Olivia

Utterly disconnected from who she truly is that she’s in an almost constant state of dissociation. She feels nothing, because she can’t afford to. Reduced to nothing but a mindless assassin.

#tavqotd

(1/2) Courage isn’t Courage. She’s Atropos, the name her birth mother gave her. She never got to become the person she truly is. She still grew up in a cult before she was given to the Bhaalists. Punished for singing, her mouth is scared. Yes rarely speaks. She is a shell of herself, so…

Yeah, I figured that out on my second play through, which is the one time I got her. I recruited her on my third, but there’s a narrow window in the ketheric fight where she can still die and I didn’t wanna redo the whole thing. Decided it would just be my canon. Haven’t made it there in current run

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To my shame, I’ve played the game 4 times through and I’ve only saved her once. She always dies for me. 😔. So Courage’s canon is that she’s dead.

In the one AU she isn’t, Courage would politely decline. She’d prefer to focus on her music. Her adventuring days are behind her (she thinks).

#tavqotd

Yes! All of Courage’s family are waiting for her back at her mother’s house in the upper city. They return to her house once the sun sets for Astarion’s safety, and when they arrive, her mother is pacing the porch, agonizing over when she’ll get home. Courage sprints to her arms.

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Yes. To any and all.

Courage has never once met a sweet treat she didn’t like, but she is especially fond of ice cream (rip Courage, you would’ve loved lactaid). She’ll go for a really sweet flavor like strawberry or birthday cake.

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Courage “worships” Pan, god of music and lord of the Fae Wilds. Except, that’s SO formal to him, you know? Nah, he doesn’t really see himself as a god, he’s just Pan. That’s what she calls him. So their relationship is close but casual. He’s more like a weird grandpa.

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Her adoptive mom Syndra. Her hadrosaur Haddy Mae. Girls nights by the fire. Coffee from the press Wakanga gave her. The smell of her shampoo. Her bed! The slender cypress trees that line the courtyard. Sitting by the window with her hookah, blazed, writing a song. Home.

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So, I’ve talked about this a little bit, but one of the influences for Courage was Courage the Cowardly Dog. Then I thought about that quote from the princess diaries. It got me thinking about a character who was a walking ball of fear and anxiety but did the damn thing anyways.

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Courage values authenticity.

Now, I know that Astarion seems like a terrible match in that regard, but while he manipulates her romantically, he himself is very authentic. He doesn’t pretend to be good or kind. He is himself and becomes more so throughout the game.

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Butter and Nutella, all day.

Courage believes you can never have too much butter or sugar.

Dude, can you imagine how excited actual fanboy Astarion Ancunín would be at Mal dressed like that?

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Yes, absolutely. They have a massive fight at one point that I’m still developing and I don’t know how it resolves yet, but for now, a silly answer.

Courage’s horns a massive. Really thick and curled like a ram, and she & Astarion have collided more than once. She’s always mortified.

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I’m working on a fic for this. Courage plays a lot of instruments, including some rare ones. I imagine there’s an organ at the Open Hand Temple, and Astarion notices her eyeing it. After a really hard day, he takes her there. He’s arranged a chance for her to play. Shes thrilled.

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Honestly, music. Like, if she’s on a mission and a street performer is getting it, she’s gonna stop and listen. She can’t help it.

That’s so good!

😂 I love that! Elvish sounds so fast to Courage, she can’t seem to wrap her head around it at first. She picks it up conversationally after a few years with Astarion. She’ll happily practice Sylvan with V, and maybe they can help her with her Elvish.

Common, Infernal, Sylvan, and a few words here and there in Dwarvish and Goblin, thanks to some friends met along the way.

Cool! That’s right, I forgot they’re a sea elf! Courage knows a couple languages, but none of those. Throw on the subtitles (though she might not even need them for Princess Bride), and she’ll gladly watch. Maybe she can pick up a few words!

2/2

Lastly, her past. I explain in depth in my last post, but she was abused and starved growing up, so she understands a lot of what Astarion went through. Not all of it, and he appreciates that she knows that, but on several points he can open up to her and know she gets it.

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1/2

Three things:
1. Her mischievous side
2. Her kindness
3. Her past

She’s a really good person overall, but she’s silly and down for a little trouble. He learns that he can do good by being a little bad, and he loves that! She also shows him a lot of compassion and patience.

What language does Veliss speak?

(5/5) with ascension, her past influences his decision. If Courage walked away completely and still found safety and happiness, maybe he can, too.

(4/?) This moment happens before Astarion’s confession, but it changes everything and makes him realize why they work so well together. Of course she has compassion for his abuse. She’s lived it. Of course she empathizes with his hunger. She knows what it means to starve. And eventually, when faced…

(3/?) even use her words, she just tadpoles the memories to them. She does it in Act 2, after she realizes that her story might help her friends with the future decisions they’ll face. “You d-don’t have to b-become what others want you to b-be. You can w-walk away.”

(2/?) and made to feel bad about herself. The other children in the cult were encouraged to pick on her and beat her up in the hopes it would toughen her up. She had no friends. When she finally does tell the companions the details, they become the only people besides Syndra who know. She can’t…

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CW: abuse, neglect

(1/?) Courage will tell people she was raised in a cult. She’ll tell people she was abused. The details, though? Those stay locked away. She doesn’t like to talk about them at all. But the truth? She was starved as a child as punishment. She was constantly berated…

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Courage grew up in a small, secluded village near Neverwinter. It was more commune than village. It was the home of the Charon, the Cult she grew up in. It was cold, reserved, and practical, no color, no warmth. She hated it. To this day, she dislikes the cold cause it reminds her of home.

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Astarion’s the wised tom cat to Courage’s awkward doe. He’s got the confidence of a cat while she’s got the timid nature of a deer.

Veliss has impeccable taste. Courage’ll bring the popcorn and apologize if she can’t help but quote the whole thing.