where's your joy, golden boy?

ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ ᴀɢᴇ II ꜱᴇɴᴛᴇɴᴄᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛᴇʀꜱ

change genders as needed!

“I was hoping we could talk.”

“I could create such desires if I wished, but it is far easier to nurture those which already exist.”

“You’ll hardly find my services “standard”.“

“That’s right. Once you’re numb, you’ll do anything I ask.”

“We’ve lost it all. Everything your father and I built.”

“Those elves you’re friends with, they’re… Rather strange, aren’t they?”

“My little boy/little girl has grown so strong. I love you. You’ve always made me proud.”

“The people fear what we can do, but to use that fear to bludgeon us into submission is wrong! And they do it with our blessing!”

“I have made this place a sanctum of healing and salvation! Why do you threaten it?”

“Since when is Justice happy? Justice is righteous. Justice is hard.”

“The oppression of us stems from the fears of men. Not the will of the Maker.”

“I will not stand by and watch you treat us like criminals, while those who would lead us bow to their jailors!”

“I haven’t been on the surface very long, I keep thinking I’ll fall up into that sky any minute.”

“Killing my former brothers-in-arms is oddly satisfying.”

“I’d rather him alive and furious than dead and buried.“

“You should all be grateful!”

“Your kind think selfishness and want are normal. This city, all of it, leaves a bad taste.”

“Friend and enemy blend together in this sea of filth. I can barely discern one group from another.”

“Their actions are merely symptoms. Your society is the disease.”

“I have seen every vice and weakness of your kind, how few of you take responsibility.”

“We’re not killers or slavers. Anything short of that, however, is fair game.”

“I intend to take what you owe––––with interest.”

“A dangerous thing, taking sides. I avoid it wherever possible.”

“Ah my little _____, predictable as always.”

“ Do I detect a note of jealousy? It’s not surprising. The lad is rather skilled, isn’t he?”

“You weren’t always this way, _____. Once upon a time you had affection for me. I remember it fondly.

“What do I care what shield they carry? If they challenge us, the dead themselves will meet the call!”

“Zealots are bravest where their lies can’t be argued: behind closed doors.”

“I’m preparing for the worst. The very worst. This may require absorbent linens.”

“There are other ways to see the world.“

“If I offend, well—some people try very hard to be offended.”

“Shameful, isn’t it? How I don’t mindlessly repeat the mistakes of my father?”

“Death is never justice.”

“Eternity is long enough that we need not rush to meet it.”

“I cannot take sides.“

"I saw something nasty in the woodshed.”

“You smell like cinnamon buns.“

“Can I have some Salamanders, please?“

“One day the magic will come back. All of it. Everyone will be just like they were. The shadows will part, and the skies will open wide.“

“They know what I am. Let them come, if they find the courage.”

"What has magic touched that it doesn’t spoil?”

“Now the battle awaits us. Na via lerno victoria. ‘Only the living know victory.’ Fight well.”

“Am I supposed to forgive, no matter how many times they hunt me down? Am I supposed to forget all the things they’ve done to me?”

“You realize this is a cause you can’t hope to win.“

“Everything was fine until today!“

“I have… dreams. There are voices in the dreams. They ask me to come, to give shape to the Void around them.”

“Hurtled into the chaos, you fight… and the world will shake before you.”

“Is it fate or chance? I can never decide.”

“Regret is something I know well. Take care not to cling to it, to hold it so close that it poisons your soul.”

“We stand upon the precipice of change. The world fears the inevitable plummet into the abyss. Watch for that moment… and when it comes, do not hesitate to leap. It is only when you fall that you learn whether you can fly.”

“There is always a catch. Life is a catch! I suggest you catch it while you can.”

“It’s the only way…to hear the music.”

“I did not think any of us would leave those caverns alive.”

“You’re very brave. Take this, with my blessings. You remind me of someone…I hold dear, though I never had the courage to say that to her.”

“Felicitate me!”

“There are men who struggle against destiny, and yet achieve only an early grave. There are men who flee destiny, only to have it swallow them whole. And there are men who embrace destiny, and do not show their fear. These are the ones that change the world forever.”

“I’m sure someone thought far too long about my name.”

“When in doubt, run away, and let me handle it.”

“Something else I can help with?”

“Onward! There’s much to be done.”

“Next time, could we hunt something small and cuddly? Maybe vegetarian?”

“We do a lot of walking, don’t we?”

“I have an excellent sense of dramatic timing. And good hair.”

“They say your life flashes in front of your eyes before you die. Any helpful flashes yet?”

“Seems to me, the last man standing gets final say on who is right or wrong.”

“Anyone who leaves, is a deserter. And we all know what happens to deserters…”

“You better have a good reason for bothering me.”

“I don’t like it when people interrupt my thoughts.”

“Other people always took the risks to keep me free.”

“Maker’s breath! Can’t you do this when I’m not around?”

“You’re a far better representative of the family than I would have been.”

“It seems I am again in your debt… and shadow.”

“You soulless bastard!”

“If you have a problem with my brother/sister, you have a problem with me.”

“A hundred ways to run, and we choose backward.“

“I’d prefer to stay in this world as long as possible. And if I can make it an ordered place without looking like a zealot, all the better.”

“The world is a big place, but the faces are the same. We do right here, we make a difference.”

“There’s no escaping you, it seems.”

“I am a visionary. I’ve seen our destiny.“

“Our mistakes make us who we are.”

“Sailing is like sex. Do it wrong, and it’ll make you sick. But do it right, and there’s no feeling in the world like it.

"When you get right down to it, we’re not responsible for anyone but ourselves. You can choose to be free, or you can choose to be saddled with all the world’s problems.”

“I like big boats, I cannot lie.”

“Don’t bet anything you’re not prepared to lose.”

“You see, sweetness, men are only good for one thing. Women are good for six.”

“Shit. What have you gotten yourself into this time, _____?”

“Justice… answers to nobody!”

“Leave! This does not concern you!”

“Do not say his name! He will hear you! Do not wake him!”

“Me and my boys will get our money’s worth, bitch.”

“Need a little special something for that special someone?”

“Did you say something? I didn’t hear you. And clumsy me, I seem to have dropped a coin purse in your hand.”

“I’ll try not to hit anyone. On our side, I mean. I’m babbling again. Let’s go.”

“If anyone is to do any slaying, it will be me.”

“Would you hurry it up? I haven’t eaten all day…”

“We tried to be good! We did everything we were told!“

“You deny us our freedom so that you may sleep better at night, but I say it is a restless and undeserved slumber.”

“You push us into desperate acts, and then use that as justification to press ever further!”

“Start talking, _____. They tell me you’re good at it.”

“Bullshit! That’s not what really happened!”

“I’m not interested in stories. I came to hear the truth.”

“What makes you think I know the truth?”

“I hope you live a long life, _____, because your judgment before the Maker will be harsh.”

“We all have our strengths to exploit, mine is finding like-minded people.“

“I found her eyes, her skin, her delicate fingers… and at last, her face. Oh, this beautiful face.”

“I have chosen my path.”

“Your words did not fall on deaf ears.”

"How about ‘the smart-mouthed _____ gets slapped across the face’?”

“Oh, don’t be jealous, sweetie.“

“Let’s get you some experience, sweetie!”

“Why is this taking so long? Can ones so evil truly be so powerful? Maker, guide your humble servant! Please tell me what I must do! What if… I’m not doing the right thing? What if this is all madness? No! I must remain vigilant!”

“How does it feel, _____, to know I hold the life of one you love in my hands?”

“The job’s simple: break up the meeting and kill every one of those bastards.”

“There are few things in this world more powerful than a promise kept. Remember that.”

“There’s truth in your face. A rare thing in a human.”

“There is a light in your heart, human. Don’t let it go out. You will need it.”

“It has been a long, hard journey to this place. And it’s far from over.”

“Do you ever feel like you’re part of a story that someone’s telling? Maker, I wish whoever was telling the story had made me more handsome.

"When was the last time you were with a woman?”

“'I don’t like this’? That’s right up there with, ‘What could possibly go wrong?’”

“There’s a recipe to a good hero, _____. It’s like alchemy. One part down-to-earth, one part selfless nobility, two parts crazy, and you season liberally with wild falsehoods. You let that percolate through a good audience for a while, and when it’s done, you’ve got your hero.”

“Once more I am falsely accused of whatever it is that I am accused of. Falsely.”

“_____, I’m a businessman. Now and then, I shoot people.”

“You should know by now that I love the sound of my own voice, _____.”

“What a mess of mud and blood. No resale value at all.”

“Protect what matters with everything you have, or you’ll have nothing, and deserve it.”

“They will not have you…not while I breathe.”

“Shout if you need me, _____. I’ll always be there for you. Just… knock first.”

a mix of arguments, tension, manipulation, gossiping, fighting, & general emotional messiness!

you  weren't  supposed  to  hear  that.

don't  look  at  me  like  i'm  the  only  one  lying.

want  to  tell  them,  or  should  i?

you  think  i  don't  know  what  you  did?

i've  hit  people  for  less.

oh,  i  thought  you  already  knew.

that's  funny,  you  didn't  say  that  last  night.

say  that  again.  i  dare  you.

you  wanna  talk  about  loyalty?

no  offense,  but  if  you're  the  last  to  know,  that's  on  you.

go  ahead  -  pretend  like  it  wasn't  your  idea!

they  deserve  to  know  the  truth.

you  didn't  hear  this  from  me,  but  -

oh,  so  now  you  care?

don't  flatter  yourself.  you  were  just  convenient.

you  crossed  a  line.

we  had  bets  on  how  long  it  would  last.

it's  not  even  a  secret  anymore.

you  don't  get  to  cry  about  it  now.

touch  me  again  and  see  what  happens.

say  it  again.  louder  this  time.

you  really  thought  nobody  would  find  out?

don't  act  so  innocent.

okay,  but  am  i  the  villain  for  laughing?

tell  me  who  else  knows.  right  now.

this  whole  time,  and  you  didn't  say  a  word?

don't  act  brave  now.

you're  really  gonna  do  this  here?

it  wasn't  supposed  to  get  this  far!

you  can't  rewrite  history.

oh,  i'd  never  say  it  to  their  faces.

it  was  supposed  to  stay  between  us.

we're  all  thinking  it,  i  just  said  it.

you're  not  as  untouchable  as  you  act.

do  you  even  feel  guilty?

they  warned  me  about  you.

go  ahead,  make  it  worse.

if  you  repeat  this,  i'll  deny  everything.

the  next  thing  out  of  your  mouth  better  be  an  apology.

you're  about  three  seconds  away  from  regretting  this.

you  keep  pushing,  and  i'll  push  you  back.

they're  going  to  find  out.

one  more  lie,  and  i  walk.

they're  lying  to  you.

you  need  to  back  off.  now.

you're  defending  them?  after  everything?

don't  try  to  hide  it.

tell  me,  was  i  just  a  placeholder?

you  really  think  sorry  fixes  this?

there's  nothing  left  to  say.

don't  act  like  you're  the  one  hurting.

i  don't  owe  you  any  explanation.

whatever  helps  you  sleep  at  night.

you  should've  seen  this  coming.

i  hope  it  was  worth  it.

i  told  the  truth.  just  not  all  of  it.

you'll  miss  me  before  i  miss  you.

smile.  you're  ruining  the  mood.

i'd  watch  that  tone  if  i  were  you.

it's  not  my  fault  you  believed  me.

you  have  such  a  talent  for  pretending  you're  innocent.

we  both  know  this  is  over.

i  never  said  i  was  a  good  person.

“It’s terrible.”

Alastaire still couldn’t really believe Lux was continuing with this. Instigating, even. Alastaire’s hand closed around Lux’s. He didn’t bother mentioning the horrific dreams he kept having of his brother, how he knew he had to go back to Neverwinter, but every time he tried to …influence the next leap… it was just too disappointing when something else had yet again failed.

“I can do with taking my clothes off… I mean, I have, obviously. Bathing.” Alastaire gave a unsteady chuckle. Not mentioning the incredibly awkward rigging he’d set up to keep his items “with” him. Just in case. He must have looked paranoid and a half in bathhouses, rope tied around a wrist or ankle, tied to his sword scabbard, tied to his bag. If any place had a weapons check, forget it. He simply didn’t go inside unless he could hide Onrique in his bag of holding.

“But… if I take things off, I have to put them away. I have this system, you see… No romantic at all, I know. But…” Alastaire shrugged, shaking his head, “Well, you believe me. And I do want this.” Alastaire spoke determinedly, as if convincing the other, then his tone softened, “I want this. I want you.”

Their fingers intertwining, Lux observed the man speak. The shape of his brows, his nose, his lips. The small twitch of his cheeks as he cracked a halfhearted joke to hide his discomfort. How his gaze trailed off every now and then, as if to escape this vulnerable moment that had been hiding from them up in this room all night until now. To Lux, it was most endearing. The unnerving tingling sensation that had taken a hold of his body after Alastaire had suddenly cut the lustful tension between them began to subside. Instead, a much calmer, yet warm feeling of tenderness slowly spread through his skin. Leaning into his lover's gaze, Lux mouthed a gentle kiss against his cheek.

Their fingers intertwining, Lux observed the man speak. The shape of his brows, his nose, his lips. The small twitch of his cheeks as he cracked a halfhearted joke to hide his discomfort. How his gaze trailed off every now and then, as if to escape this vulnerable moment that had been hiding from them up in this room all night until now. To Lux, it was most endearing. The unnerving tingling sensation that had taken a hold of his body after Alastaire had suddenly cut the lustful tension between them began to subside. Instead, a much calmer, yet warm feeling of tenderness slowly spread through his skin. Leaning into his lover's gaze, Lux mouthed a gentle kiss against his cheek.

Send me a symbol for my muse to answer these questions about the mun! 

👀 Do the mun and you get along? 

✌ Is there anything you dislike about the mun? 

👋 Do you and the mun agree on something? 

✍ Has the mun some special talents beside writing? 

🙏 Do you think the mun would be able to survive in your world? 

✨ Does the mun read fanfictions and if yes, what is your opinion on them?

🎉 Does the mun likes to go to parties or not? 

🎁 Is the mun good at taking compliments or not? 

🎀  What does the mun have for a music taste? Do you like it? 

🎨 What are the mun’s hobbies? 

👗 How is the mun’s fashion sense? 

✂ Did the mun ever do something to make you jealous? 

⏳ How much time does the mun spend on your blog? 

🍨 What is the mun’s favorite ice cream flavour? 

🍪 Does the mun like sweets? 

🍓 What is something you and the mun disagree on? 

🍀 What is your opinion on the layout of the blog the mun did for you? 

⭐ Is there any genres the mun enjoys writing but you don’t enjoy being part of? 

🌟 Is there any genres the mun doesn’t enjoy writing but you enjoy being part of? 

☀ Does the mun listen to you while writing or not? 

🌙 Does the mun stay up long or goes to bed early? 

⚡ What is the mun’s favorite weather? 

❄ Did the mun ever forced you to do something you didn’t want to do? 

💧 How often do you annoy the mun? And with what? 

🔥 How would you spend one day with the mun if you could? 

World really was going to the tadpoles, wasn't it?

"That sounds good to me. I'll make my way back a little later than this, yeah? Then you can show me what's what." The tiefling touched his shoulder, and turned to make her way back to camp to share her giddy discoveries of the day. Not before checking out the bard schmoozing with the guards, though.

When she arrived the following afternoon, after a ridiculous scramble to sneak past the steel watchers and into her home turf, she'd had the good grace to throw on a relatively clean shirt. Well, strips of leather that she'd grown accustomed to over the years, but with as little dried blood, sweat, and all other nasty collections the others had accumulated over the years. This set had been a gift from their beloved leader, who'd offered them with a smile and said it was about time she'd had something nice.

Charmer, she was. Easy on the eyes, though otherwise taken by their resident cleric. A pity, really. Karlach didn't fault Shadowheart for falling head over heads with her, either. Given half a chance, Karlach would have, too.

Karlach pushed her way through the entrance and, without the gaggles of shiny-eyed event attendees, there was a comfortable quiet that was not uncomfortable. Serene, almost. It did not take her long to spot Lux, and she raised her hand in greeting as she strode towards him.

Much to Lux' delight, the people of Baldur's Gate did not seem to partake in the same level of paranoia as their guards - or if they did, it rendered them all the more hungry for a little distraction, which the Healing Hands were more than happy to provide. Not even the small brawl between Kriv and a very drunk blacksmith's apprentice could harm the fact that their opening night was a huge success.

By the time Lux had slept off his exhaustion and fixed his hair and face, the sun was already high up in the sky. While Oghma and Lori took care of a few odd guests and spectators, Lux had managed to hide in bed just long enough for Rolf to grow impatient and leave for the market without him. Excellent. Lux was not one to hide from his responsibilities often (though he was definitely picky with their selection), but personally he felt that he owed his lonely pillow the extra hour of company. Rolf could do without him today.

Lux sensed Karlach even before he saw her. A strange sensation, somewhere between a light headache and a colony of ants crawling behind his eyes made him blink rapidly for a moment, but the feeling did not ease. Last night he had felt the same during their conversation, if only slightly less so because the bustling crowd and adrenaline had distracted him this observation. So strange, yet familiar. Lux unfolded his psionic focus with the same mental effort it took to take your hand off a hot soup bowl to resist burning - and voila! The tingling subsided. In the same moment, the curtain separating the entrance from the community tent was pushed aside.

"Why, you are not the only one who can keep a promise!" He beamed at her. The heavily bejeweled dance outfit from last night had handed the reigns over to a slightly more modest but no less flattering set of clothes for the day. His wrapped shirt was so loose that it threatened sliding off his shoulders, if not completely becoming undone. Lux quite obviously did not mind. "Welcome back, or should I say - welcome for the very first time to our humble little piece of paradise!"

His bare feet carried him across the many rugs that were covering the floor with ease. Despite the countless toes it had seen, the carpet seemed incredibly clean. Alas, the same could not be said for Karlach's boots.

"So sorry to complain this early, love, but I can't show you around like this." Lux gestured for her to take a few steps towards the curtain. "Shoes off, if you'd be so inclined. There are two changing booths behind that curtain. Put your clothes and belongings in the basket provided, and we will make sure to guard them like a dragon until you decide to leave." He chuckled at his own joke, then proceeded: