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WIP Wednesday - Blood in the Wine
I have another snippet of Chapter 3 to join the countless other snippets. We’re currently at 11.5k words, and it ain’t getting any shorter.
Notes and (unedited) preview under the cut:
I’ve finished the interior tour (as far as Tav is getting right now).
I’ve introduced the characters that need to be introduced (all those who need to be introduced right now).
I’ve learned that I need to go back and edit Chapter 2 because things came to my mind that didn’t before. They’re minor edits, but I will let everyone know what those changes are when I make them.
I’ve made myself crazy by making a map of the abbey as I work through this chapter. Does it make sense? Is it realistic in the terms of its layout? FOR THIS STORY, YES. I mapped it out as best I could with what research I’ve done. I can post that, too, when the time comes - if others would like to see it.
In terms of feeling inspired and motivated, I’m PUMPED. It’s one of those stories that I might translate to something more original when all is said and done. Shop it around… quit my job… you know. The Delusional Dream.
I’m totally not trying to avoid doing work while I type this out, but I’m shutting up now. Here is the snippet:
—-
Tav stopped at a glass cabinet that housed a number of artifacts. It was the first cabinet of many spread throughout the library; waist high and wide with a carved walnut base, a gold-leafed illuminated Book of Hours was open and on display alongside a chalice, a book dictating law, and a gold scepter.
There was no placard to tell her the significance of each item, and Tav suspected they were purposefully left out so that the Archivist could have an excuse to spread his knowledge.
The lock looked simple enough to bypass - were any monk handy with a hairpin.
“What a wealth of knowledge and artifacts,” she said, moving from the display to peruse the nearest collection of books on a shelf - philosophical writings through the ages, judging from their spines.
“Yes! Outside of donations, I’m not sure how the abbot came to acquire these pieces, but we are very blessed!” Rolan stood with pride and beamed. “As you can imagine, what we’ve obtained are some of the House of Hope’s most prized possessions.”
Tav backed up to stare at the mezzanine platforms that comprised the upper floor. Unlike the books below, the books above had their shelves secured with sashes of chain and locks.
“I’ve heard those books contain naughty images,” Astarion supplied with a smirk.
“They do not!” Rolan swiftly corrected.
“As if you’ve looked through them all...”
“I’ve looked through most, and while some do contain controversial ideas, a majority are rare or extremely fragile and shouldn’t be taken from the shelf willy-nilly.”
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I've got the next installment of podfics
O, Apple of His Eye
By @a-true-neutral
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
I've also got a Ko-fi if you like to give me a tip
#you sound great!#thank you for taking the time to podfic these chapters!#I know you're really looking forward to releasing that Chapter 12 Coffin (😜)#coffin podfic#raphael x tav#raphael bg3#raphael the cambion#podfic
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saw this and immediately thought of HWBASK loll (I did not know "rat bastard" was an actual insult until your story) 😭
Hahaha!
It's a prime insult! Perfect for our rat-fucking-bastard Raphael. 🙌
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Just got a notification from tumblr that one of my fav blogs posted something: you 🧡😉 Hope you’re doing well and always happy to see news from you!!! A little imp also told me about that one cool prompt of Tav bringing Raphael as her surprise date to the reunion 😁😁 I know you got a lot on your plate so I wondered if you'd like to just share some thoughts about it instead? No pressure tho!! 😇 Just like our dearest devil your audience can wait patiently 😏
I'm doing well, thank you! Apologies for the lack of posting prompts; I swear I'm using my time on BITW, and I'll revisit prompts after the next chapter is done and posted.
I had ideas for the reunion prompt centering around Raphael being a gloating bastard.
---
Being his favorite client with benefits, Tav practically begs Raphael to not - under any circumstances - make an appearance to the reunion. As much as he enjoyed the sound of her pleas (that turned into expletive-laden threats), Raphael promises Tav nothing and appears right on schedule - just as she's about to head into the gathering.
“Fine, I’ll say you’re not with me.”
“Very well, Little Mouse. Pretend we aren’t what we are - I will be delighted to summon and present your dirty laundry to everyone. After all, having camped with them for some time, they will likely be able to recognize the many knickers of yours that I now own.”
“You're an ass, Raphael.”
Mainly done to be ‘an ass’ and stick it to her companions, Raphael lets it be known by his constant close proximity to Tav that the two of them are an item. The warm welcome Tav expected ten minutes prior is (understandably) more on the chilly side (with cat and mouse out of the bag), and disapproval rains down from mostly everyone aside from Lae’zel, Shadowheart, and Withers (who, when it's his turn, remarks ‘something something’ about fate - which Tav mumbles ‘what do you know’ before sourly moving onto the next beratement).
The ‘catch-up’ between her and Astarion (and Raphael) is an awkward affair that has Tav internally wanting to die. When she’s forcibly dragged away by Karlach (wanting to know what in the fuck is she thinking), Raphael is left to smugly stand in front of Astarion.
“This tale ended with me receiving the Crown and Tav… and you received? Freedom, I suppose - relatively speaking. What a shame we can’t all have happy endings... Were that it could, I'm sure the radiant sun would miss you, too.”
Astarion gains a new individual to utterly despise with Cazador being dead - Raphael.
It turns out to be one of those nights that will haunt Tav for the rest of her days; the kind of night where, when she’s happily tucked into bed and ready to drift off to sleep, she’ll suddenly remember the reunion and groan while curling into a ball.
#thanks for the ask!#gaeldricge#raphael x tav#raphael x tav fanfiction#raphael bg3#baldur’s gate 3#raphael the cambion#neutral answers
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I have been unfathomably OBSESSED with your writing ever since discovering you on AO3. I'm curious how you cultivated your vocabulary because I am so god awful at remembering words while writing. You have inspired me to take a stab at the devil and I fear my words may fall short in the process of writing. (I owe you my life btw, your writing got me through exam week. May both sides of your pillow always remain cold.)
First off, I'm elated I could be there for you when you needed me most - exam week! I hope you got the best scores with help from Raphael and Tav.
Second off, thank you!! 😊
As for your question, it would be nice if I could type out 'I cultivate my words through reading. I read so much, let me tell you!' but that would be a lie. :( These days, any reading done is me engulfing any fics that pique my interest for my latest fixation, and I'm not even doing that anymore because I'm focusing more on writing.
I enjoy watching period films and tv shows, so I'm sure some of my word retention comes from there.
I think the true answer is I throw myself at the feet of Word Hippo. It's an online thesaurus that I always have open in another window next to my word document. I heavily try to avoid using the same words too much in the same chapter, so that's where the cute, pink hippo comes in to remind me that 'there's another and a better word for this - maybe 'imbibing' will work. Then that word is soaked up into my sponge of a brain for future use.
(I should not be giving advice) but my advice for those who use a thesaurus is to select words that add to the flow, not detract from it. Don't over-complicate your sentences by picking a fancy, intellectual sounding synonym for the sake of the word not being 'drink'.
Lastly, yes! Be like Tav, and take a stab at the Devil! Do it!
I (lovingly) scream at you all: give life to the ideas swimming around in your head!
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WIP Wednesday
Another (unedited) preview of this next chapter of ‘Blood in the Wine’ is under the cut, along with two notes.
I finished the exterior tour! I’ll move onto the interior tour come the next work period (monk work period, not my work period as much as I wish I could write during work…). The interior tour will be shorter than the exterior, but more character introductions will be made!
I know the major beats, but it’s always a thrill to have ideas come knocking in the moment. I knew Tav needed a ______, but I didn’t know what that was going to be until last night when writing my most recent scene. And the solution is going to work out splendidly.
Anyways, the preview:
At a glance Tav guessed there to be twenty or so headstones, all roughly the same modest size. Flowers were sparse, and those that grew in patches were the kind that most would consider to be overgrown weeds. The cool temperature was made apparent between the shade they entered and the breeze, and squinting was unnecessary when she lifted her gaze to the sky; sunlight could not reach them due to the church’s height on the hill, but even later in the day, light would lose its battle against the leaves of a large yew tree that loomed in the corner.
Picking a row at random, she somberly walked a narrow, dirt path and mentally recited the names, dates of death, and epitaphs engraved in the stone.
Her feet stopped at a pair of plots that were in the beginning stages of sprouting grass.
Brother Rugan
Luglio 19, 1659
“How did he pass?” she asked.
“He was making a delivery. Poor man didn’t make it very far - a pack of animals tore him to shreds in the forest outside of town. Brother Otto was the one who ventured out to collect all that remained of him.”
Tav read the name of the deceased buried beside Rugan.
Brother Otto
Luglio 22, 1659
“Was the delivery recovered?”
“I’m not sure. It wasn’t - and still isn’t - my business.”
Astarion took to leaning against the yew’s trunk as Tav knelt at the base of where Brother Rugan eternally rested. She brought her hands together, closed her eyes and silently mimed a minute long prayer for his soul. At the end, she rose to then repeat the steps for Brother Otto.
“May they both rest in peace,” Astarion offered neutrally when she stood upon completion of her prayers.
Tav ignored him, her attention drifting from the weeds that overran the space to the headstones that could use a cleaning.
She frowned. “Does no one properly care for this burial site?”
“You just prayed for the one who used to.”
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lurking in your camp, practising his poetry
not super happy with this one, it took a few attempts and then photoshop borked the file 🙃 after that i got lazy with it and just did something simple.
main takeaway from this: it’s time to learn tv paint so i never have to open photoshop’s cursed timeline ever again
buuut I will probably do another one so if anyone has any suggestions i'd love to hear them :)
--
comm info here, i do illustration, animation and game dev
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Hey, I've been inspired by one of your writing prompts. Would it be okay to write a one-shot inspired by it? Obvs giving credit
How exciting! Go forth, Anon - create!! ✨
In general, I give everyone permission to create anything based/inspired by my writing! And, should you feel comfortable, I’d love to see the results when you’ve finished!
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BITW Update
I think readers might be getting a 12k word chapter when all is said and done - maybe longer. Woof. There are places where I could break this into two chapters, but I’m being stubborn in wanting to end at a specific place.
I cannot stress enough that the plot and future scenes have me in a mental chokehold. Alas, as fueled as I am to write, there is not enough time or energy in the day for me to dedicate solely to writing.
For those interested, here’s the full (character) introduction scene from the preview I posted last week (unedited):
—-
There were, however, goings-on within one of the fruit trees; a man wearing wool breeches was halfway in an apple tree, and his worn leather boots stood on a wooden ladder that was angled into the tree’s trunk.
Apples steadily dropped into a wicker basket, and judging by the bareness of the other trees within the row, the man’s harvest would likely conclude in the coming week.
No doubt hearing their approaching footsteps, the man let another apple fall, and there was minor rustling of branches and foliage as he plucked the next. His top half slowly twisted after grabbing the nearest branch for support, and Tav caught eyes staring at her through a spacing of leaves.
The hairs on her neck prickled.
“Oh, what have we here? Are you the new arrival to the abbey?” the man asked, his voice rich and familiar sounding.
“I am Brother Gabriel,” she replied as she came to stand near the base of the tree.
“Brother Gabriel,” the man repeated, an almost-purr that set her teeth on edge.
“Haarlep, would you mind coming down for a more respectable introduction?” Astarion beckoned while taking stock of the apples that sat in the basket.
“I wouldn’t mind at all, Brother Astarion!” The man stepped off of the ladder, his feet landing with a thud onto soft grass, and Tav was momentarily thrown by the sight of his face; it was chiseled and handsome, something she’d expect from a strapping laborer with his tall and broad shouldered body, but she was namely struck by the uncanny resemblance to Father Raphael. He assuredly had to be related to the abbot by blood - perhaps a younger brother or a cousin...
“You are not looking well, Brother Gabriel?”
“He’s starving, is why,” Astarion answered for her. “Probably didn’t eat much at the tail end of his travels, and he’s being stubborn in holding out until noonday meal.”
“Here - an apple to sustain you until then…” In three steps Haarlep was before her with an apple that had been freshly picked from the tree. Tav had never before seen such a picturesque apple; there were no dents or bruises, and its red color was perfectly even in tone.
The look in Haarlep’s eyes reminded her of the snake making his offering to Eve.
Astarion was watching - to see if she would take what she’d refused from the kitchen.
“There’s plenty more, brother,” Haarlep added, gazing up to the branches overhead. “And there’s no trouble to be had for eating an apple.”
Brother Gabriel could afford a few lapses in judgment.
Haarlep smiled as Tav reached out and accepted the apple from the persuasive supplier. “Go on, take a bite, and tell me what you think?”
She brought the smooth surface of the apple to her lips, punctured the skin with her teeth, and tore a crisp bite away. The buds on her tongue detected notes of cinnamon amidst the sweetness she tasted.
“I’ve never had better tasting fruit in all my life, if I do say so myself,” said Haarlep.
Were it too saccharine, Tav would have disregarded Haarlep’s commentary as she chewed and then swallowed, but it was the right amount of sweetness - a perfect dose that would bring her to devour the entire thing.
“A delicious picking,” she said. “Thank you, Haarlep. I take it you are the caretaker of these trees?”
“Yes, I devote myself and give everything they need to bear such sublime fruit.”
“Is it not God who blesses the fruit of this land?” Tav inquired innocently.
“I would agree with you - were I a monk,” Haarlep countered with an amiable smile. “But, alas, I am a humble, non-believer who has been gratefully granted the ability to live in the abbey in exchange for labor.”
“Is it-” Tav clamped her mouth shut.
“What is it, brother?”
“Nay, my question was impolite.”
Beyond Haarlep’s shoulder, she observed Astarion lift an apple from the basket to stash in the sleeve of his robes. He cared not that she noticed, and she interpreted the brow he raised as a provocation for her to call him a thief - after she asked her ‘impolite’ question.
“Don’t fret - I am not one to be easily offended,” Haarlep placated.
Once more Brother Gabriel fell for the man’s charm, the question drawn from her lips. “Are you related to the abbot?”
The younger version of Father Raphael laughed; the sound of it rang hollow. “Yes, that is a more polite way of asking, ‘how is it that an ungodly man is allowed to live on abbey property, if not due to the grace of being related to the abbot’.” He chuckled again, this time at her bashfulness. “He is an older half-brother - our mother had a habit of sleeping around…”
“As stimulating as the unholy tales of your wanton mother would be, Brother Gabriel and I must continue on our tour,” interrupted Astarion.
“Ah, yes - and for myself, there is important work that needs to be done,” Haarlep replied, his eyes alight with a touch of devilment. He backed away and turned for his ladder. Up the first two rungs he climbed, and as she moved to follow after Astarion’s leave, there was a rustling from the tree - an apple being picked.
Tav took a bite from the apple she held.
“Brother Gabriel?”
Instincts alerted her to something coming at her.
Delaying Brother Gabriel’s reaction by a hair, her character jumped in surprise at the apple that gently soared past her head. Its arched trajectory brought it to land softly onto the grass not too far from her feet, and the fruit tumbled to a stop.
“An additional offering for that hungry stomach of yours,” Haarlep said at her questioning expression.
Tav paired a small smile with a thankful nod and bent down to grab the fallen fruit. With apples in both hands, she shuffled after Astarion with another bite of the half-eaten first in her mouth.
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The character of Raphael will certainly hold a special place in my heart for inspiring me to rabidly create, and I love, love, love that he's That Character for others, too!
It can be a difficult thing to put your work out into the wild, whether out of fear of judgment or a general dislike of your own work (we are our own worst critics), and for those of you who've taken the leap, thank you for sharing your creations!!
It's been a joy seeing everyone's inspiration materialize. 🤘😎
It's been over 10 years since I've done any writing or art and I want to thank the BG3 Raphael fan community for inspiring me to getting back in touch with my artistic side. ❤️
I'm a traditional media artist that usually does landscapes and digital art has frankly felt like a scary challenge, but I'm trying. 😁 And, I want to send a special thanks to @adevilyoudo @bitethedevil @feyspeaker @firlionemoontav @mslanna and @atrueneutral for sharing your works. ❤️ I may not interact with all of you much, but it's your works that inspired me the most and I can't thank you enough.
With that, I'd like to present you my interpretation of the BG3 storyline using my attempt at a cartoony thing:
Act I: Why'd it have to be mindflayers?
Act II: We beat a god! Rawr!
Act III: We gives handsome devils shinies.
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Ain't no grave gonna hold him down
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FLEETING REVERIE
I figured the Raphael content I'd like to get wasn't nearly romantic enough for the event, so I drew another comic 😂
Love stories/dialogues aren't exactly my cup of tea, and with those two characters especially, I had a tough time as I don't think romantic relationships or love would be something they would go after or even be able/allow themselves to feel. I tried my best to handle this tricky topic in a way that wouldn't make them act too out of character by implying that the whole scene is but a bittersweet dream. I'm still unsure if I like this one, as my Tamiel sounds a bit too out of character for my tastes, but since so many people said it's aesthetically beautiful, here it is
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"No lands must remain beyond our grasp. Go forth. Conquer. Rule."
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Where the tired come to rest, and the famished come to feed - lavishly. Go on. Partake. Enjoy your supper. After all… It might just be your last.
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