Ayla's story: Dragonborn detour

(Potential spoilers below)

This little detour is important. I promise. (Also, be prepared for some, shall we say, innuendo? Don't say I didn't warn you...)

I was late to the whole Baldur’s Gate 3 thing. Story of my life. The reason was largely technical—I didn’t have a computer that could run the game. M had already started playing and was bugging me to play, too. He wasn’t wrong. I mean, we met playing World of Warcraft and we’ve been married long enough that he has a pretty good idea of what games I enjoy. I miss Wow.

Too, I played the original Baldur's Gate when it first came out in 1998 and then Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance in 2001. And before that, I played (and still do...) Dungeons & Dragons in its table-top format--starting with AD&D 2nd edition in high school and then running my own game in 3E as an adult in the early 2000s. There's history there and this felt like a natural continuation.

So I started a run on his computer. I made a Dragonborn druid named Zhi[1] with an Outlander background and jumped in. It felt claustrophobic, playing in the dark little alcove where M’s desk is. And it felt a little wrong, appropriating his computer, knowing that he wasn’t able to use it while I played. Feeling selfish and claustrophobic sucked the fun out of the experience. Still, I made it all the way to the Tiefling party. You know, the Tiefling party...

And that was when something weird happened. Something…unexpected.

When I felt my first game-related emotion.

It was indignation.

I went into the game blind—no reviews, no play-throughs, no guides. I’m kind of an old “back in my day” curmudgeon like that when it comes to games. Just ask my sons, who are pretty sick of hearing me on my little soapbox. I know, I know, things are different now than they were “ten” years ago in the 1980s when we left our Nintendos on overnight because there was no save function. Like I said, curmudgeon.

Story games, though, with branching options fueled by player decisions and consequences, just like those Choose Your Adventure books I gobbled through in my youth?! Well! Who would want spoilers?! It’s like reading ahead in the book! But all of this to say that I was kind of blindsided by the whole romancing thing. M mentioned it. I was excited to choose a vulva. But I had no clue about the mechanics. (hahaha...)

There I was, wandering around the camp, blithely talking to random people and enjoying the festivities when I happened to start talking to Astarion. One thing led to another and I thought to myself, “Zhi is an outlander druid. A country bumpkin from the woods. Probably pretty naïve.”

(As I said, no clue about the mechanics.)

I had been playing her that way, anyway—super goodie two-shoes. Very nearly lawful stupid, which is a weird move for a druid. She responded to whatever he said with something like, “Are you talking about sex?” Astarion laughed and came back with something about having standards before sending her on her way.

Well. Okay, then.

I kinda feel like she was somewhat affronted (or maybe it was me? Maybe I was affronted?), so when Lae’zel approached her directly, "wanting to taste her," it felt like sweet vindication. And when Lae’zel attempted to take control, Zhi I got all dominant and took over the delicious little encounter. Compensating? Hmm...

What an experience, though. I didn’t realize BG3 had options for actual sexy time! It was a pretty good sexy time, actually. Definitely adults only. Lae’zel will forever be my first, and you never forget your first. <3

But that was as far as I got with Zhi. I felt too bad about taking over M’s computer and too claustrophobic in that dark, little alcove. But the memories, now. They were the little seeds that sprung Ayla to life…

A short coda to this detour:

I had no screenshots of Zhi's abbreviated adventure because how was I to know how deeply my obsession would run? (I really should have known how deeply my obsession would run). So I went back to that claustrophobic little corner and after a moment again wondering how on earth M can spend so much time over there, I pulled up the game and loaded Zhi's run-though on the hunt for a good screenshot.

It was so weird--like being in a foreign land, this alternate universe of a world I know so well. I had to follow up with Bae'zel, of course.

Lae'zel: Curious. I took of you completely. Yet your body seems no more worse for wear.

Funny, Bae'zel. That's not how I remember things unfolding. But it's okay, girl. I get it.

As the dialogue progressed, Zhi asked if they could "taste" each other again.

Lae'zel: I'll consider it if I am in need of relief. Until then, I'll enjoy watching you squirm from the anticipation of it.

Oh yes, okay. You'll enjoy a little wiggle here and there, won't you? :)

I couldn't help myself and went over to talk to Zhi-world Astarion, too.

Astarion: I hear you did the deed. How was your little romp?

Of course the sassy man would ask. He didn't think I had it in me! These companions...

Zhi: More than a romp. It was fantastic.

Ha! Now you'll never know what you missed, you pale patronizer, you!

Astarion: You filthy devil! I'm shocked.

I'll bet you are, sassy man. You know what happens when you make an assumption...

[1] Fun fact – one of my alts in World of Warcraft was a hunter named Zhi. I ultimately stopped playing her because kiting is not one of my skills.