Neil's Acceptance Speech At The Game Awards For Best Performance As Astarion 🩷

The funniest scene in the movie.

Okay so I LOVE Tav being a tiefling so long story short, just a lil bit of how I think certain characters would react to Tav returning to camp with their horns cut off 👀 once again with a romantic focus on Tav/Astarion/Halsin poly couple. Based early act 3- specifics under the cut!

TW- blood, wounds, trauma

Basically what would have happened if Orin took Tav instead of anyone else, and Tav escaped

When everyone wakes, Tav isn't there. You're gone for days, and when Tav finally does trudge back into camp, you are bloody, beaten, scarred; and your horns are gone. They weren't broken by any means, but had been brutally and roughly sawed off, leaving two mismatched stumps, bloody and jagged.

Halsin being a morning person is the first to see Tav return, and is quick to call for Shadowheart and Astarion as he runs to help Tav, as you collapse into his arms. The two guide Tav to a bedroll and begin using healing spells, Halsin taking care to reassure you that you're safe now. He's glad you are back and you're still breathing, but gods does it hurt him. He's seen you take many hits and still get back up, but somehow...the distant look in your eyes. Something dreadful happened, and he will do everything to help you heal. He's gentle, cleaning what remains of Tav's horns, even as you wince.

Astarion is quick to arrive at their side, kneeling above Tav and letting your head rest on his knees. He's reassuring, he's trying to be strong but it truly breaks his heart to see what's happened to you. The team doesn't know who did this, so he fears the worst; that Cazador somehow did this to you, because of him- and it hurts. He cups your cheeks and brushes your hair from your face and promises you're okay but his heart breaks thinking this was somehow because of him.

Gale and Wyll gather supplies to bring over- water to help clean your wounds, unopened bottles of alcohol for any deep wounds. They're both careful not to crowd around but they're both ready if Shadowheart or Halsin tell them to get anything. When the immediate urgentness of getting your wounds cleaned and your body healed, Gale starts on making a pot of stew. He's the first to notice how pale you look, how past the wounds and dried blood you look like you haven't since you were last in camp. He's sure to make sure it isn't too acidic but with plenty of veggies to help you feel better.

Karlach sees your horns gone and she feels a pit in her stomach. Of everyone at the camp she knows how much something like that can destroy you- she lost one of hers, after all. This was purposeful, to destroy your spirit. She has a sneaking suspicion that Gortash is somehow responsible, that he had your horns cut off to mount on his wall- and it burns. She wants to get angry, she wants to track him down and kick his ass right this second- but she doesn't. She sees how much Tav needs support, and is sure to gather blankets for you, and brings you Clive to hold onto as well.

Minsc, Boo and Lae'zel keep their distance. Particularly Lae'zel gets him to help with patrolling the edge of their camp, keeping an eye out for anyone who might have come after you. Jaheira stands by, particularly to get specific plants that Halsin would ask for to help with the healing process.

When Tav's wounds are cleaned and bandaged, Halsin and Astarion help Tav change into clean clothes. They hadn't even been taken while in their gear- they had only the tattered, dirty remains of their camp clothes on. Helping you change, Halsin and Minsc carefully move you to Astarion's tent, where Karlach helped make a proper bed for you.

When you are resting, the party meets around the fire. Astarion stays by your side during this.

Jaheira divides up shifts of watch. Two on watch for 4 hour rotation during the day, 3 on watch for 4 hour rotation at night. Until you have a more secure camp within the city, there can be no risks.

When Tav wakes early that afternoon, they're screaming. A night terror of sorts- it startled most everyone, but Halsin and Astarion are there to comfort you. There's tears and Tav weeps in the arms of their dearly beloved.

Tav doesn't speak after that. Not for a few days- and when they finally break their silence, it is to Halsin and Astarion. It's to tell them what happened, to tell them they were sorry for not talking sooner, snd Halsin and Astarion are more than understanding and comforting to their love.

They really need to talk about those issues, don't they ?

I am going to turbo hell for this one

the way a romanced astarion unpacks everything when you get the good ending for his personal quest is lowkey funny tho

like. he basically sums up the entire point of his journey and confirms explicitly that you did, in fact, make the exact right choices to help him grow????

the writers really drive home this idea of just "that's it! you did it! you uncovered the secret to making him a good person, and it turns out the only requirements were to give a shit about him and believe he's capable of doing the right thing!! literally just those two things and nothing else!!"

first in the graveyard

side note, "you trusted me when that was an objectively stupid thing to do" is one of my favorite lines because it just sums up really the whole experience of his romance gfjdklgjdf

then later in casual conversation

[tav: you saved yourself, i just gave you a push]

it's all really sweet and lovely and emotional but also. REALLY funny to me. because there are all those people who go "astarion is an irredeemable piece of shit with no soul and everyone who likes him is in denial of how much he sucks"

meanwhile astarion's just out there like "thanks for keeping me from becoming the worst possible version of myself by exercising empathy instead of just writing me off as a hateful pile of garbage ❤ love u"

really incredible. absolute masterpiece

my friend @vilemoonwitch just told me about the fact that gale is the only li who doesn't need to be persuaded to stay with the protag or just leave them outright if they chose to become a mind flayer in order to defeat the absolute.

in fact, very little changes for him. he still proposes, he still wishes to take the protag to waterdeep:

you'd really wish to marry me, in my present condition?

and all he says is, "your 'present condition' is that you're the one i love. and your current form is merely a reflection of the depths of your sacrifice. it only makes me love you more."

the love and devotion gale has for the protag are something else entirely.

(affectionately) you look very throwable

embroidery ghost 🧵

Tara interrogating our Tavs about our intentions towards Gale and insinuating that we'll meet a terrible end if we ever hurt him and we're just sitting there thinking "I am receiving the Shovel Talk from a flying cat, what even is my life now."