#whathebeep

The party had only just arrived in Baldur's Gate; It was the first night at the camp at the old abandoned farm at the edge of town. It was peaceful; Goodnight kisses shared between Astarion, Tav and Halsin before the three returned to their own tents. Tav had shared during dinner the night before they wanted to see about perhaps getting a bigger tent for themself in town, so the three of them could comfortably sleep in the same spot when they desired to.

And by daybreak, Tav was gone. Panic arose when Halsin woke early to the panicked squeaks of the owlbear cub; Scratch was weak and bloody, and Tav's tent had collapsed in on itself in an apparent struggle. Tav was gone. Halsin's voice practically boomed across the campsite for help as he dropped and healed Scratch; the others arose and the worry was widespread.

Astarion, when he emerged from his tent, was inconsolable. He didn't speak, just quietly examined Tav's tent. Jaheira and the others argued over who could have done this- Orin? Gortash? There were plans already being made to storm Wyrms crossing and force Gortash to tell them where Tav went. Karlach was ready to choke the information from him.

But when Astarion finally turned to Halsin, and Halsin had parted Scratch's fur and revealed two sizeable teeth marks...it was obvious who had done this. Who had taken Tav.

It had only taken Dahlia and Leon to take Tav. A few well placed spells of sleep and hold person, Tav had woken in shackles in the kennel. Godey and Cazador stood before them, and Cazador did not hesitate to speak plainly; either they lure Astarion back, or they would suffer. Tav refused and Godey took his time making them suffer. Beatings, casting of fear that dominated their mind and showed them visions of Astarion and Halsin suffering; Astarion locked away in a tomb, crying, screaming, begging for freedom - Halsin trapped in Shadowfell, trapped to suffer for all eternity in darkness.

In the few hours that Cazador had Tav, they were broken by a combined effort of Godey and Cazador; Astarion had to suffer for running away, and from the spawn who had watched for their return, it was easy to tell what Astarion's weak spot was.

The entire party had stormed Cazador's manor. Astarion and Halsin led the charge side by side, mowing down Godey first and foremost. Tav's smell was strongest there; it horrified the two of them to see the fresh blood staining a mattress under chains on the wall.

Godey could only laugh in Astarion's face as Astarion shattered his skull when he refused to tell where you were. It was obvious, however. If you were not in the kennel, Cazador had you.

When they emerged into the tombs under the manor, Tav was nowhere to be found.

Astarion screamed till his voice was hoarse; Cazador would pay, he would pay for what he did, pay for all of this. Cazador could only laugh in their faces, promising Astarion's death in the coming ceremony; as Astarion would die, so would Tav.

The fight was long and grueling. It was of no hesitation to Astarion to murder Cazador the second he was pulled from his coffin. He stabbed and slashed and screamed at Cazador- How dare he, how dare he hurt Tav, how dare he do this to spite Astarion one last time. Cazador died with a smile and Astarion sobbed, Halsin quick to come to his side to hold him. The other spawn were freed from Cazador's control- and Leon was quick to reveal where Tav was.

When they pulled the tomb open, Tav was on the brink of death. Halsin and Shadowheart were quick to tend to their wounds once they were removed from the very same dusty tomb Astarion had once been locked away in. They were quick to bring them back to camp, Tav only conscious long enough to smile at the sight of their elven loves.

When they woke it was in the Elfsong, the others in the group moving camp while Tav was in recovery. Halsin and Astarion were at their side; Astarion namely sitting and keeping their head in his lap, Halsin sitting at their bedside in a stool.

They both look exhausted. How long had it been? Memories were foggy but Tav was still injured when their eyes finally opened. The relief was immediate, Astarion brushing hair from their face and gently brushing away the tears that fell from their face. Halsin carefully cast calm emotions to help soothe Tav.

So much had happened to Tav in such little time; Cazador punished them to the extreme because of their disobedience, refusal to obey and bring Astarion back.

Tav had their dominant hand cut off by Cazador.

Astarion apologized for it, kissing them gently. He was a wreck; guilt ridden over what happened to Tav. Halsin quietly reassured him, taking Astarion's hand in his own, carefully cupping Tav's cheek. Cazador was gone. Tears and kisses were shared between the three. Yet, Tav refused to share all of what happened to them aside from the obvious.

It only took a few days for Gale to bring a gift to Tav, a clamp-on bracelet that would give them a permanent mage hand. Magic had offered so much for those missing limbs, so it didn't take a lot of searching to find such an item.

Cazador was gone forever, Astarion, Tav and all the spawn were free.

But Tav still woke with screams of terror every so often. After a few nights of Halsin and Astarion rushing across the room to reassure Tav, they pushed two square shaped beds together in the corner of the Elfsong. The nights they woke with night terrors Halsin and Astarion were there to ease them back to sleep.

Even Halsin had started waking from trance with a start every so often, scared that he would wake and Tav would be gone. Astarion too. More often than not they would keep Tav between them, and hold hands with each other.

I imagine you two spend a long while adventuring before settling. I like to imagine (whether you declared it to him or not), the goal was always to find a means to get him safely in the sun again. I imagine it took YEARS of travelling to try and find it, but eventually you do come across it. Not a cure by any means, but a ring lost in an abandoned vampire crypt that took you ages to learn about, and ages more to find. And he slips it on his finger and it gives him the means to not only step in the sun, but it also hides his vampiric features, if he so wishes. (I like to think it will make him look as he did before he was changed).

When you make your way back towards Baldur's Gate, you make a point to visit old friends along the way. Visit the now thriving town and nearby Selunite temple, restored to it's glory over the years, thanks to Isobel and Aylin. Shadowheart lives in the small town, I'd like to imagine, having settled there upon her finishing adventuring. She's of course, pleased to see you both and host you, sharing glasses of wine and some good stories and gossip. You two stay for a week or so, taking care to take in the sights, visiting the grove, the old crash site, hell, even Auntie Ethel's former house that had been taken over by some of the druids. You're surprised to discover that even the forge in the underdark has some new occupants, some of the spawn that were freed by Astarion; they have started up a mining operation, and are making quite a good living, the ore they find making good weapons to be made in the forge. From them you learn more settled in the underground near Halsin's community, and would certainly be worth a visit.

Next comes the former shadowlands and Halsin's community; by now so many of the kids he brought along and raised in the orphanage are much older now, either teens or young adults. Halsin, as you can imagine, probably beams at the sight of you two, especially Astarion in the sun, and most certainly drops whatever he's doing and runs over, picking up and hugging you both. He's happy to host you at his home, ThanieI's former place of residence. The building is a lot larger now, but still a homely stone cottage look to it, moss growing up the side and a sizeable willow growing to the side. I imagine you two stay there a few weeks, as there is a lot to see if what has changed, and Halsin is more than eager to show you both around. Everything has been restored and repurposed; Surprisingly, Moonrise has become a school, last light restored to a fully working inn, the inn near moonrise repurposed as the orphanage, the hospital back in working order- hell, even the former Sharan temple in the underdark has been inhabited by a large portion of the spawn and the community there is thriving. Hell they've even constructed a proper entry and exit point that doesn't require them walking through the graveyard, and instead leaves out of that old Shar shrine under the statue in town. (Of course, all Shar symbology has been removed). The area is lively and it's nice to relax, take in the clean air and admire how the land has healed, and the community has thrived.

When you have to leave, Halsin asks you to write once you're back in Baldur's Gate, and promises you a place there, if you ever tire of the city.

Astarion almost seems sad when you two leave.

It doesn't take long for you two to return to the city. When you do, you stay in a room at the elf song while you try and sort out an apartment or home, but within the first day back you're off to see Wyll and Karlach; both back in the gate after a few years in the hells. Her engine repaired to the highest degree, they've settled down together in a home of their very own, and it's of no surprise when there's three kids scrambling about. The two of you had been gone for nearly a decade exploring, I'd like to imagine; so it's of no surprise that they've got three kids, all half tiefling half human, the oldest being five, and the other two being 3 year old twins. Wyll and Karlach both have jobs, Karlach having taken to working at the forge with Dammon, and Wyll working as a private investigator, occasionally writing for the Baldur's Mouth Gazette too.

Seeing them settled like that, Astarion, when you two are relaxing in your room at the elf song, drinking some wine, tries to laugh about it. "Could you imagine settling down like that? Hah!" He says it in a mocking tone, but after nearly eleven years together, give or take, it's easy to see the way he frowns into his wine glass when he looks the other way.

A few weeks after returning to the gate, you receive a letter: Gale is going to be coming through town, and he'd love to visit the two of you. Coincidentally enough, he's moving to Halsin's community, to teach at the school, and will be in town for a day or two and would want to visit.

Upon his visit, the whole group in town get together for dinner and drinks together, Grandpa Ulder having taken the kids for the night. Gale has become quite the accomplished teacher, and has even written more than a handful of academic papers. His move was inspired by wanting to learn more about he other fields of magic, and also to help teach the youth of tomorrow about it too.

There's laughter and jokes and fun stories all around, and eventually Gale asks how the house hunt goes for you and Astarion. The city is ever expanding of course, but there isn't quite anything that the two of you feel confident about quite yet; and there's well wishes on that, and eventually everyone departs for the night.

That night Astarion suggests it, moving there as well. Having a house built on the edge of town, maybe by the water, or up on a hill. It's then that he admits that even though Baldur's Gate had always been home, there's far too many bad memories; and that he'd like making new memories somewhere else.

It takes maybe 3 months before the house is completed. The two of you had travelled back, and stayed in last light until construction was completed. Plans had to be drawn up with what the two of you wanted, a location scouted out, and then of course the process of building it. Stone and wood, two floors, and just up a hill from the water.

Within a year of living there, the house is truly a home. Astarion was enjoying a lot of his free time reading, to the point that a second bookcase had to be commissioned. He took up a job working as a bartender at the last light inn, and a few times a week the two of you meet up with Halsin and Gale to chat, have drinks, discuss things; and whenever it calls for, the two of you pick up your weapons to travel again, albeit a lot more short term.

Shadowheart's wedding is 100% semi-religious, for obvious reasons! We'll also look at this from a Selunite route because let's be real, in the bad route for Shadowheart I imagine you'd be made to become a Sharran and more so dedicate yourself to Shar rather than Shadowheart herself.

In the good route, though, the wedding is officiated by Isobel of course. Dame Aylin probably plays a part too, offering a blessing from Selune. In a way I also imagine she helps Isobel place a blessing on your rings with eternal protection from Selune. Druids from the Emerald Grove also attend the wedding, having never forgotten what you all did for them; I imagine they're the ones who grow night orchids for the wedding too.

The wedding itself is a grand affair. I imagine a bit further down the line when you two decide to marry, you return to the Selune temple from back in Act 1. I imagine Isobel and Dame Aylin returned to the area with the Selunite worshippers they joined up with and restored the temple and nearby village to its former glory. Your wedding is the first held there, and it's extravagant occasion. There is plenty to reminisce on being in the former goblin camp once more, reflecting on your travels together when there.

I imagine there's a wedding procession from Baldur's Gate, led by you and Shadowheart's wagon and followed by two-three wagons of your friends who are travelling for the wedding too- you travel through the former Shadowlands and friends from there join the procession too, all too happy to celebrate your joyous wedding.

Shadowheart's wedding dress is extravagant in everyway. I imagine it to be a mix of white, gold and light blue, with a golden moon fixed to the dip in the v-neck of it, and night orchids made into a beautiful flower crown for her, and in her bouquet along with a mix of red roses.

There is probably a Selune ritual that involves you both drinking milk from the same bowl before and after putting on your rings. I also imagine the wedding is held on the first night of a full moon, perhaps during the summer time too.

I imagine Karlach will be Shadowheart's maid of honour, and Lae'zel, Nocturne and Wyll would be her bridesmaids, while Halsin, Astarion and Gale are your bridesmaids/groomsmen.

The wedding is gorgeous and Shadowheart definitely cries at the sight of you. In her vows she swears by Selune that she'd love you to the end of time and beyond. She'd adventure by your side for the rest of days, and dedicate every breathing moment to you and your everlasting love. You made her forget loss and remember what love was, brought light back into her life. What more could she ever ask for?

If your character is a former dark urge, I imagine she'd also swear she'd fight Bhaal himself to keep you by her side.

You kiss after your vows and while Shadowheart cried from happiness she also covers your face in kisses after the initial one; a kiss to your forehead, your cheeks, and your lips again; you wear those lipstick stains like a badge of honour for the rest of the night.

Oh the formal wedding would be extravagant. Wyll (as the blade of Avernus who also saved his father) would enjoy a fairy tale wedding. But given who his father is, it would be a rather extravagant thing, wouldn't it? Especially as the heroes of the gate to boot! Why wouldn't the city want to celebrate those who saved it?

I imagine there would be lots of flowers as decor. Wild flowers from the region near the grove, near where you two first met. Flowers that reminded him of his dearest Tav. They were the light of his life and truly he would want this day to be incredibly special for them. He would be the sort to get simple rings, with both of your birth stones side by side on each. I like to imagine that even though this wedding is a formal event and will have a lot of high ranking political and social figures there, the bridal parties would consist of your close friends who you saved the world with. It would be an assortment- like personally? I think Karlach would be Wyll's Maid of Honour and Astarion would probably be the best man for Tav (or whomever you headcannon being closest to your Tav!)

Withers would be the minister, cause who the hell else would you ask? I am so certain these small things were a little odd, but for such a big public wedding Wyll would not budge. Nor would be budge on the wants of his partner to be. All their favourite foods, their favourite drinks, the works.

Wyll wears a black suit and a lapel made of the flowers brought from the grove, as I'm sure there is a matching accessory for Tav, either to put in their hair or wear as a lapel as well. His vows are like poetry and he has it memorized, squeezing Tav's hand as tears flow down his face and reciting it word for word. He compares them to his sun, the light of his life, the moon and all the light in the world. His brilliant flame that warms his heart.

I like to imagine Tav is a paladin in this scenario; and in their vows they swear an oath to Wyll. An oath to have and hold and to love him for ever and then some. That no matter the opponent they would stand by his side until the end of time, protecting him, this city and wherever else needed them.

It truly is a sweet ceremony.

But that isn't the real wedding, is it?

I imagine the real wedding is in the weeks after the city is saved. The real wedding takes place on a cliff overlooking the sea, decorated with flowers sprouted up by Halsin and Jaheira. All your friends are there and just like in the public wedding that would eventually happen, Withers is the minister. All your friends are there and what else could you ask for? Wyll is less precise in his vows as he holds your hand, you both still donned in your armour.

He rambles and his tears also flow freely here. He speaks of how they were the best thing to happen to him, how he wouldn't be the person he was without Tav. Tav is just as teary as he is here, swearing they would do it all over again and then some for Wyll. They would cross the rivers of Avernus and the face the horrors of the abyss if it meant they could see Wyll's smiling face at the end of it all. It's so corny and cheesy but even Astarion is tearing up a little (don't ask he will deny it).