✨Goofy and Sweet ✨
Thanks to @not-at-all-original for this!! They choose Sam for spouse and I can't believe I've never paid attention to him!! But I imagine he is soo lovely as their description!! Can't miss him in the next play!!
✨Pure and bright commission to Mads!! ✨
it's being sad about gale & tara hours again:
"i'm well past due to return to waterdeep. i'm going to tell your mother that you'll be home soon. don't make a liar of me, darling."
as a side note, it's very interesting to me that tara drops the entire "mr dekarios" spiel as soon as things get serious or emotional.
i think this is down to two things: i think this (referring to him as such) is her way of teasing him because we do know that gale isn't too fond of it. in fact, it's something he explicitly asks you not to call him ("i'd prefer you not follow her example."). the moment she notices gale is upset or the situation requires a different approach than being cheeky or to tease him, or even to (in a very motherly fashion) harangue him, she drops it completely. it's not mr dekarios any longer, but gale, darling or sweetheart.
i think the other purpose it serves is to keep his head on his shoulders and not in the clouds, to remind gale that he is gale dekarios, and not just (or only) gale of waterdeep, wizard prodigy, (former) chosen of mystra, with all the wizarding prowess that implies.
and now something to cheer you all up for any emotional damage the previous snippets may have caused:
so. tara was supposed to be at camp at one point and have idle banter with gale:
in fact it appears she was supposed to join the camp either before or at the same time when we meet elminster at the beginning of act ii.
she does have several idle conversations about gale with elminster:
tara to elminster: he deserves better than this.
edited to clarify: this appears to be cut content
so wading through the files bit by bit, it appears that tara was supposed to actually show up right from the beginning (act i) because she has banter with alfira:
most important dev notes here:
tara the tressym (who hates everyone but gale)
and
tara the tressym refuses to be pet by anyone but gale
(again: this appears to be cut content, sadly)
i dug deep into the voice lines and sadly, these lines don't appear to be voiced either. i was suspecting it, but yeah.
i'll definitely leave larian feedback about this, because i think this would have been such a lovely addition.
I woke up today thinking about Gale and (spoilers ahead) the idea of him being groomed to think aspects of himself that didn't serve Mystra were lesser then. It's surely not a unique thought, but it's one that just continues to be so sad to me as we learn more about Gale and how there is so much more to him than magic. But what if Mystra didn't care about those parts. And he began to treat these parts of himself as disposable weights upon this version of himself that he's building and hopes will be good enough for her. He discards his surname, Dekarios, and goes by the more illustrious moniker ✨ Gale of Waterdeep ✨. He dedicates himself to his research and magic so wholly that it absolutely destroyed him when Mystra cast him aside. He didn't seem to have anything else to fall back on to keep him going, instead falling into an intense depression.
And while the Tav character (or whoever you choose to play) can have such a huge influence in changing that way of thinking, it also speaks volumes that the second most important character to Gale's story is Tara. His (likely) first and longest friend, and though she may be a tressym, her opinion also matters so much to him. She's the one who comforted him, who became his rock when he was at his lowest. And among the things we learn about Tara, we learn that she refers to him as Mr. Dekarios - persistently using it even when he doesn't, because he was always more than just this mystical archmage to her. And we learn she always thought he needed more mortal companionship, implying she didn't exactly approve of Gale's relationship with Mystra.
It's like Mystra embodies his love of magic for power and esteem, for recognition from others; but Tara is this embodiment of his love of magic for the pure love of it, as something for himself. It's a literal goddess that is worshipped by the masses and a pinnacle figure of what the Weave and magic is, this unattainable figure he seemingly attained VS. this sweet little tressym, a creature that so many write off and call just his 'pet' much to his indignation because Tara is so much more than that, even if it's just to him, even if no one else understands or cares.
He could sweep aside so much of himself that doesn't suit his growing ✨ Gale of Waterdeep ✨ legacy, but not Tara. Never ever Tara.
i've talked before about how the game portrays gale's struggle with the orb, how he himself often tries to play off his condition with humour, minimisation or redirection, and how there's an obvious disparity between the seriousness of his condition and how the game handles it as the player progresses the plot.
in that previous post, i've only briefly touched on how the orb manifests itself physically, however, and i wanted to take the time to do a closer more in-depth look. for that i've compiled a few things that i thought were interesting.
to start off, this is the description the player gets for gale's condition:
it's also made obvious when gale is afflicted by his animation. as his "spirit is being drained", gale is slumped over, clearly affected:
if left untreated, gale will have the following prompts to remind the player:
all these prompts have the same devnote:
node context: slightly pained/struggling with a constant ache (the orb is negatively affecting him, causing him pain. prompt is to remind the player that gale is unwell.
the same is mirrored with origin gale:
the devnote states:
internodecontext: gale gets worse for the first time. he has consumed no magic items, and is presumably only learning about his affliction.
note context: urgent/in great discomfort. he's weaking because he's gone too long without taking his 'medicine' (consuming a magical item to keep himself alive)
when gale first reveals his need for magical artefacts, the player can ask him what would happen if he doesn't/isn't able to consume a magical artefact. he lists the following symptoms:
player: what happen if you don't consume these artefacts?
gale: i'll spare you the finer details, but it begins with a biological deterioration. muscle spasms, disorientation, a slight ringing in the ears. and if left for too long... catastrophe.
this is also echoed in a different dialogue and one of the only dialogues where gale admits to being in some level of pain:
gale: you'll have to speak slowly. i'm finding it quite difficult to concentrate with my condition gnawing at my insides like a teething displacer kitten.
when he consumes an artefact, the discomfort is shown on his face:
i've included this idle animation from my previous post as well (gif made by @bladeofavernus):
@camilleonne has pointed out in their post that the place where the orb entered gale's body has scarred:
summary:
symptoms of the orb are
-general biological deterioration
-muscle spasms
-ringing in the ears
-disorientation
-concentration issues
-varying levels of physical discomfort / pain
a doodle of gale i ended up liking! drawn while listening to "wash my pain away" from the bg3 soundtrack haha
I made a list of Halsin facts for my own entertainment a while back but forgot to post it. Dunno if anyone would find this interesting but in case here it is, enjoy~ o/
ACT1
-He writes in tight scribbles, smokes the pipe and loves reading (likely non-fiction). He’s the studious sort, considering his unprompted interest in the parasites and his hunger for knowledge. This aspect of him was more defined in Early Access but sadly got lost during full release. It also briefly comes up during one of his banters in later chapters.
-He rarely drinks: he’s a lightweight and gets overly affectionate when drunk. He also sings when drunk. Badly, per his word.
-Is an actual Disney princess (he has birds scouting and reporting back to him).
-He has a strong sense of duty, so much so he will stop paying attention to other aspects of his life in the pursuit of it. At least in one instance, this has been depicted as a flaw (when he abandons the grove looking for the Nightsong).
-He enjoys spending time in his bear form, and appears to have been the main caretaker for the bears in the grove. Ormn in particular acts heartbroken that Halsin is missing.
-When given the chance, he’s eager to give up his position as archdruid, as he felt it was too draining and confining. Despite his insecurities in his ability as a leader, he’s more shrewd and wise than he lets on: he can play politics when necessary. And people around him have been more than happy to rely on him. He cares about those under his protection. A lot. “The grove is everything to me”.
-He doesn’t shy away from violence when provoked.
-He feels responsible for the shadow curse, and is compelled by the need to fix everything.
-This is a relic from Early Access but you’ll have to pry it from my cold dead hands: in the grove there used to be a fanfic titled “Shadow’s Kiss” written by the druid Roan that featured a certain “Balsin”. At the end of it a written entry by Halsin would threaten to feed Roan to Ormn if he ever saw the name “Balsin” again.
ACT2
-He likes open spaces, reading and whittling utensils and ornaments (ducks in particular). He’s got a sweet tooth and a fondness for honey. He finds it hurtful when he's made fun of for his interests: he admits people tend to underestimate his sensitivity.
-He’s a very religious man and invokes Silvanus any chance he gets. Even so he doesn’t believe in blind faith and chides Shadowheart for not questioning Shar’s teachings.
-He’s 350 years old.
-He has no mercy for goblins, to the point where he disapproves if you spare them in Moonrise. A bit funny, considering there’s a banter later on with Karlach where he insists that “mercy costs us nothing”.
-His scars were caused by a bear who didn’t appreciate being spurned during mating season.
-He’s a veteran who served in the battle against Ketheric Thorm in Reithwin, where eventually the druids and Harpers won. At the time he was likely second to the archdruid that led him into battle. When the shadow curse started spreading, said archdruid died, leaving Halsin in charge. He immediately evacuated the survivors. He still feels guilty for not being able to help more that day. From one of his party banters it’s clear Halsin suffers from survivor’s guilt. He’s lost many friends to the curse, so many in fact that “it would take a day and a night to recite the names of the fallen”.
-Considering how obsessed he’s been with the curse ravaging the land for the past 100 years, it’s unlikely he had any intimate connections during this period of time. He also claims that more good has been done since meeting Tav than in the 100 years before their meeting.
-His family is dead and buried at the foot of the Grandfather Tree in High Forest.
-He seems used to changing environments and affiliations. Once recruited, he’s quick to call Tav his new family.
-He remains polite in the face of scorn and ridicule. Right when he joins if you suggest all he’s good for is cleaning camp he responds with an awkward chuckle and a “wherever you need me”. Later in Act 3 his affections can be brusquely turned down by comparing him to a deep rothé, to which he calmly responds “a simple no would have sufficed”.
-As a child he befriended Thaniel, a spirit of nature, and ever since then he felt a higher calling. Thaniel appears to be as fond of Halsin as Halsin is of Thaniel, mentioning him often to Fist Art Cullagh during their imprisonment in the Shadowfell.
-He is the only expert of shadow curse alive, and if killed in Act 1 the curse cannot be lifted.
ACT3
-He believes himself, or at the very least aims to be, a protector. Any failure (or perceived failure) in fulfilling said role leads him to spirals of self doubt and insecurity. His self worth is heavily dependent on how useful he can be, and without a big purpose or mission to fulfill, he appears lost. In the same vein he seems incapable of staying still and relax, he always needs something to focus on.
-In true druid spirit, he considers cities to be intruding on nature’s realm. On his arrival to Baldur’s Gate, he's appalled and disgusted by the class inequality encountered in the city. He’s disturbed by the suffering of children, in particular.
-When called naive for his dream of a better future he mentions he gave up cynicism when he was 200 years old.
-He’s all for heckling Dribbles’ corny jokes.
-He sees his body as a vessel and his physical prowess as a tool. He takes no pride in it.
-He admits that he didn’t realize how much his responsibilities had been weighting on him until Tav showed up and took that burden away.
-He’s polyamorous, and pretty lax when it comes to sex and relationships: he has no qualms in taking pleasure where “desire finds purchase”. He mentions that he had many lovers in the past and that his heart doesn’t stir lightly. This might imply he’s laid with many, but cared for few. He also doesn’t appear thrilled by the prospect of marriage/tying yourself forever to someone. For a man so against putting a relationship into words, he acts incredibly smitten when romanced and showers his partner in all kinds of sweet praises.
-He’s so attuned to his wildshape that he tends to lose control of his transformations when overcome by strong emotions (i.e. anger, arousal). He appears embarrassed when this accidentally happens in an intimate situation. He does enjoy wildshape during intercourse though, as he even proposes it himself during an interaction with Shadowheart. Per his word, he doesn’t discriminate against any type: in an interaction with Lae'zel he implies he slept with a chimera.
-He considers lust to be the most essential of impulses and feels it’s only natural to be guided by it.
-He’s travelled far and wide. Where we do not know, unfortunately. He mentions he’s been to the Underdark many times and possibly the Nelanther Isles. In his youth he ventured into the Underdark to sate his own wanderlust, where he got captured, enslaved and sexually abused by drows for 3 years.
-He’s self aware of his obsession with nature. When Jaheira warns him not to fall into druid stereotypes, he comments that he does think about other topics such as high art and politics, but to him nothing compares to a tree.
-When speaking of his past, he comments that people seem to focus on the more “salacious chapters” and disregard his years of study. When confronted about it, he seems perfectly content with a life spent studying, meditating, counselling, fighting, training and fucking.
-He used to hibernate as a bear and mentions he spent at least 100 years of his life sleeping. It’s unclear if he’s still in the habit.
-At the end of the campaign he sets out to create a new community in Reithwin with the victims of war and refugees that were turned away from the city. The children of this soon-to-be-founded community refer to him as “daddy Halsin”.
-He considers himself an exceedingly patient man.
