Vague spoilers for some character/story bits in Bladur’s Gate 3
Butch:
Played a little and I’m confused.
I rescued some dude who was being tortured.
I killed the goblin priestess. It went…hmm. I scouted. Oh, I scouted. I planned. I had a PLAN man. I went to execute my plan. The first leg of the plan was have Asterion (who I have given the assassin specialty) sneak up behind the dude by the war drum and stealth kill. Then that other dude, and the other. Then….well, anyway.
Snuck up behind the goblin. Killed the goblin in one go. Was very happy. Then…
“Getting caught killing is a good way to start a fight” and initiative and boom. Who caught me???? No one was around! I wasn’t in the red area! I even turned all the candles off!
Grumble.
At least I won the fight. I planned! Ah, well.
Then let this totally non creepy, non sexual guy beat Karlach in a totally non sexual non creepy way. That was WEIRD. Did anyone do that? At least I got a cool bonus out of it.
But here’s where I’m confused. I told that weird priest “OK, hurt me” and Asterion and Shadowheart approved. I didn’t think the whole “approve” thing happened when it wasn’t the main character, but there you go. Who were they approving of? Me? My character? Karlach? Yesterday, Femmy said she let Asterion open the book so no one disapproved.
I don’t get it. What gives?
Feminina:
Oh, I didn’t let him open the book SO they wouldn’t disapprove. I just meant I let him open the book AND as it happened no one approved. There wasn’t a plan there. I don’t know if people approve/disapprove based on what character does things, or not.
Though it’s interesting that the journal is all written in the plural. “We should do x…y happened to us…” etc. So it seems that in some sense the party is a singular entity, in which case the individual members are maybe just approving or disapproving of what the group does, more than what the PC does.
Though they certainly do look to the PC as the leader…
Loothound:
Ah, you met Mr. Happy Fun S&M Playtime Dude! When I was playing in high school I had a great fondness for his sort of devotee, due to my great fondness for the Hellraiser movies and the parallels I perceived there (rightly so, I think). I did not have Karlach with me when I met him, but my tiefling decided to be intrigued by the offer. Got approvals, but since it was “me” I didn’t think anything of it other than “Shadowheart. Hmmm…” Lae’zel also approved, but that didn’t surprise me at the time—and it surprises me even less now.
But, yeah, Feminina’s right. The journal also is sort of vague about who, exactly, is doing what. We’re a collective, like the Borg, and our character is Alice Krige. It would also help explain why we can teleport items from our pocket into someone else’s pocket in the middle of dodging webs and poison.
“We are the player. Resistance is futile.”
Feminina:
I will accept Alice Krige as my collective’s divine representative.
Butch:
Except, when you think about it, we’re not really the leader in the same sense that, say, Shepard was clearly the leader in ME or even our character in BGs 1 and 2 (game over if you die) was. Sure, we have to be in the party, but we can lead, start dialogs, whatever with other characters. Hell, we can DIE and the game goes on. Shepard? Game over. So, this really IS a party.
Maybe it’s also because we could’ve played as the other characters. That would’ve been interesting. Or, you can play mutiplayer. Then it really is a “we.”
But I dont’ do that.
Did you tough it out and get that blessing? Pretty good blessing.
And why DID Shadowheart approve of that?
Feminina:
It’s true…even not technically playing as one of the other characters, we could conceivably create our own main character and then just decide to spend the whole game (cutscenes aside) walking around making decisions while running one of the other characters…like, I could just decide to lead as Lae’zel whenever we’re out and about and let Zebren Fiddler be a backup, and Lae’zel would presumably be the one talking to people and telling them whatever we-the-group decided.
Which works in the story since we’re all linked by the parasite…we still have our individual consciousness (and therefore can feel positive or negative about a particular group decision), but we’re also joined and therefore share the responsibility for it.
So really the only thing that makes us-the-PC special is that we’re the one everyone potentially wants to romance?
Unless they’re all flirting with each other on the side as well, and we just don’t notice. I would respect that, honestly.
Loothound:
Wouldn’t that be an interesting twist in a game? You’re trying to get with a companion and it feels really awkward, and eventually one of them just drops the news that they’re together because they’ve been flirting offscreen. Or, onscreen, I suppose you could do. They do have conversations with each other, after all. Like certain characters have a timer going: “if you haven’t closed the deal with X before point Y in the story, they will hook up with Z companion and become unromancable.” Might be kind of neat. Maybe for our court intrigue game.
I did tough it out and get the blessing. Man, is this game kink friendly.
Butch:
That actually could happen in BG2. This isn’t a spoiler cuz Looty’s Aerie is dead and Femmy was playing a woman, so she can’t romance Aerie, but if you got Aerie and the actor in the party at the sametime, eventually they would fall for each other and Aerie, if you hadn’t committed to her, would cut off the romance.
Game is kinky, it is. Asterion all “Oh, I was hoping you’d say that….”
Feminina:
Hey, I might have been going to get the Belt of Gender Swapping just to romance Aerie! Thanks for ruining that potentially astonishing moment!
Ha. Yeah, I would not have done that.
It actually kind of works to think of this group as all full of hormones and angst, fooling around with each other in various combinations whenever the camera’s back is turned. They’ve got their own tents, I won’t judge.
Butch:
Hey, I blame the tadpole.
Maybe not, though. That Withers looking on can kill the mood something awful.
Feminina:
Yeah…and another weird thing is, although I said “they’ve got their own tents,” in fact the only person who DOESN’T have their own tent as far as I can tell is…me.
I just sleep out in the open next to the fire, alongside whatever party members have been lucky enoughto be selected to travel with me next.
“Oh great…going adventuring tomorrow so of course the best way to prepare is to leave my cozy tent and sleep in my clothes on top of a skimpy bedroll right next to the rest of the group. REAL good bonding exercise, this. I feel SO MUCH more rested and comfortable trusting my life to these weirdos now that I haven’t slept because of campfire sparks blowing at me.”
Loothound:
Yeah, sheesh. Even the name “Withers” has kind of a horny killing vibe. Maybe if he were named “The Erogenie” or something. The camp’s designated hook up facilitator. Buy fancy undies, dild* swords, ointments for your various welts and bites. Essentially, the anti-Withers.
Actually, it seems like everybody in the active party sleeps outside. The little animation shows the four companions lying around the fire when you sleep. Tents are for hangers-on and showing off your stuff.
Goddamn, you’re right. We DON’T have our own tent! Unfair. UNFAIR. We didn’t use Lae’zel’s tent for the most obvious purpose. We apparently snuck off to some ruin. In my head, she’s sorely disappointed that it wasn’t a battlefield fresh with gore.
Feminina:
Oh, OBVIOUSLY she was disappointed about that. Scouting out locations to herself as you travel, “this creepy ruin is a good option, though the lack of bloody corpses a downside – I guess I’ll manage without if I can’t find some before this evening.”
Flowers are for losers.
Loothound:
Yeah, pretty sure flowers are NOT Lae’zel’s speed. A bouquet of shuriken, maybe.
Butch:
I would’ve thought flowers for Shadowheart but then she liked the pain guy….Hmm.
Wait, so can you still hook up with anyone else? Little early in the game to commit.
I’m a little nervous about getting with Karlach, seeing as she’s on fire. Literally.
I did “borrow” her underwear. Looks rather fetching on me.
Feminina:
I mean, Shadowheart IS a cleric of a goddess of darkness who in prior ages was considered evil, and is on a mission that she sacrificed her memories for to recover a weird artifact she’s willing to die to protect, so I don’t know that I would necessarily put her down for a “give me a posy and let’s hold hands and share a malt after the sock hop” type of date.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
I think it’s interesting the contrast between her very soft-spoken, mild presentation (which has a kind of “well-bred British schoolgirl” feel), and what we know about her faith and her mission, which is somewhat more complicated. She’s probably an excellent spy.
Also Astarion – I find his character entertaining, but a bit heavy on “turn of the century hot vampire” vibes to take seriously…but then again he was a slave for 200 years, so it’s quite possible his entire persona is a survival mechanism.
If only there were any likelihood that they would talk to us over the course of the game and reveal the hidden depths of their stories…
Butch:
Yeah, I think Asterion is putting on an act. Yes, tropey. Indeed, so tropey in a game so well written I fully expect the trope to be subverted. I have too much faith in these writers that they would not make one of the main characters (and I have a feeling he’s more “main” than the others, as we have mentioned) so much of a trope. (I know nothing that you don’t know, so I’m not hinting or spoiling. Just WILD INTERNET SPECULATION.)
Hey, would you rather have a malt after the sock hop or human entrails after clumsy murderous raids?
Maybe don’t answer that.
Didn’t say I MINDED her proclivities, just that I was surprised by them.
Loothound:
Well, now, I didn’t exactly mean that I thought that Shadowheart was all roses and chocolates, butterfly kisses and fade to black romancey. I just meant that I think she’s way more into the commitment sort of thing—exclusivity and whatnot. One can want stable monogamy and something outside the bounds of the vanilla at the same time, after all.
Asterion is totally vamping it up, in a totally masculine way of course. I caught a glimpse of his nasty when I didn’t give him a certain book, and I’ll bet we get good look at the “behind the curtain” on him before the end of this all.
Butch:
Oh we’re so getting a twist with him. No idea what, but a twist.
Was it THAT book? I still can’t decide what to do with THAT book. THAT book worries me.
Loothound:
Yes, THAT one. He wanted it quite badly when I found it–and since it was my good crew, I was pretty sure that I didn’t want him to have it. Not even after a milkshake and a sock hop.
Journal says there are two paths to take with the book, read it or try to destroy it. I’ll have my baddie crew actually read the thing.
Feminina:
Yeah, I’m a bit concerned for Astarion’s soul. The book, the parasites…I should probably shut that down, but I’ve been kind of like “better you than me, man, try it and let meknow what happens. I’ll most likely kill you when you turn on us in the morning.”
I could totally see playing a game that involved sharing malts after the sock hop. A Life is Strange might go there. Could be good. From among this group, I don’t know her well yet, but Karlach is so gung ho and chipper and energetic, she might enjoy this date: dancing, and then refueling after dancing!
Loothound:
Malts might cool Karlach down some, which would be a good. It’s interesting what they did with her origin story/living circ*mstances. Have either of you visited the tiefling refugee smith after travelling with Karlach? There’s an interesting connection between her and a piece of loot I’ve been too timid to sell, despite its value.
Feminina:
I haven’t traveled with her at all yet. Just sent her back to camp after I met her, told her we’d go deal with her false paladins later.
Loothound:
Oh, yeah. Those bastards. I’m still not sure why, if they were counterfeit, they had so much legit Tyr loot. That sword the main guy had is legit badass. So, of course, I gave it to Karlach. Feels about right.Also, awesome coverwork by them. They were method acting with the greats—I never would have guessed independently of the accusation. Actually, a LOT of people in this game are good at duplicity.
For fun and profit.
Feminina:
They probably murdered some real Tyr paladins and stole their stuff.
I mean, not very powerful Tyr paladins, if we can then beat them…but maybe someone else in their hierarchy murdered the paladins and GAVE them the stuff.
“Oh, you need to dress up as Tyr paladins? Sure, let me check my box of all my victims’ gear…”
Loothound:
I am staggered at the implications of there being a box labeled “victim gear” in pretty much any world or setting. Especially one with as much implied rough trade as this one has.
Yes, that makes a lot of sense. I’m not really clear on who they WERE working for right now. I’m sure that something about that was mentioned, but I can’t place anything as I think of it.
Butch:
I know who they’re working for. Boy, do I.
I, too, gave that sword to Karlach. She earned it.
Concerned for his soul? I think I’ll just….wait to decide what to do with this book. He hasn’t mentioned it again. He can wait.
Loothound:
Oh, wait. Is it that thing related to Wyll? Because that would make sense.
Butch:
I don’t know! I found it, I found the gem, I’m too scared to do anything with it.
I STILL don’t get it. I recruited Karlach, it said “We should rest,” I went back, sh*t HAPPENED. Wyll, Karlach…all SORTS of sh*t. I didn’t do anything you guys didn’t do!
Loothound:
I think the Wyll/Karlach stuff might have happened to me last night. Did it involve a horny blue lady and a metamorphosis?
Butch:
Why yes. Yes, it does.
That was a thing.
Loothound:
Yes, it was. A very diabolus ex machina way to upend expectations.
Butch:
I wasn’t going to say cuz didn’t know if Femmy knew.
That woman will be back.
Props on changing the little picture of him, game.
Loothound:
Hmmm. Hopefully I was oblique enough to have not spoiled anything. Feminina, if that was insufficiently vague my apologies.
Butch:
Oh, I think she knew there was STUFF.
That was STUFF.
I wonder what triggers it.
Feminina:
LALALALALA I am not listening!!!!!!!
