Originally Posted by Marielle
Interesting, Gale, it turns out, can betray his beloved. While he himself was betrayed and abandoned by Mystra, and continues to suffer and reminisce about her regularly (in a friendly walkthrough). I wasn't deeply interested in other people's romances, except for a few videos of major scenes for curiosity's sake, but it's interesting, and the romance reveals additional facets of the companion's character that you might not realize in a friendly walkthrough. I noticed the hypocrisy in him too, and without the romance. He wants to kick Astarion out of the camp after finding out he's a vampire, while walking around himself with a bomb in his chest and consuming artifacts. If you give Shadowheart to Viconia, Gale shows himself to be cruel and indifferent to her fate. He threatens to explode in the second chapter, you run around him, convince him not to do it, like, you persuaded him, but if Tav/Du agree that Gale should explode - he'll immediately backtrack, he doesn't want to do it at all, he wants to be a “selfless hero” who is persuaded (though he can sacrifice himself and blow up the Brain in the finale, I don't know how exactly it happens, I've only seen the epilogue with the results of this decision). And, of course, his line in the finale towards the unfortunate Astarion who wasn't given the Ascension. It's almost as if Gale takes pleasure in Astarion's vulnerability and pain. Gale does react adequately to the Ascension, though; he now seems wary of angering Astarion (“He can also be a dangerous adversary”) and behaves politely (during the ritual itself, of course, yelling that he must not do so). I liked Gale at first as a companion - he's smart, he has interesting lines, but then I saw his cowardice, selfishness - I don't think these traits are bad in themselves, it's a consequence of survival instinct, but he's so moral, so eager to look good and behave accordingly, that as soon as “moral concepts”, as it seems to him, allow, - the meanness comes out. Hypocrite is a very apt and succinct definition of his character. Astarion never betrays his beloved, no matter what decisions you make in the game's storyline.

I see Gale as more of the type who won't hesitate to betray you and your group if it serves his own power. Of course Astarion and I would do something like that in a heartbeat, so I take out Gale early. Gale is not a good romance for a Dark Urge. If you go the evil path, you only have Astarion and Minthara to choose from anyway, they will follow this path with you until the end. And yes, I'll betray everyone except Astarion or Minthara.

Gale as a god is so boring that he even annoys Tara and his mother. If the story continues there at some point, I think Gale will come to a bad end.

Originally Posted by Marielle
Especially since the romance with Astarion flares up quickly and suddenly (only Lae'zel tried to seduce me before Astarion, all the others are active later, when my character already has Astarion in his thoughts exclusively), and flirting with others when my character and Astarion are already making love, when we are already together, except that we haven't indicated the relationship in any way, others can't interest me in any way. With other companions whose intimacy comes later, perhaps flirting with two in the first chapter looks more appropriate and realistic, but not in a romance with Astarion. Minthara is the perfect friend for Dark Urge, I agree. Shadowheart is also a nice character as a friend, and there's a good battle pairing with Lae'zel, but Minthara is the best, definitely.

If I take the good path, Lae'zel is the first (although Lae'zel also tends to prefer evil answers and actions), if I go the evil path, Astarion is the first to make me an immoral offer, which I reject. smile If I go the evil route, most of the companions won't live long enough to flirt with. evil At the point in Act 2 to trigger this scene with Astarion, only Shadowheart and possibly Wyll are still alive besides Astarion,
if I didn't sacrifice Wyll to Boooal. I don't get any approval from Wyll anyway and Shadowheart doesn't offer me a romance until after Nightsong. This will probably be almost too late for Astarion, I'm not sure if I'll be able to kill Yurgir by then. The blood dealer is no longer in Moonrise Tower at this point and should therefore not be present in act 3 either. I would have to test whether it is possible to trigger this scene via Shadowheart with Yurgir without a long rest.
Pretty complicated. ^^

Originally Posted by Marielle
What a cutie... I would love to hand him a finger. And give him a kiss on the forehead while he bites... <3

"She'll definitely come back, my little bloodthirsty master."

"Definitely Sceleritas, I hypnotized her with my gaze and manipulated her thoughts. When she comes back, she should bring me blood candies. I paid close attention when Dad showed me what to do. Nothing can go wrong. " The little bat smiles crookedly and shows his tiny vampire teeth.

"Now, was that civilized? No, clearly not. Fun, but in no sense civilized" ~ Braingremlin