the way you write Sceleritas as a character, you make him sound so endearing. hahaha I feel for the poor guy when I'm seeing things from his point of view.

Originally Posted by Marielle
Mmmm, it's nice to be around such an Astarion, “You just relax now and let me take care of it”... Rare man, DU is very lucky to have him... <3

Dark Urge sits down at Astarion's right hand, smiles placatingly, and whispers affectionately in his ear:

- How good I feel next to you, my love... I feel I have nothing to fear anymore.

Astarion took her hand and intertwined their fingers tightly:

- My powers grow stronger every day, I can protect you from any threat. What were you afraid of before? - Astarion squinted his eyes and furrowed his brow, as if preparing to deal with some unseen threat.

- The existential emptiness associated with the absence of determinate values. - Dark Urge whispered in his ear, kissing the tip of his ear a final gentle kiss. - You've already dealt with it, my joy...

Astarion laughed, a sincere and ringing laugh of joy, and, still without unclasping their hands, led his consort to dance.
Yes I think Dark Urge is very lucky to have someone who is so unwavering in his devotion. All he really wants is for you to be by his side, and he would do whatever he can do keep you there. I believe you are the first person he's ever really loved, let alone to that extent. I think they're both very lucky to have each other; they both understand what it's like to walk a dark and lonely path under the thumb of someone controlling their actions. They find comfort and understanding in each other in a unique way that they couldn't quite get with anyone else.
And imagine what a good dancer Astarion must be! I'm hoping we get to have a lovely dark waltz with him in the palace at some point. <3

Originally Posted by Marielle
Yes, that's right! They are completely happy dissolving into each other, complementing and filling each other. The vampire and his bride have a mental connection, they can mentally communicate, just like with the tadpole before, only they don't need any tadpole for that. If one of them feels some very strong emotion, the other will automatically feel it too. Fear, pain, threat - and will be able to quickly come to the rescue, before the first one calls for help, while feeling where he is. Well, they don't go far away from each other anyway. Joy, love, pleasure - this will also be felt by the other, and it can be shared, as if doubling and multiplying these feelings. Emotional and spiritual merging is a greater pleasure than just physical intimacy. And with physical intimacy under such circumstances, with the ability to feel what your partner feels, it's probably just something fantastic, inaccessible to ordinary mortals, unless they are powerful psionics. Maybe I'm fantasizing a lot, but it seems to me that the bond between a vampire and his bride would develop and strengthen just like that.
I think this is a poignant and beautiful way to describe the union/connection between them. The true depth of this feeling would be supernatural or otherworldly to us. My impression of their bond is one where they become so intertwined, to the point where it would just be pure agony for one to live without the other. That would be another reason why they always want/need to keep an eye on each other and protect one another from any threat. "All of this would be nothing without you."

Originally Posted by Marielle
Because the tadpole brought him to life, awakening his senses. An Astarion spawn with a tadpole is completely different from a regular vampire spawn. Aside from the sun, after getting rid of the tadpole, Astarion will no longer be able to taste, he can only drink blood, but he will feel vampire hunger. In fact, hunger is the only problem the tadpole didn't fix, so the disappearance of constant hunger is the first thing Astarion felt after Ascension. The spawn's emotions are also blunted. The undead odor will also return. I, too, when I played with the Unascended Astarion, felt guilt and furious helplessness, from the impossibility to fix anything, I couldn't finish the game and I don't want to, I'd rather watch a video than mock my Astarion and myself in my game. This may sound silly, but I have a special affinity for “my” Astarion. I love learning his character and watching his different reactions and videos of him, but “my” Astarion on the PC in my house was born to love him. smile So no matter what the roleplay is, other decisions I may make may be different, but with Astarion I still have the same decisions and the same lines in many places. smile
I do not think it's silly at all, I think we all have "our" own versions of Astarion (or whoever we romance) or interpretations of him to complement our character and our unique motivations. As long as we're happy in the end is what I think is important.
Yes, I agree. I don't like that I have to feel guilt (or that I get told that I should feel guilt) for finally freeing Astarion from the torment of that eternal hunger, and allowing him to live again. Because I hate the thought of making him live an eternity as numb and suffering from the hunger. The things he did while under Cazador's control were not his own sins and I wouldn't want to see him punished for what he had no power over. Alongside all of that, the romance with AA feels more substantial to me and more complete than UA -- that was my experience.

Originally Posted by Marielle
Hehehe, it makes me want to cuddle up to him and purr afterwards. smile I have never met in any game such devotion from a beloved companion and such a strong attachment.
Yes, to me it is really the best dark romance I've ever played. Not sure if there's any I can think of that even come close to it. Good ones of this quality seem to be very few and far between.

Originally Posted by Marielle
I love children's mischief and little hooligans! smile I used to sometimes think, I wonder what an adorable mischievous little prankster elf Astarion must have been when he was little? Knowing his character... That might be embodied in his son.
I love the way that you bring his mischievous little self to life! All the little details you add, his expressiveness, and how sweetly precocious he is. He's for sure a little Astarion and so precious! You can just feel how energetic he is and how much fun he's having bringing all the chaos to his surroundings. It's so lovely and such a pleasure to read!<3

Originally Posted by Sini
We inspire each other hug hahaha

The underwear problem is now solved, so I can move on to the next thing. smile

If we want to play together with Patch 7, we definitely need a lot more glitter, perfume mist, pink bombs... and dance battles!!! lol
Sceleritas is already hard at work with all the preparations.^^ He's also practicing his best death stare while dancing.
I can't wait to see what new clothes he's stitching together for us. grin