Part 2 Coming Soon - Tumblr Posts

I've posted a request earlier than I have meant to however I'm having a little trouble with it. Not that I can't think of what to write for the request but the post itself. For some reason, I cannot seem to edit the post and I'm not sure why. So for now the post will remain unfinished but at some point, I'll upload a 2nd part to it.

The Tragedy of Ashtoret, Part 1: Trust

Ok so I have been completely, utterly obsessed. Consumed. Diseased, even, with brainworms since concluding my first run of Baldur's Gate 3, and I absolutely have to get the thoughts of my Tav off of my chest in a format that's really only suited to this site so. Below the cut lie extensive spoilers for BG3. All of it. You have been warned. If you read beneath the cut I am not responsible for what you may get spoiled on. (This is gonna be a multi-post series, I just. I need to scream so much.)

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

I'm gonna start at the end, rather than the beginning. Ashtoret chose to undergo ceremorphosis in order to better use the Netherstones to control and destroy the Elder Brain. Why did they choose to do this, rather than let someone else take the fall or take control?

Simply put, it's all about trust. They had, out of necessity at first, then over time out of actual faith, placed their trust in the Dream Visitor, the Guardian. The Emperor. Despite how suspiciously he acted, when it came down to important matters (like preventing the ceremorphosis from taking hold too soon and letting them fall to the Elder Brain), The Emperor proved more an ally and asset than a hindrance or something/someone to be cast aside. Although Ashtoret always held a slight reserve of suspicion towards him- they'd be a damned fool not to- they were willing to extend kindness and the hand of friendship and compassion. They'd done much the same for every single other person in their merry band, after all. What was one more?

When they discovered that the Emperor was once Balduran, the hero whose tales inspired their own journey outside the city (they had the Folk Hero background), despite the obvious deception that implied and their upset with him for concealing the fact, they trusted him almost unequivocally from that point forward. How could they not? His tales were the lodestar by which they navigated their life. It'd be like a Cleric having a direct, face-to-face meeting with their god.

Note that I say, "Almost unequivocally". Because even as much as Ashtoret held Balduran in reverence, even as much as they trusted the Emperor to use the power judiciously, simply handing over the keys to godlike power to another being whose intentions could shift at a moment's notice felt foolish beyond belief. They trusted their hero... but not enough.

Not enough to fully hand the mind flayer The Emperor the reins. But, because of that same trust in The Emperor, all he was, and all he had become, they believed that it was possible to retain a sense of their 'self' and continue to help the city even after completing their ceremorphosis. After all, they had a living example right in front of them! If Balduran could do it, why couldn't they follow in his footsteps?

They would step into his shoes. Be his successor, as they'd always dreamed they could one day. Better yet, be his confidant. His equal.

Of course, we all know how this will inevitably end. Anyone who's watched Karlach transform into an illithid will note that she is not the same as she was before. Something was irrevocably lost in the process of becoming a mind flayer, and the same holds true for Ashtoret.

They, like the hero they trusted and believed and followed unto their 'doom', see their current state as a clear upgrade over what they were before. A higher state. An enlightened state. And though they, like their hero, will not necessarily force anyone else to 'evolve themselves' (though even that matter is somewhat up for debate in the fandom wrt The Emperor), they will ever seek to cajole and convince those once in their circle to join them as they are. And while they can understand from a 'read it on a sheet of paper' POV their former allies' horror at this thought, they, like what Balduran became, believe that it's ultimately short-sighted.

And unfortunately, their comrades will never again be able to trust their intentions because they laid their faith onto an already-rotten-to-the-core pedestal.

In 205 live.

Drew Gulak Vs Mustafa Ali ... Again

read this one post where crowley goes to bzb and gabriel and makes them remove his memories which manifest as a snake and then when aziraphale comes back he's so shocked and hurt so anyway sitting in my class head empty except season 2 brainrot and i thought. what if he comes back and crowley doesn't recognize him. he gets weirded out by this random pretty guy acting like they're long lost lovers but this time aziraphale is smarter. he drags him to bzb and asks them to give back his memories but when they try it doesn't work. why? wait and see