Call me Sayl. I write, draw, and blabber about BG3 primarily. I create and share mature and sensitive content. I'm mid-30s and accept any pronouns. (MDNI; anti-genAI; anti-fandom police). Mutuals are more than welcome to tag me in stuff.
This is a sideblog, so follows come from @saylonmain.
To see my creations, use the links below!
🎨 My Artwork (I do not do commissions)
📷 My Virtual Photography
🎞️ BG3 Playthrough Videos (Tavrin run with EA scenes restored)
If you want to be tagged in fic updates 📃, see [This Post].
All of my fanfictions are 18+, and all feature my custom Resist!Durge, Tavrin.
"Don't Let Me Kill You (Definitive Edition)" - Gale x Durge
- Novelization of BG3, but with new twists on canon events and entirely new events as well for maximum freshness.
tag: DLMKY
"Anamnesis Red" - Gale x Durge; (Durgetash flashbacks)
- Sequel fic to DLMKY, doesn't require you to read part 1. After settling into life in Waterdeep, Gortash returns as the BBEG, and Tavrin slips toward relapse.
tags: Anamnesis Red ; Anamnesis Red VP
"Override & Underground" - Durgetash (active); Gale x Durge (exes to endgame)
- Modern AU where tech wiz Gale has to team up with his ex Tavrin to help her take down Gortash's rival cartel. Not a mafia AU, more like Fast & Furious vibes.
tag: Override & Underground
tag: one-shot fics
"The Sanctity of Lanceboard" - Gale x Durge
- Smutty one-shot fic, post-canon
"47 Notes" - Gale x Durge
- Gale dies. Focuses on love, grief/melancholy, & healing; ends on a hopeful note
"Thread the Needle" - Gale x Durge
- Smutty one-shot, post-canon (gift fic)
"Tenebrose" - Gale x Durge
- Horror AU one-shot based on the yokai, Hone Onna. (mind the tags!)
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
If you’ve given your OC a birthdate (or even an approximation), look up their astrology and tell me how alike or different they are from their sign. If you haven’t given them a birthdate, tell me what zodiac sign you think they’d be and why! And heck, if you feel like it, throw in some fanfic, VP, or art.
Ty for the tag @perpetualmaladaptivedaydream <3 I love Astrology deep dives~
I'm very much the person who is like "astrology isn't literally real but it is fascinating and often aligns with truths which makes it even more fascinating" so I love exploring it and seeing what rings true and what doesn't <3 I generally get my astrology info from [here]!
So, I chose Tavrin's birthday primarily based on what star sign I thought fit her best, so technically this is rigged. But it's fiction, so who cares lol. And technically...she was never born, but she was "created" in an unholy Bhaalist ritual on Uktar 1, 1383 (essentially November 1). It was an arbitrary date in canon, but I did want it to be near "Liar's Night" without being "right on it", and Uktar being known as "The Rotting" just felt very ominous and durge-like.
Tavrin doesn't know this is her creation/birthday though lol. Eventually, someone (not sure who yet) will announce that her Rebirth Day is sometime in Marpenoth I think. Whichever day that ends up being when Jergal revives her after defying Bhaal (waiting to see when it happens in game and in DLMKY when I finish plot outline). This doesn't affect her horoscope though, it's purely ceremonial.
♏ Scorpio ♏
Tavrin is actually a Scorpio in both Sun and Venus! So let's explore how these traits fit (or don't fit) her!
☀️ Sun ☀️- archetype
Intense, determined; throw themselves into anything they do.
Their motivation is real power and control, even if it's only behind the scenes. Not really prestige or even authority.
Have their own mind, do what they want, difficult to manipulate (though she is not difficult to deceive, if you present logical enough reasoning).
Strategic; they go out and take what they want, but they wait until the moment is right and are patient in waiting for that to happen.
Not afraid to get their hands/bodies/minds dirty.
Intrigued by the darker side of life; investigative and curious.
Not intimidated by obstacles or people; refuse to give up.
Don't back down from confrontation.
Trauma seems to follow them wherever they go (ha....)
When they learn optimism, they possess incredible capability to heal, create and transform (I wouldn't say she learns optimism, but her arrogance + realism achieves similar effect).
♀️ Venus ♀️ - love & sex
Intense; deep-running feelings; dedicated; intensely focused on partner. They expect the same in return.
Deeply committed to romantic attachment and sexual pleasure, even if they don't speak it directly.
Fearless when it comes to intimacy; fiercely loyal.
The possess you, and make it seem attractive to be possessed.
Have a need to control their partner, even if it's not apparent or they don't admit to it (I would say she was this way with Gortash, but unlearns this behavior with Gale).
Loving them can be a heavy experience; if you upset them, you'll know it.
They will seek to know you inside and out, but are not always forthcoming with their own secrets.
They can be jealous of other attachments, but rarely admit it (Tavrin doesn't experience jealousy unless you full blown leave her for someone else).
They can be underhanded in matters of the heart and their conclusions about you may be mistrustful (more pertinent to Gortash, less so to Gale or other lovers).
NSFW - adventurous, enjoys full body pleasures and are often attracted to breaking taboos. Committed and intense in bed; provocative but private.
I went overboard and went into her other planets too, which is a lot of excess info mostly for me for fun, I don't expect people to do or read all of them ofc. But you can below if you really want! xD
♒ Aquarius ♒
🌙 Moon 🌙 - emotional self
Observant, analytical of people's behaviors, often stemming from detachment.
Often grow up feeling "different" or "outcast"; inner loneliness is common.
Rather sociable, but loners at heart. (she's selective about sociableness)
Prone to strong egos, and tend to be unique and unusual.
Idealistic and progressive (this doesn't suit her really); often reject "messy" emotions as "unappealing" or "petty" and think they are above them.
Willful, independent, rebellious, cool-headed.
Humanitarian (this doesn't suit her), but can seemingly lack compassion (this does).
Values personal freedom and independence in self and others. So long as they are allowed to have this, they are loyal and trustworthy (applies to those she's close to).
Prideful, and often sensitive to criticism in a way that makes them cold (accurate). Tend to dig their heels in and keep doing it (less accurate).
Need to be accepted for who they are.
Unpredictable, charming, interesting.
♈ Aries ♈
🐦🔥 Ascendant 🐦🔥 - outward persona
Direct, quick. Instinct is to act first, think later (half true. She does think about things first usually, but tends to decide very quickly. Sometime too quickly.)
Competitive, love to come out ahead. Move quickly and don't delay, but are not necessarily aggressive. Rarely hold grudges.
Temper is quick to flare, and quick to recede (hers tends to show as ice more than fire, but this is accurate).
Active, hates being bored and always looking for something to do (mostly true, but she does find 'relaxing' to be a 'thing to do').
Rarely finishes what they start, unless their Mars is more tenacious (it's not, but this still doesn't quite fit her).
Independent and self-reliant, often from early experiences.
Brusque and independent, but very willing to compromise and very attached to those they are close to.
♆ Neptune ♆ - dreams & spirituality
(For this one, I went by the approximated sign for 1383...which is Aries, and scary accurate to her, actually lol.)
Ideal vision of the world centers around action, autonomy, and personal agency.
Values the possibilities of real people over idealist public personas.
Tendency towards impulsiveness, conflict, and even violence as solutions.
Prefers to act first and do damage control after.
♊ Gemini ♊
☿️ Mercury ☿️ - decision making
Quick-witted, seem to know a little about everything. Too many interests to delve too deeply into just one.
Learn best in a stimulating environment; bored easily but very fast learner.
Open-minded, but biased towards logic and reasoning over feeling or intuition.
You can pretty easily change their minds with a good enough argument.
Decision making is usually quick and solid; can be quite deceptive.
Quick to spot intellectual weaknesses, may exploit them.
♂️ Mars ♂️ - drive & ambition
Easily bored, but powerhouses when they have a lot of interesting tasks to do. Often have a physical reaction to boredom.
Have a tendency to talk things out when angry or fired up; strategic with words.
Draw on wit to win arguments and very open to debate.
Fidgety, have nervous energy when restless or on edge.
Channel energy through using their hands, such as games, puzzles, or crafting.
Adaptable, thrive on change, take up many projects that may spread them thin.
Generally busy and like to focus their energy.
♇ Pluto ♇ - transformation, power dynamics, & subconscious
(For this one, I went by the approximated sign for 1383...which is Gemini. And also scarily on point for her)
Compelled to seek knowledge, possess analytical minds.
Use words and ideas to deconstruct old dogma and challenge the status quo.
Restless and sometimes contradictory, hungers for variety.
Desire for mastery and knowledge can manifest as manipulation and domination.
♉ Taurus ♉
♃ Jupiter ♃ - luck, wisdom, & growth
Delights in sensual pleasures and the good life; hedonistic.
Good judgement on finances, investments, and product quality.
Attracts the most good fortune when they are patient and careful about their generosity.
Tendency towards over-indulgence.
Pragmatist; values tangible results.
Not a risk taker, not easily tricked. (hahahaha polar opposite actually)
♓ Pisces ♓
♄ Saturn ♄ - fears & self-criticism
Uncomfortable with excessive shows of feelings or vulnerability.
Shuts it down when offered anything that mildly resembles pity, often coming across as though they don't need kindness or support and can feel very alone (ouch...but accurate).
Annoyed by people who seem to play the victim or are way too spiritual.
Dislikes situations that make her feel out of control.
May be more averse to the use of mind-altering substances (depends).
Lacks trust in their intuition or life itself (sort of. based on how often her decisions are wrong, even if her intuition was initially right).
More prone to offering tangible help or advice rather than emotional support (if she does it at all).
Needs to come to terms with her vulnerable, messy, chaotic side.
♋ Cancer ♋
♅ Uranus ♅ - rebellion & individuality
Seeks resisting expectations/updating traditions related to: emotional needs, women/motherhood, home/family/domesticity, real estate, history/tradition, caregiving/dependence, food, and ownership.
Needs progress and breaking of taboos in these areas, and is very stubborn and set in their own ways about how they handle them.
Have flashes of profound insight, which may be hard for others to understand.
Prone to non-traditional views of family and home life.
Make good friends of relatives, and recognizes kinship beyond blood relation.
♑ Capricorn ♑
⚸ Lilith ⚸ - shame & repressed desires
Has felt ashamed or wary of their desire for ambitions and desire to get ahead.
Often uncomfortable around people who focus on material wealth and status.
And I photoshopped a chart together because why not xD
Disclaimer that I'm not an expert by any means, and some of these combos might technically be impossible for all I know, but Faerun's a different world anyway soooo let's play pretend xD
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Tavrin has a rocky start with many of her allies due to conflicting ideals, goals, and sometimes personality. Halsin is one of them, but he is one of the few whom she never truly builds a friendship with. By the end of their interactions, they have a civil truce and a wary respect for what the other is without crossing into personal appreciation. Which, all things considered, is a heavy improvement from where they started.
The Grove Raid:
Tavrin and Halsin's first interaction is when she and Gale return from the goblin camp (after Halsin has been rescued and brought back by the other companions), and he finds out that she has revealed the location of the Grove to Minthara. Understandably, he is angry about this.
She lies to his face and tells him it was not intentional. That the tadpole connection is something she's not used to and Minthara took advantage of that to glean the information about the grove from her. But he remains wary of her. In truth, she deliberately revealed the location to Minthara...because the Grove's geography and positioning provides a heavy tactical advantage in a fight, and she's not going to get herself killed fighting on the enemy's ground where they have both numbers and field advantage. Halsin is unsure how truthful this is, but gives her the benefit of the doubt, more because he has more important things to worry about: such as protecting the grove and the people in it. Tavrin's abrasive attitude does nothing to ease his opinion of her (for instance, she does comment that he 'shouldn't get himself kidnapped' if he wants to protect his people, so now she's cleaning up his mess. Which, while some part of him likely agrees in a way, it does not justify her attitude towards the situation).
Tavrin does keep her word and helps the Grove fight off the goblins and their leaders, so this does ease the tensions between them a bit...for a while.
The Shadow-Cursed Lands:
Halsin accompanies them to the Shadow-Cursed Lands for the reasons we know in canon. However, journeying together, he gets a front row seat to Tavrin's cruelty, chaos, and blatant disregard for nature's balance. Though he understands this is her nature and does not necessarily fault her for it, he remains wary of her.
When journeying through the Underdark, there is a blow-out fight (which will be covered more in my posts on her relationship with Astarion, Wyll, and Lae'zel) which ends up in a temporary party split. Wyll, Karlach, Shadowheart, and Halsin continue on through the Underdark, while Tavrin, Astarion, Gale, and Lae'zel backtrack and take the route through the Mountain Pass.
Halsin and Tavrin do not see each other again until after the Drider fight in the Shadow-Cursed Lands. He's a bit wary of this reunion, especially when he has an ancient Curse he needs to lift.
Tavrin does not help him lift the Curse.
<click below to read more!>
She's far too concerned with her own problems: dealing with the Cult and her potential connection to it, the Dark Urge trying to control her, and her lover's mission from his ex to go blow himself up. The last thing she cares about is the Shadow Curse.
The Curse is lifted, but only because the party splits their efforts. Halsin is assisted primarily by Wyll, Karlach, Isobel, the Harpers, and the Flaming Fist. Halsin does not hate Tavrin for refusing to assist with something that is ultimately, as he sees it, his responsibility to fix...but her complete lack of interest in whether or not it gets lifted at all is yet another red flag in his book.
By the time the party is reunited and ready to move on to Baldur's Gate, Halsin struggles with a decision: continue on to help fight the Absolute threat, or stay behind and help rebuild Reithwin. His duty is to the latter primarily, but he also recognizes that if the Absolute succeeds, it's a moot point. And he's not so sure he trusts Tavrin's motivations or conviction.
The good news, however, is that Tavrin is not the party leader like the game insists. In reality, she's more of an outlier or side-companion. The actual leader of the group is Wyll, with Karlach being his right-hand. Halsin has seen Wyll and Karlach's conviction and heroism, as well as watched Shadowheart turn away from Shar. He has full faith in their capabilities as well as their sway in the group's decisions. Wyll is actually the one to encourage Halsin to follow his heart and stay behind to help the people of Reithwin rebuild, assuring him that they will defeat the Absolute. As a result, Halsin does not continue on and remains behind to help with the aftermath.
But not before giving Wyll a word of caution that he needs to watch out for Tavrin's unpredictable nature, especially now that she's brought Minthara into the fold.
The Conclusion:
Later, after the Absolute is defeated, he does get visits from Shadowheart and Astarion, and finds out second-hand about Tavrin's actions and strategies that led to its destruction and Orpheus's liberation, and this is where he starts to truly see the pattern of a "method to her madness". Tavrin's opinion on Halsin remains largely inconsequential.
Halsin's opinion on her boils down to respecting that she is what she is, and appreciating that she has leveraged her power for the greater good where it mattered. They ultimately don't have compatibility for friendship (and definitely not for any romantic trysts, he will never flirt with her). It is unlikely they ever encounter each other again except perhaps by chance or necessity. In such a scenario, their interactions will likely be slightly cold but civil on Tavrin's side, and neutral on Halsin's.
reblogging cos I'm about to write this scene soon in DLMKY and I realized...yeah I had the situation backwards.
Instead of bluntly explaining that she purposely revealed the Grove's location for tactical advantage, she'd lie to Halsin about it. Her reasoning for revealing the location to Minthara does remain that it's because of the tactical advantage, but Halsin is a stranger and potential obstacle to her. And her default mode is to lie her way out of the repercussions.
in my playthrough yesterday, that one goblin who patrols the blighted village was like "bruh you aint supposed to be here" and Tavrin somehow beefed her Deception check on him.
So she had to murder him.
Go to long rest. Come back.
He...is BACK?? and says the exact same dialogue. and I'm like "huh..." *tries deception again*
So it's not really a spoiler cos I put it in all her bio stuff lol but Tavrin does discover she's a sorcerer during the events of Anamnesis Red. She's always been one, she just never focused magic on even pre-amnesia, and used it only situationally. Post amnesia she assumed her only magic abilities were all related to the tadpoles she was nomming on during DLMKY/game canon.
I'm sure you've all guessed Gale will be quite thrilled about her newly discovered propensity for magic. Happy to teach her how to be better at it for his own personal reasons (*shoves my last wip share under the rug* pay no attention to someone else's motivations).
But in the follow-up series, the chances of her deciding Sorcery isn't versatile enough and wanting to put some efforts into wizardry are not 0 lol. She would definitely still keep a little bit of Sorcery, because I think Meta Magic: Subtle Spell is crucial to her for stealth reasons. But Wizardry would give her versatility and flexibility that Sorcery does not.
Even in Sorcery, her spells were largely utility based: Darkness, Shadow Walk, Shadowblade, Invisibility. The exception was Chaos Bolt, which she would still only use for utility, not destruction. She prefers to do things with her hands. But there are things that simply can't be achieved without magic. At least not in a practical way.
Tavrin's not interested in evocation spells of destruction, or conjuration spells for minions, or illusion spells of showmanship, or enchantment spells to manipulate people. These are "redundant" spells for her because she already feels she can achieve the same end goals without magic. She doesn't need destructive spells because she's already got murder and power with her bare hands down. She doesn't need conjuration or enchantment because she's already plenty skilled at deception and manipulation. She doesn't want illusion spells because she's not really artistically inclined (except with dance, to a point. That's another story). And Gale already has a lot of these skills covered anyway.
And after talking with @asorceresswrites I realized that the school of magic she'd be most drawn to is Abjuration. It thrives on utility, but also protection is a huge divergence from what she's used to. So I can see her being drawn to this magic, even if subconsciously because she knows deep down that she was not built to protect. So abilities like Arcane/Projected Ward and spells like Shield, Nondetection, Protection from Energy/Good & Evil, Banishment, and Counterspell would be of particular interest to her. However, she also would gravitate towards Transmutation spells, such as Water Breathing, Blink, Message, and Mending, and even a few Divination spells such as Comprehend Language.
I haven't 100% decided if she goes this route, but there's a high chance of it because of the way she works lol
This conclusion also provides me with two fun bonuses, that Anamnesis Red readers will probably appreciate lol
In my interpretation, Morena is an Abjuration wizard. Hello mother/daughter bonding opportunities <3
She gets to learn Otiluke's Resilient Sphere out of pure spite because she fucking hates that spell.
Anyhoo, if you read this far ty for listening to my ramblings <3
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Shadowheart and Tavrin actually have a lot of things in common. Not just memory loss, but being exploited by dark gods against their will (and lost to memory). They're both secretive, noncommittal at first, deceptive, and prone to hostility. While later on this does give them common ground to work from, at the beginning it proves to be too many clashing similarities that make it difficult for them to get along.
The Nautiloid Crash
Shadowheart is the second non-illithid being that Tavrin encounters after losing her memories. While teaming up with Lae'zel was instinctual, the cleric was more complicated. When Tav and Lae'zel first open the room and Shadowheart begs them to help her, neither of them really care. They're busy with self-preservation and tell her 'tough luck'. While trying to navigate to the helm, they end up in a separate room where Tavrin searches for weapons. It's only by chance that she happens to find the item that slots into the pod's opening. When they round back into the prior room, Tavrin figures it will take two seconds to get the pod open, and they can use another fighter, particularly a healer. I didn't cover any of this in my fic, but essentially the only reason she stops to save Shadowheart is out of convenience and strategy.
When they land on the beach, Tavrin considers taking the artefact, but hides it before Shadowheart notices. And while the cleric knows Tavrin's rescue of her was not out of altruism, she thanks her all the same. That's about as warm and fuzzy as they get for act I. Tavrin gets annoyed at Shadowhearts cryptic and evasive behaviors, and Shadowheart is highly skeptical of Tavrin's intentions and wavering self-control. Neither of them are wrong to be so. So their relationship is mostly comprised of bitchy quips and snarky commentary at the peak of its warmth. Up until the Shadow-Cursed Lands.
The Rejection of Shar
Tavrin and Shadowheart's focuses have been divided. Shadowheart is very much just along for the ride and unconcerned with the Shadow Curse, trusting in Lady Shar's will. Tavrin is trying to not murder innocent people or her boyfriend and keep her boyfriend from blowing himself up. It's not until after the first visit to Moonrise, when Tavrin starts to glean information about her past involvement with the cult (though she does not know her role), that they are sent to the Gauntlet of Shar.
Click below to read more!
Shadowheart is at this point all-in for becoming a Dark Justiciar, while Tavrin is honestly not sure what to do at this point. She's fine with letting Shadowheart kill Aylin since that would weaken Ketheric, and she knows she hates Ketheric (even if she doesn't know why yet). However, when Aylin reveals to Shadowheart she knows parts of her past, Tavrin has second thoughts. As does Shadowheart. Admittedly, Tavrin is hoping that the child of a god could help her with her own past as well, and so while Shadowheart ultimately makes the decision, Tavrin does give confirmation she thinks its a better idea to side with Aylin than to kill her.
Unfortunately for Tavrin, Aylin does not know about her past. Her knowledge is expansive on those related to Selune and Shar, but with Tavrin it is muddy. All she can tell Tavrin is that she has a touch of the divine about her, but it is dark and tainted. She cannot glean more than that. Once Shadowheart knows how she was deceived by Shar, however, the knowledge that Tavrin has lost memories and a connection to a dark god fosters an unspoken bond there. Shadowheart is intent on finding answers for Tavrin as well, and Tavrin has seen firsthand how one can survive the wrath of their god after betraying them.
Which become extremely significant to Tav later...she just doesn't know it yet.
The Quest for Freedom
When Tavrin finally learns she's a Bhaalspawn, Shadowheart is one of her biggest supporters in breaking free of Bhaal. Just as she rejected Shar. They don't formally make a deal to look out for one another (as most, by this point, have noticed that spoken deals with Tavrin are usually just a front unless your name is Gale). But they do naturally come to a subconscious state of "looking out for one another". When Gale takes Tavrin to the House of Grief to see if they can help with her memories, she discovers the Sharrans run it and passes this information on to Shadowheart. In turn, while Shadowheart and a few others chased down the Serial Killer, she recognized the significance of the riddle in Dolor's pocket and passed this onto Tavrin. Allowing Tavrin to finally locate the Tribunal.
By the end of the Absolute Crisis, the two have formed an unannounced friendship that has built organically over action rather than words. They still exchange quite barbed witticisms, but now with more playfulness than vitriol. Shadowheart grows black oleander at her cottage and brings one to Tavrin for her wedding day as a gesture of their friendship, and it's the sort of platonic sentiment Tav is severely unused to. But comes to appreciate. They don't get to see each other much once Tavrin moves to Waterdeep with Gale...but when Tavrin goes missing, Shadowheart is one of the first to join the cause to find and rescue her.
i am SO behind on tags but listen - i have been infected with abba and that means we are going back to clementine (i swear i'm still working on new durgetash!!!)
i was tagged by @saylofwaterdeep, @cinder-rellish181, @fireflyeyes, @litsenn, @elinorbard, @gortashsrighthand thank youuu!!
Terms of Affection 3 looks like a great party (not for gale tho)
"So let me get this straight." Clementine had claimed his wine the moment she sat down, which he was beginning to understand was less theft and more a natural law, like tides. "That big, weird guy, Murdork - "
"Murdock."
"That's what I said. Anyway. He went to your mother, to say that you're dating somebody? Are you having some mommy issues?"
"I am not having - "
"And he said devastating drow beauty? He did say that, yes? I need this confirmed for professional reasons. He strucked me as someone observant."
Gale pressed his fingertips briefly to the bridge of his nose, a gesture he had learned from a decade of academic committee meetings and which had never once helped. "I do not have mommy issues. I have a mother. Who has issues. With me. Those are entirely different grammatical constructions. And he did not go to her. He encountered her. During her daily walk. Which he clearly researched in advance, because my mother's daily walk is not a public event, it is a military operation with a fixed route and a known schedule, and the only people who know it are family, neighbors, and apparently vindictive Blackstaff professors with too much free time."
"So he ambushed your mother!" Clementine turned the glass slowly by its stem, considering this with the expression of a general receiving intelligence about enemy movements. "On her walk. To gossip about your love life. Gale, I have humiliated a great many men in my career, and I want you to know that this is the first time one of them has responded by tattling to somebody's mother."
my tags - uno reverse card + @dynamicducks, @toomanyfamiliars, @theendofanerror, @asorceresswrites, @tociminna, @perpetualmaladaptivedaydream, @arlynx, @faeriiefire, @unovafarm, @dr4gonwriter, @kt-catt
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Shadowheart and Tavrin actually have a lot of things in common. Not just memory loss, but being exploited by dark gods against their will (and lost to memory). They're both secretive, noncommittal at first, deceptive, and prone to hostility. While later on this does give them common ground to work from, at the beginning it proves to be too many clashing similarities that make it difficult for them to get along.
The Nautiloid Crash
Shadowheart is the second non-illithid being that Tavrin encounters after losing her memories. While teaming up with Lae'zel was instinctual, the cleric was more complicated. When Tav and Lae'zel first open the room and Shadowheart begs them to help her, neither of them really care. They're busy with self-preservation and tell her 'tough luck'. While trying to navigate to the helm, they end up in a separate room where Tavrin searches for weapons. It's only by chance that she happens to find the item that slots into the pod's opening. When they round back into the prior room, Tavrin figures it will take two seconds to get the pod open, and they can use another fighter, particularly a healer. I didn't cover any of this in my fic, but essentially the only reason she stops to save Shadowheart is out of convenience and strategy.
When they land on the beach, Tavrin considers taking the artefact, but hides it before Shadowheart notices. And while the cleric knows Tavrin's rescue of her was not out of altruism, she thanks her all the same. That's about as warm and fuzzy as they get for act I. Tavrin gets annoyed at Shadowhearts cryptic and evasive behaviors, and Shadowheart is highly skeptical of Tavrin's intentions and wavering self-control. Neither of them are wrong to be so. So their relationship is mostly comprised of bitchy quips and snarky commentary at the peak of its warmth. Up until the Shadow-Cursed Lands.
The Rejection of Shar
Tavrin and Shadowheart's focuses have been divided. Shadowheart is very much just along for the ride and unconcerned with the Shadow Curse, trusting in Lady Shar's will. Tavrin is trying to not murder innocent people or her boyfriend and keep her boyfriend from blowing himself up. It's not until after the first visit to Moonrise, when Tavrin starts to glean information about her past involvement with the cult (though she does not know her role), that they are sent to the Gauntlet of Shar.
Click below to read more!
Shadowheart is at this point all-in for becoming a Dark Justiciar, while Tavrin is honestly not sure what to do at this point. She's fine with letting Shadowheart kill Aylin since that would weaken Ketheric, and she knows she hates Ketheric (even if she doesn't know why yet). However, when Aylin reveals to Shadowheart she knows parts of her past, Tavrin has second thoughts. As does Shadowheart. Admittedly, Tavrin is hoping that the child of a god could help her with her own past as well, and so while Shadowheart ultimately makes the decision, Tavrin does give confirmation she thinks its a better idea to side with Aylin than to kill her.
Unfortunately for Tavrin, Aylin does not know about her past. Her knowledge is expansive on those related to Selune and Shar, but with Tavrin it is muddy. All she can tell Tavrin is that she has a touch of the divine about her, but it is dark and tainted. She cannot glean more than that. Once Shadowheart knows how she was deceived by Shar, however, the knowledge that Tavrin has lost memories and a connection to a dark god fosters an unspoken bond there. Shadowheart is intent on finding answers for Tavrin as well, and Tavrin has seen firsthand how one can survive the wrath of their god after betraying them.
Which become extremely significant to Tav later...she just doesn't know it yet.
The Quest for Freedom
When Tavrin finally learns she's a Bhaalspawn, Shadowheart is one of her biggest supporters in breaking free of Bhaal. Just as she rejected Shar. They don't formally make a deal to look out for one another (as most, by this point, have noticed that spoken deals with Tavrin are usually just a front unless your name is Gale). But they do naturally come to a subconscious state of "looking out for one another". When Gale takes Tavrin to the House of Grief to see if they can help with her memories, she discovers the Sharrans run it and passes this information on to Shadowheart. In turn, while Shadowheart and a few others chased down the Serial Killer, she recognized the significance of the riddle in Dolor's pocket and passed this onto Tavrin. Allowing Tavrin to finally locate the Tribunal.
By the end of the Absolute Crisis, the two have formed an unannounced friendship that has built organically over action rather than words. They still exchange quite barbed witticisms, but now with more playfulness than vitriol. Shadowheart grows black oleander at her cottage and brings one to Tavrin for her wedding day as a gesture of their friendship, and it's the sort of platonic sentiment Tav is severely unused to. But comes to appreciate. They don't get to see each other much once Tavrin moves to Waterdeep with Gale...but when Tavrin goes missing, Shadowheart is one of the first to join the cause to find and rescue her.
tag game: Create a VP of your Tav as the main character or your fave character from your favourite TV SERIES — within the limits of photo mode, of course. Make a whole entourage of the cast if you like.
Tag game created by @bhaal-battle-beer-bard, ty friend! Original linked [here]!
I was tagged by so many people and I loved ALL the ones I saw omg. Tysm to @purpleasters-inseptember @fireflyeyes @carnivaley @faeriiefire and @arlynx!!
I'm still hung up on an almost 20-year-old show lol It's campy, it's very different from the books, but it's boundlessly entertaining. And usually what gets people excited about it is when they find out it's a Sam Raimi show xD
it's Legend of the Seeker!! (Season 2 specifically because that is when my babe Cara joins the cast)
And Tavrin is so accidentally Cara-coded it fucking hurts.
I've been obsessed with Cara since I first saw the show. She's my favorite female character of all time in anything. It wasn't until like months and months after writing Tavrin that I discovered they have SO MANY personality similarities. Hells I even gave her the fucking Mord Sith braid and din't realize it.
- Calloused behavior (doesn't quite get altruism)
- Not a Princess (more flippant/casual)
- Pragmatic Nonchalance (when she's putting on airs)
- Bad at compassion and judgement (when she's being a little bratty)
And then for fun I had to do a full cover shot, as well as some shots of her in her full Mord Sith getup braid with Gortash Darken Rahl
I know some people have done movie and not TV or vice versa but I can't remember which, so forgive me for any double tags: @toomanyfamiliars @the-shadowfell-darkroom @dynamicducks @gortashsrighthand @thesanguinesonnet
More reference images below the cut:
it's hard to find images of Cara in her full Mord Sith gear and braid since she only has them for 2 episodes in season 1. But this is Denna (left) and Kahlan (right), you get the idea. Finding a fit that worked and dyed right was a pain T.T
