Oh, Fylimar, no need for excuses. Far from it, thank you so much for providing the forum with discussion topics that deviate from the one or two points of contention that otherwise seem to gobble it up at times. (And the new bunny is adorable too.)
My favourite character, to nobody's surprise, is Gale. Not just because I simply like him, but because I deeply appreciate the way he is written. He is the only one of our dear tadfools who instead of having a fancy set-piece or dungeon to his name, has a fully developed friendship plot and even his romance to me feels most deeply rooted in friendship. He also offers the most flexibility within his conversations. Along with the usual extra nice and extra awful options (and they are really awful in his case), you are generally given lines that reflects difference stances on a topic - or are just fun banter. You can tease him, you can even have productive arguments with him that get resolved amicably.
As an example, there is a scene in act 1 in which you can peak into his mind to learn his deep, dark secret. In the aftermath, you are given the chance to feel guilty about your behaviour and confess to your transgression, resulting in a heated argument during which you both explain your positions and get to understand each other better. It is such a rewarding scene and such a great example of how you can use conflict to forge a stronger bond. (Bae'zel approves.)
As one of the less-than-seven-percent who like to play Origins as Avatars, I am also so very happy about the attention Gale's writing pays to Origin-Avatars. Everyone has their own little concept of harmony during the magic lesson, and he finds a way to compare them to Tara as well - Astarion has Tara's sharp tongue and teeth, while Shadowheart has her pragmatic streak. His player-dialogue (which I think is the best written in the whole game) is very easy to read in the voices of the other three beach-gremlins. There's always a line that sounds like Astarion, Shadowheart or Lae'zel (if you add a chk!) so it's a pleasure to have him around as an Origin-Avatar because he allows me to feel like my character - unlike a lot of the other dialogue choices the player is given.
Then there's the whole complex system through which the fate of the Crown is resolved, which isn't some weird one time persuasion check, but an up and down during multiple conversations, which eventually shape his opinion. What you say matters and he (sort of) remembers your position on the subject. It's also a nice twist that you only discover the fruits of your decisions at the very end of the game - with possibly heartbreaking moments if you didn't take care to prepare his ascension properly.
There's so much more I could say about him, how I love the sincerity his voice acting adds to the sometimes very overboarding, poetic dialogue. How I love that his plot treats a crisis of faith as a romance. How I love that his worst villain is himself and that he can patch things up with Mystra. But this has gotten out of hand already, so making it short: Gale is my favourite travelling companion.
Lae'zel is not far behind though and her and Gale's conversations are just so deeply wholesome and interesting, they are both a pleasure to have around.
Gandrel is a fav of mine too. I find it always very impressive if the writing and line delivery can convey a rudimentary sense of personality for a character with such minimal screen time.
More on places and such at a later date.
