Thank you for this tasty, filling breakfast! I’m a bit on the sick side this morning, so dirge soup is exactly what the doctor ordered <3
I’ve said it before I believe, when you posted the snippet, but I love, love, love your descriptive prowess. There’s no overstating it! You do a fantastic job creating the environments from the perspectives of those describing it. The way you write it, the setting feels like a character (squalling wind, popping glass, tables resting by the flames -- it’s throughout but I’m just using the early pieces as examples <3 )
Gale’s stomach turns as he watches the easy act of violence, even as he understands its necessity. ^oooo Gale buddy you ain’t seen nothing yet.
I really like how in Gale’s POV how new this whole adventuring thing feels. He’s a smart guy and can put a lot of things together, but it’s really taking a toll on his body. His body never lets him forget that all this is hell on his knees and really why isn’t he sleeping in his nice cozy tower.
The cleric turns to look at him, her distaste for the gith clear in her scowl. Gale gives her a soft, apologetic smile.
* “Sorry, wizards aren’t much for heavy lifting.”
The look on Shadowheart’s face promises murder, but she grabs one edge of a bench and drags it over towards the stairs all the same. When she gets close enough, Lae’zel snaps something caustic, and Shadowheart responds in a voice just as tense. The two of them manage to lever the bench into position, but simultaneously look about one bad gesture away from a brawl. * ^I lol’d at these two being forced to work together as the only ones with a positive strength score XD
Astarion’s thorough looting is A+ -- and honestly, he is correct about the necessity. Nice perception win though Gale, noticing that something is a litttttle sussy about this pale elf with sticky fingers that doesn’t burn. Yes…so…magistrate-like, how well and mercilessly you seem to bleed things.
FFFFF. Excuse me Gale Amazing Magical Prowess Dekarios. I know that it was a defensive remark but I still giggled into my tea.
I also really enjoy all the group discussions regarding their heading and their priorities. Yes, all these people have a common goal…but their alliance is both needed and tenuous. Good job Gale, doing everything you can to be the cooler head and keep the peace.
“Do you think we’ll really need all those beads?” I snickered because I know exactly where these beads end up.
Any githyanki that becomes infected and does not fall in battle is taken to a creche and cured immediately. >> Sure they are Lae’zel….cured. Yeah…
And then there had been that feeling from earlier as the weave had not bent into shape, but instead broke. OOooh, interesting observations about dirge’s magic. A nod to his previous class? Referencing to a later point in the chapter I LOVE his dual training from Lae’zel and Gale. Buddy you got two people with a vested interest in keeping you <3
“They are no kin of mine – let their gods find them in the dark. This shrine can be their tomb.” Damn Shadowheart, what a mic drop!
And Astarion would be driven mad by the blood smell wouldn’t he? Starving as he is. Porridge ain’t gonna fix that -- Gale gets a youtried star for effort. That pale guy ain’t squeamish he hongry. Well done distracting him with your none table manners, Dirge. You were of service <3
I also really like Astarion being comforted by all the noise. Because I mean, after being surrounded by other undead or targets for so long…the sounds of LIFE are a good reminder that he isn’t THERE anymore. Cazador and Godey can’t touch him. (Also loved the description of siren-call heartbeats! Especially given the actual siren calls later on…)
Poor Gale. Nobody in your tower to tell you that you snore, is there? It’s not like Tara would care…
LOL Astarion setting Dirge up with the bowl. 10/10 no notes. Poor guy so offended, j’accuse! I ate my porridge! This elf set me up!
I also liked using being ‘trapped’ as a reason to stay at the temple. Because I mean, given the tadpole urgency, you do kind of need a reason to keep exploring beyond the gamer meta of wanting to find everything. (And of course, our guy withers).
Shadowheart’s wisdom score do be shining in her practicality here (always does). A nod to earlier, I really thought it was interesting when Gale sort of balked at the intimacy of her art. Because it’s true…clerics do have to get really up and personal with people. And Shadowheart is just so personable isn’t she XD Though her no nonsense approach does help in some respects. Makes it more impersonal (even as in her POV in an earlier chapter we did see that she cared!)
YAY Dirge remembers his name!!!
“I heard someone say it. I think… I think I said it?” Dirge doesn’t look convinced, “I’m not sure. I don’t sleep well.” Interesting! I wonder if we shall ever get that full context >) Also interesting that there wasn’t really anything for Astarion to see in his head.
OOOF. Thinking about Astarion and field trips. Heart hurty. At least he was able to place Waukeen’s Rest?
DIRGE LOOKING FOR HIS FRIEND US ;; Don’t worry buddy, you’ll be reunited again someday with the little brain-leg.
“Dirge, you need to carry more of the supplies – make yourself useful, please.” She sighs in frustration when he hesitates under the new weight of his pack. ^NO NEED TO BE THAT MEAN SHART. He’s tryin okay. I’m glad they at least found him some shoes.
I loved Astarion’s cheerful lil “Found something~” for the actual humanoid skull. So him. And just so magistrate like. He’s doing such a thorough deception here…
Noooo, Astarion’s fear. T_T
An icy bolt of fear shoots through Astarion, haunting his mind with thoughts of a miserable year spent in the dark. The worn stone walls, the dry scent of bone dust, the hollow silence… If he had a working heart, it would be racing, and his useless lungs have locked tight in his chest. He needs to breathe, if only to keep up his facade, but he can’t– My heart breaks for the poor guy here. Welcome to level 2, time to face your fears! And of course breathing won’t help, but he still needs to perform it anyway.
Eventually he (mostly) regains control of himself. His breath comes slower and slower, if still a bit shaky. Feeling irritable, he snatches his arm back from Shadowheart; she’s got the grace to look a bit surprised, but after a moment she smiles knowingly. He hates it. Adored this lil moment between them here <3 So characteristic of both of them. You do such an amazing job showing who they are in these interactions
Like a ravenous hound, panic nips at his heels. - SO GOOD
I liked the whole bit with the two corridors, too. Good on you Dirge for sensing which one had air coming from it!
Ooooh, the sparring session! And what the results of it set into motion for Astarion. The beginnings of his nice, simple plan, I see. >) Or at least a nice simple plan to get a sweet bite of that Bhaal blood. Surely that will have no consequences… (1/2)
I am so sorry you are not feeling well, but you and Dirge can be soup brains together!
<3! I don't know if I've really ever thought of myself as having much talent for describing things before posting this -- I'm always a bit worried when I describe an area or a place that I know readers are already aware of, but there's that part of me that thinks it makes such a difference how the characters see it in that moment; for example, if the tadfools arrived at the Grove before Halsin left, I think they would have had a much different opinion on the place as a whole.
Gale better get used to the squick pretty quick cause he's got at least two party members who are going to be pretty casual with blood and gore.
Lol, I know I keep going on about Gale and his knees, but that wizard doesn't have any stamina yet you can't lie to me, he's been locked away in his tower for a year! And like you say later, he's more of an academic than an adventurer. Will he eventually get used to it? Probably -- I figure he'll change his tune a bit when its not all still so brand new.
How DARE the wizard make Shadowheart work with the gith!
I have a feeling that while Cazador didn't really let Astarion have much of anything, he got into the habit of sneaking and grabbing anything that he could feasibly hide -- still wouldn't have been much, but now that he's free, his fingers are stickier than ever. Does it help his magistrate lie? Not one bit!
And I swear, early game Gale is just having his own fun with a detective game of 'who the hell am I traveling with?'
Also, you can't tell that everyone in act 1 (save a TBI'd durge) doesn't have some form of a plan going a little something like step 1 - remove tadpole step 2 - f off and do my own thing, until of course they realize just how deep it all goes. I think at that point, the only one not really raring to bolt is Gale. Karlach and Wyll too, once their immediate worries are dealt with. Its also a little harder as they don't really have a designated leader to all rally behind -- right now Shadowheart is probably the closest they have; Gale has the intellect but he doesn't really have the drive to push and bite at the others when need be.
New title for Gale unlocked!
Is Astarion probably overdoing it with beads? Yes, but as someone who has sold some pretty sketchy shit to vendors before, I say you keep going until you're a hair away from being over encumbered.
Dirge still has access to magic, he just doesn't really know how to do it? Better that he gets retrained as a wizard, lest he light someone on fire unintentionally. Does this really match with how characters get multiclasses or respecs in the game? Not really, but I'ma blame it on a complete rewire after an impromptu lobotomy. (And Gale might feel a bit bad for this guy who's in such rough shape, and it might sort of remind him of how he's felt this last year with that blasted orb in his chest -- their wounds are different but both are very debilitating).
I'm glad you liked that line >:) if they ain't Sharrans, Shadowheart says she don't give a damn.
And can you imagine, you've been kept on one of the strictest diets for 200ish years, and now you get to sit in a room with an absolute feast just feet away? It's very cruel, maybe everyone could just turn around for a few minutes? It won't take him long he promises.
I figure all of the tadfools -- whether they'll admit it yet or not is a different story -- are starting to feel some level of comfort being together already. They're all suffering their own kind of hells when they first get kidnapped, and a big part of their issues are isolation. And now, they get to... just sit around a fire together? Eat good meals together? Have someone... watch their backs? Brand new territory here.
I have a feeling Tara just rolled her eyes every time she heard Gale snoring -- maybe she would have brought it up once he actually managed to find himself a friend. She'll probably mention it when she reminds him to shave that thing growing on his face :)
Hey, Dirge can use that extra food and its just a bonus that it helps Astarion keep his cover. He's a smart man -- and its not like his fall guy can easily sell him out.
'I also liked using being ‘trapped’ as a reason to stay at the temple.' I'm just saying; if it were me, and I had this terrible parasite in my brain that I only had days (if that!) to get rid of, why on earth would I be going and spending time in this temple? Priorities, people.
Healing can be a bit... personal, like going to someone's hospital room -- its a bit different if you've had time to get to know them, but this early on its kinda like catching someone in a weak moment. Shadowheart does care, but she thinks she shouldn't.
He thinks he remembers it at least! :D I'm sure that will never come into play! (Originally I planned to have like little dream snippets where he was remembering it, but without revealing anything it felt awfully disjointed).
Is it cannon that Astarion made field trips? I'm pretty convinced, as there's several illusions to him being in Reithwin and Last Light, before the Shadow Curse wrecked it about 100 years ago, and I doubt they'd still have guest books from back when the elf was alive.
(Dirge is unaware that Us is currently being shipped with many many of their friends over to fill a certain order)
Astarion might not need to breathe, but it can help beat back the panic a little bit, make him feel a little more like a person again.
And thank you :D I've been trying to keep their voices distinct, and I'm glad that at least so far it seems to be working!
Dirge might have a little bit of subconscious familiarity with spooky gods and their attempts at being cryptic...
That Bhaal blood might just blow Astarion's little mind! But first!! He needs a way to secure it!
(Thank you so much for taking so much time to comment on these! I'm absolutely loving reading them -- I'm of course going to respond to the second half too, I just had to say something here as well!)
Comment on That Stolen Spark
m3rcurylanding on Chapter 3 Thu 26 Sep 2024 03:28PM UTC
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KohKoh on Chapter 3 Thu 26 Sep 2024 08:22PM UTC
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