Met a couple of elderly British ladies at one of my jobs long ago. One of them said, "Cheery bye" before leaving and I was so charmed by it, but sadly she already gone.
Norm previu o futuro:)
can I just say how heartbreaking it is that Halsin continuously doubts someone could love him? when he says "my heart does not stir lightly... but it does now" he actually has to take a moment to breathe and close his eyes. like he's scared to admit it. like once he opens his eyes, the PC will be gone. even during his romance scene, you have to encourage him that this was what you wanted and that when he goes into wildshape and back into his regular form, PC tells him "it's okay, now come here" like he's TERRIFIED of scaring the PC because he rambles and apologizes profusely.
and when you solo romance him/decide to leave with him post brain, he tells you in the epilogue:
"Yet you chose me", like he STILL can't believe pc could've picked him over ANYONE SIX MONTHS LATER. This man wants to be loved but STRUGGLES to believe it once someone actually loves him and it's so heartbreaking. He's just a gentle giant. (also thank you @autistichalsin bc you've encouraged me to start analyzing Halsin with your posts)
Fair Warning: This is an incredibly long essay with tons and tons of flycammed screencaps.
Obviously, my fav romance is Shakarian. It’s my favorite for many reasons, but I think the reason that I like it best is simply because it is actually a romance. I honestly love it so god damn much that I’m having a hard time focusing on what I want to talk about with it, because its that damn good.
I think I’m going to talk about the development of it, because there’s lots of essays out there already about why they’re suited for each other or what makes them such a good pairing. What I think is particularly interesting about the way the Shakarian romance is set up is that so much of the romance is not in what they say – it’s in how they say it.
Keep reading
Ok, so I've been giggling like a loon for the past hour at the thought of a Paladin decked out in full wartime armor, with fury in their heart and the wrath of heaven in their eyes, declaring in a voice that will command the heathens and sinners to listen:
"GET READY FOR MY ALMIGHTY SMITE-Y!"
Bonus points if they're smacking a wooden paddle in one hand while shouting that.
Hear me out. Falmer/Dwemer Ghoulcy!
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Larian doesn't abandon BG3 and continue making new patches and adding new content. Hovewer, I find it very exhausting: I played the game when it came out. I saw how unfinished it was. I played the prologue when they released it. But I still have either the same or similar issues with the game since the day they released it?
Halsin's trauma (and his personality somehow) is still being taken as a joke. He still isn't an origin companion and doesn't really have much lore behind him.
Astarion, as great as his story is written, still has the most interactions with the character you're playing as, the most quests. They poured a lot of resources into him at the cost of forgetting everyone else (especially Halsin and Wyll).
Lastly, what about people that can't bring themselves to replay the entire game for the second, third, fourth, fifth (etc) time? Why do I get to experience the "finished" game at the release and then a year, two years later I learn that there's tons of new content I'm missing on because it became clear that the devs actually didn't finish the game when it came out of Early Access?
Technically, I can replay the game. But I find it way too boring, exhausting, and overwhelming to do all the quests for the second, third time. I can't even push myself thought the main quests, knowing I'm missing on so many missions, and interactions, and leveling up, and romance. So I just... don't?
I just want to experience the game the way it's supposed to be. Like wiyh red Dead Redemption 2—what a masterpiece. Rockstar took their time and created exactly what they wanted people to experience. How is it too much to ask for BG3, too?
Yeah, patch 7 is live. That's great. They couldn't made it into the finished game, though? Upon release? The game should've been in early access for another year or two. And have much more closed beta testers of every kind. They wouldn't get such a huge feedback as they got after "full" releasing the game, but they could've still improved it tremendously.
I don't know, man. I'm sad and exhausted. I want to experience all those new interactions, but I don't have the energy and motivation to do so. It's way too repetitive and, as I already said, overwhelming.
Protector of the Forest.
I know a lot of people think Halsin whittles a duck for the player simply because he likes them or for the metaphor of 'coming home', but I honestly think he's a sentimental creature and it goes deeper than that.
your very first conversation as friends, you have to push quite hard to learn what he likes. I think a century of being Archdruid meant people didn't actually care about who he was as a person, only that he could fix their problems.
So when the player makes an effort to get to know him - a genuine effort and not allowing halsin to give a polite dismissal- it's novel for him! And you've endeared yourself to him greatly with that one conversation.
So when he has the chance to make a gift for you, he chooses something out of the most romanticized memory in his mind.
The simple conversation where you got him to speak of whittling and ducks
A simple conversation for you, but one that meant the world to him
Generally, it depends. Luth's been taught that it's usually a bad idea to show something got to her so going quiet is her default response until she can decide what to do with the offender. Some generic asshole looking for a response? Dismiss and ignore as the companions and her have more pressing matters to deal with. Can't ignore it? 18 Charisma makes for some effective threats and warnings.
Threatening their lives however? She'll burn several sorcery slots to make a point. Good luck dodging 3 ice storms.
Tav Question
How does your Tav express their anger?
Forever thinking about the way Shepard says "He's been hurt, betrayed. He deserves something better." When Liara asks if she's fighting for a chance to give Garrus some peace when she comes to the Normandy after LOTSB.
Garrus has been through so much before and during ME2, but he puts it aside to support her. To pick her up at her lowest. From the minute he's back on the Normandy he's just there for her. Don't worry about me, Shepard. I'm fine. Fit for duty when you need me. I just got half my face blown off, but honestly I'm more concerned about you.
Shepard has the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders and Garrus is one of the first people that helps her shoulder it in ME2, despite everything else he's been through. They found each other when they needed each other the most. They get each other, and that's what built the foundation of their friendship and eventual relationship. That's what makes it great.
It's not just about attraction or companionship or a one night stand—and they both realize that pretty quickly. It's about belonging. About finding the person who sees past all the mistakes and bad decisions and responsibilities. Who sees past the soldier, the hero, the vigilante, etc, to the person underneath.
I also love the parallel with Mordin's conversation about his nephew. With thousands of human colonists going missing, the reapers on the horizon— trying to think about everything, fight for everything that's at stake is dizzying, daunting, terrifying. But fighting for Garrus? Fighting for her best friend, her partner in every way? That's something she can do. That's something she can manage.
And one of the best parts? In trying to give Garrus peace, to heal his hurts, to be there for him the way he has been for her, she finds peace herself, where she never expected to. They both find something real worth fighting for in each other, which carries them both through the suicide mission and into the reaper war.