[ he is honestly quite taken aback that she is reacting this strong and with that much sadness about it? perhaps it was just his assumption that he would not be missed quite this much. ]
Well, I'd hardly be a wizard worth my salt if I couldn't spellcast faster than someone can take a swing, could I? [ A JOKE TO LIGHTEN THE MOOD? it is not working. ] I don't-- As I said. I don't know why I'm here, intact and breathing.
she doesn't, but - she looks Unhappy at the joke. it is not working!!]
... You're gonna stay that way. You've got so much to live for. You've got to take advantage of it, you can't just throw yourself away. Don't be fucking stupid.
[she brings her free hand up to rub at her eye, and then:]
Gale, I don't... [a beat. she hesitates. shakes her head.] Nevermind. Gods. We'll fix it.
[ there is a bit of doubt that crosses his face when she says the part about having so much to live for, because he is not entirely certain he agrees, but he doesn't want to begin the argument right now. it isn't as if he threw himself away. it was a trade. a reasonable one. a single life for the entire sword coast, and the consideration of forgiveness from the one he had been so desperate to forgive him.
it's just that it's a much harder decision to sit with when you were already terrified of it. he isn't sure he necessarily appreciates being here, un-Netherese Misted, and with a working mind to turn the decision over and over in his head. ]
Karlach ... what is there to fix? The issue has been solved, one way or another. The Sword Coast is safe.
[well, the thing about it is that she is not giving him a choice. she's not allowed to live, so he has to. and he doesn't get that now, he doesn't know it, but she's going to get him there, even if he kicks and screams the whole way.]
No. [she says, angrily.] We're not sacrificing you for the whole Sword Coast. I can't think of a single person who wants that. And no, she doesn't count. Her asking you to do that at all, with the fucking carrot --
You remember Mayrina, Gale? The girl the hag kidnapped.
[ does she think she is not going to live too? funny joke! funny joke. girl we literally have your heart and it will be forcibly shoved into your chest. ]
Yes, I remember Mayrina.
[ is he about to be compared to her because she was quite rude. ]
You remember how Ethel promised her she'd get her husband back, and the result was her husband's shambling corpse? That's what Mystra's offered you. You don't want to hear it, I know, but that's all it is. Forgiveness from a god is a shambling corpse. Technically, you got what you wanted, but it's all wrong and it hurts way worse.
[maybe she is comparing him a little to mayrina]
... I told you this. I swear I did. But I guess we're not the same Karlachs and Gales and Astarions.
Mayrina was an innocent seeking absolution from a cruel monster, and she had done nothing to deserve that treatment. I-- cannot pretend I am blameless. To accept no responsibility.
[ he looks very, very tired. ]
No, I don't believe we are. Strange, isn't it? To consider that we are the same, yet entirely separate. As if we are copies of the same book written in different hands.
[she uses his hand that she is still holding onto to punch himself in the tiddy. stop that.]
You don't deserve to die because you made one mistake. End of story.
[insistently. a pause.]
Anyway. None of that matters. Maybe you're not Gale from my book, but you're still Gale, and you're still part of our ragtag team of dipshits, and I'm not going to let anything happen to you.
anyway he has a whole argument about how he'd probably actually agree if it was one mistake instead of a long series of progressively worse mistakes, but he doesn't want to be punched again. so. he'll pick up the argument later.]
For now let us consider we are all in deeply confusing and unknown circumstances, and that we might all perish horrible anyway?
Gee. Uplifting as usual. [she says, rolling her eyes.] I don't even know what we're doing here. Usually the bad guy comes out and monologues at us for an hour by now.
[she lets go of him finally, for now, and then snortlaughs.]
Oh, Gods. That's too many tentacles. [like if this is also a mind flayer invasion at some point you really have to look at yourself and go am i the problem] I'll take you up on that one, but I'm guessing instead of Mind Flayers, it's dragons. A whole alliance of them.
A remote possibility, but I wouldn't say out of the realm of chance entirely. There are dragons that are both sufficiently magical and intelligent enough, though creating an alliance of them strains credulity. They don't tend towards cooperation.
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Well, I'd hardly be a wizard worth my salt if I couldn't spellcast faster than someone can take a swing, could I? [ A JOKE TO LIGHTEN THE MOOD? it is not working. ] I don't-- As I said. I don't know why I'm here, intact and breathing.
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she doesn't, but - she looks Unhappy at the joke. it is not working!!]
... You're gonna stay that way. You've got so much to live for. You've got to take advantage of it, you can't just throw yourself away. Don't be fucking stupid.
[she brings her free hand up to rub at her eye, and then:]
Gale, I don't... [a beat. she hesitates. shakes her head.] Nevermind. Gods. We'll fix it.
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it's just that it's a much harder decision to sit with when you were already terrified of it. he isn't sure he necessarily appreciates being here, un-Netherese Misted, and with a working mind to turn the decision over and over in his head. ]
Karlach ... what is there to fix? The issue has been solved, one way or another. The Sword Coast is safe.
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No. [she says, angrily.] We're not sacrificing you for the whole Sword Coast. I can't think of a single person who wants that. And no, she doesn't count. Her asking you to do that at all, with the fucking carrot --
You remember Mayrina, Gale? The girl the hag kidnapped.
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Yes, I remember Mayrina.
[ is he about to be compared to her because she was quite rude. ]
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You remember how Ethel promised her she'd get her husband back, and the result was her husband's shambling corpse? That's what Mystra's offered you. You don't want to hear it, I know, but that's all it is. Forgiveness from a god is a shambling corpse. Technically, you got what you wanted, but it's all wrong and it hurts way worse.
[maybe she is comparing him a little to mayrina]
... I told you this. I swear I did. But I guess we're not the same Karlachs and Gales and Astarions.
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[ he looks very, very tired. ]
No, I don't believe we are. Strange, isn't it? To consider that we are the same, yet entirely separate. As if we are copies of the same book written in different hands.
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You don't deserve to die because you made one mistake. End of story.
[insistently. a pause.]
Anyway. None of that matters. Maybe you're not Gale from my book, but you're still Gale, and you're still part of our ragtag team of dipshits, and I'm not going to let anything happen to you.
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[ stop hitting yourself stop hitting yourself
anyway he has a whole argument about how he'd probably actually agree if it was one mistake instead of a long series of progressively worse mistakes, but he doesn't want to be punched again. so. he'll pick up the argument later.]
For now let us consider we are all in deeply confusing and unknown circumstances, and that we might all perish horrible anyway?
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Gee. Uplifting as usual. [she says, rolling her eyes.] I don't even know what we're doing here. Usually the bad guy comes out and monologues at us for an hour by now.
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[ HES JOKING. ]
They are rather taking their time explaining the most assuredly evil plan, aren't they?
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[she is also joking, mostly]
What d'you think it'll be? Can't be much worse than a Mind Flayer invasion.
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I will posit: believe it nor not, also a Mind Flayer invasion.
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Oh, Gods. That's too many tentacles. [like if this is also a mind flayer invasion at some point you really have to look at yourself and go am i the problem] I'll take you up on that one, but I'm guessing instead of Mind Flayers, it's dragons. A whole alliance of them.
[what]
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[ dont worry gale, flurry has seen vox machina. ]
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Yeah, but it'd be really, really cool. [you can't argue this logic, really?]