"I don't know a single healing spell," he protests. "What I did was ask
the cleric in our party to fix it on my behalf, at which point she'd sniff
at me about having to save her magic for the heat of battle."
More likely he'd chug a healing potion instead of bothering her at all, but
that's not as fun to talk about.
"Shadowheart," he says. "...I know. Awful name. She chose it for herself
when she was too young to know better, I believe. Though her goddess was
equally preoccupied with the dark and bleak."
"Indeed. Though she wasn't useless in a fight, either - perfectly capable
of smiting monsters when the occasion called for it. The gifts of a
cleric's object of devotion can be quite diverse."
"Ah, well. Lae'zel and Karlach were our heavy hitters, you'd say. They
would be in the melee with a broadsword or battleaxe, holding our enemies'
attention and taking the brunt of their attacks. Wyll is a warlock - given
magical power through a deal with a devil. Jaheira and Halsin are druids.
They get their magic from talking to trees or whatever it is they do, but
their most interesting talent is Wild Shape - being able to transform into
a variety of creatures."
"I mean she has this little pack of adopted children and left them to their
own devices in Baldur's Gate without a word, while she went off
adventuring," Astarion says. "She wasn't forced into it like the rest of
us."
"I'm likely giving you the wrong impression. She's an old war hero, with
some authority in an organisation called the Harpers - spies, of a kind,
operating across Faerûn to maintain peace and order. Insofar as such a
thing is ever possible."
Another, sharper laugh as he settles down against Jacob's side.
"Oh, I'd love to watch her try to get the wardens to agree on a single
damned thing. She acts the battleworn soldier, but she'll take any chance
to jump back into command."
"The former. Her heart was replaced by an experimental infernal engine -
she's stronger in battle, but only able to survive in the Hells. And she
made it clear to us all that she'd rather die in the mortal plane than
survive in Avernus."
"Both. He and John were the only things I thought about for my entire life, even when we weren't together. They - steered the direction of my life. When I had to be by myself, I wasn't great. I told you I was - in a shelter for a while. A place where they throw vets who can't hack it in the real world. Who are just burdens to society. That's all I fucking was - a burden. I would have put an end to it if I could get out of bed long enough."
He puts his hands over Astarion's.
"I'd rather survive than die. But I'd rather die than just exist. I know Joseph offers survival. I don't know what anything else means."
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2024-10-01 10:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-10-02 07:16 am (UTC)"I don't know a single healing spell," he protests. "What I did was ask the cleric in our party to fix it on my behalf, at which point she'd sniff at me about having to save her magic for the heat of battle."
More likely he'd chug a healing potion instead of bothering her at all, but that's not as fun to talk about.
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Date: 2024-10-02 11:48 am (UTC)Though he doesn't recall many names other than Gale.
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Date: 2024-10-02 02:52 pm (UTC)"Shadowheart," he says. "...I know. Awful name. She chose it for herself when she was too young to know better, I believe. Though her goddess was equally preoccupied with the dark and bleak."
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Date: 2024-10-02 02:54 pm (UTC)Jacob tries not to say anything about it. "And she was a cleric? So she healed and prayed?"
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Date: 2024-10-02 02:56 pm (UTC)"Indeed. Though she wasn't useless in a fight, either - perfectly capable of smiting monsters when the occasion called for it. The gifts of a cleric's object of devotion can be quite diverse."
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Date: 2024-10-02 03:02 pm (UTC)The show is nearly at an end, as they didn't have to spend fifteen minutes watching commercials, so he turns his attention fully away from it.
"So she was the one who helped heal and smite. You can sneak around and cut 'em off from a ways away. What else could your people do?"
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Date: 2024-10-02 03:17 pm (UTC)"Ah, well. Lae'zel and Karlach were our heavy hitters, you'd say. They would be in the melee with a broadsword or battleaxe, holding our enemies' attention and taking the brunt of their attacks. Wyll is a warlock - given magical power through a deal with a devil. Jaheira and Halsin are druids. They get their magic from talking to trees or whatever it is they do, but their most interesting talent is Wild Shape - being able to transform into a variety of creatures."
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Date: 2024-10-02 03:50 pm (UTC)He envied that damn thing.
"Tree magic. Seems useful, but at what price?"
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Date: 2024-10-02 03:59 pm (UTC)Astarion hums, thoughtful.
"Well. Halsin could be annoying and Jaheira is a terrible mother, but I think those both would have been true regardless."
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Date: 2024-10-02 04:24 pm (UTC)He closes the screen when Tan Brunette Guy #4 gets voted off.
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Date: 2024-10-02 04:27 pm (UTC)"I mean she has this little pack of adopted children and left them to their own devices in Baldur's Gate without a word, while she went off adventuring," Astarion says. "She wasn't forced into it like the rest of us."
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Date: 2024-10-02 04:28 pm (UTC)"Yeah, sounds like the sort of person who talks to trees."
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Date: 2024-10-02 04:48 pm (UTC)Astarion laughs quietly.
"I'm likely giving you the wrong impression. She's an old war hero, with some authority in an organisation called the Harpers - spies, of a kind, operating across Faerûn to maintain peace and order. Insofar as such a thing is ever possible."
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Date: 2024-10-02 04:51 pm (UTC)He laughs, sitting back on the pillows. "So I can talk to her myself."
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Date: 2024-10-02 05:19 pm (UTC)Another, sharper laugh as he settles down against Jacob's side.
"Oh, I'd love to watch her try to get the wardens to agree on a single damned thing. She acts the battleworn soldier, but she'll take any chance to jump back into command."
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Date: 2024-10-02 06:05 pm (UTC)With Astarion so close, he can't resist a gentle kiss.
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Date: 2024-10-02 06:16 pm (UTC)Astarion leans into it, pressing his lips gently to Jacob's.
"...I'd bring Karlach back if I could," he admits, quietly. "She's more doomed than any of us were."
Well, Gale was in trouble, but he brought that on himself!
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Date: 2024-10-02 06:28 pm (UTC)He doesn't pull away. "The whole...fire in her chest thing? Or the fighting in one of the hells thing?"
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Date: 2024-10-02 06:34 pm (UTC)"The former. Her heart was replaced by an experimental infernal engine - she's stronger in battle, but only able to survive in the Hells. And she made it clear to us all that she'd rather die in the mortal plane than survive in Avernus."
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Date: 2024-10-02 06:41 pm (UTC)"But - I understand it."
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Date: 2024-10-02 06:45 pm (UTC)Astarion hums an agreement.
"If I had the choice between dying of my own free will and 'living' under Cazador, I..."
He deflates a little.
"I don't know what I'd do."
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Date: 2024-10-02 06:53 pm (UTC)"I don't know if I'd go back with Joseph. Sometimes I want to."
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Date: 2024-10-02 07:13 pm (UTC)Astarion rests a cool hand on Jacob's chest.
"Because it's what you know? Or because he's family?"
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Date: 2024-10-02 07:19 pm (UTC)He puts his hands over Astarion's.
"I'd rather survive than die. But I'd rather die than just exist. I know Joseph offers survival. I don't know what anything else means."
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