#Ketheric @ Durgetash: I hate this.

[feniksido]

The Giant Demigods with loud semi formal speech have cornered the Goth market

[flymmsy]

Ketheric who, unlike Gortash, knows the full extent of what Orin has done to Durge and knows Durge is being experimented on and held captive in Moonrise.

Ketheric who tries to believe that he does not tell Gortash the truth because Gortash doesn’t deserve to know, with his immature pomp and circumstance - always parading around Moonrise like a proud peacock. Ketheric who claims to not tell him because there is work to do and no individual matters, and surely Gortash knows that.

Ketheric who desperately tries to push down the knowledge that he truly does not tell Gortash because Ketheric himself has felt his soul shatter over seeing the love of his life suffer and be powerless to save them. And despite the decades of pain Ketheric has wrought, that is one wound he cannot bear to inflict upon another.

[kawareo]

peepaw and his cringe grandson

update: finished work here!

[truly-sincerely]

Hell Yeah, Footnotes!

I said "most likely", but the fact that Gortash was in the House of Hope for a large part of his childhood and definitely heard all about the Crown of Karsus from Raphael because Raphael is obsessed and then the Dead Three want Gortash and co to go get the Crown?

I am 100% certain that Gortash pitched the idea of using the Crown to Bane and then let the Dead Three take credit for the idea.

They went to the House of Hope before going to Mephistar:

The Absolute tells Durge in Moonrise (if you stick your hand in the crack in the wall) and at the Morphic Pool that it was a willing participant in Durge's plan. Presumably, since Mindflayers don't have souls, Bhaal doesn't care about them in the "kill everyone and then yourself" plan, so it makes sense as an equitable agreement.

Gortash and Ketheric really don't seem to have a single clue what happened to Durge. Ketheric doesn't seem surprised at all when Durge shows up, only annoyed. Gortash looks like he had just assumed that Durge was dead until Orin told him they weren't.

Neither probably ever went into the Myrkul section of the illithid colony (because: ew). Kressa didn't know who Durge was (see also: The Warden saying that their identity was kept secret other than their being a VIP) and Balthazar may have never met them and so couldn't put a face to a name/identity when he saw Kressa's "pet".

Gortash was SO busy after Durge's disappearance. He even went to Waterdeep at some point. He clearly wasn't sleeping much and when he did the Elder Brain was fucking with him. He was doing some really loopy, nonsensical, sleep-deprivation shit. That man was absolutely operating exclusively on uppers, lesser restoration, and avoidance. Don't have to feel feelings if you never stop.

Regarding the Nautiloid grabbing Shadowheart and Lae'zel, I suspect that Shadowheart fled the Astral Plane via a Githyanki portal to somewhere in The Tears (in the vicinity of Creche K'liir) after her team died stealing the Astral Prism. The Nautiloid (piloted by the newly freed Emperor) followed her trail and grabbed her which is how Lae'zel and any Tavyanki got grabbed too.

There isn't really an explanation for Gale being in Baldur's Gate after a year of self-isolating in his tower in Waterdeep, but I guess he was? For some reason? Maybe Mystra sent him there on the down-low? Oh well.

Comprehensive Dead Three Timeline

Obviously there's varying amounts of speculation here, but I believe this is as close to a reasonable order of events as can be achieved with current, in-game information

1460s

Enver Flymm sold to Raphael by his parents, renamed Gortash

Gortash learns about the Crown of Karsus while a prisoner of Raphael

1470s

Gortash escapes the House of Hope

Gortash gets involved with black market arms dealing

Durge begins their serial killing spree in Baldur’s Gate

The Emperor dominates Duke Stelmane

1480s

Gortash establishes a cult of Bane in Baldur’s Gate

Gortash approaches Durge about an alliance

Hall of Wonders test mission - Durge gets Bhaalist memorabilia - Gortash gets a bunch of Gondian designs - Durge & Gortash get companionship

Gortash trades Karlach to Zariel for infernal machinery & iron

Baldur’s Gate’s Beloved Ranger statue goes missing

Gortash recruits Franc Peartree to distribute infernal iron weapons

Gortash moves against the Zhentarim & Knights of the Shield

Wyll Ravengard enters pact with Mizora, leaves Baldur’s Gate

1490s

Dead Three made aware of the Crown of Karsus (most likely informed by Gortash) - Gortash becomes Bane’s Chosen - Durge becomes Bhaal’s chosen - Gortash & Durge are instructed to recruit Ketheric

Gortash tells Durge about the Crown of Karsus

They visit Ketheric and learn of the illithid colony under Moonrise

Gortash & Durge visit the House of Hope (for intel on Mephistar?)

Gortash & Durge raid Mephistar - They get the Crown of Karsus - They get the book on the accelerated grand design

Gortash captures the Emperor

Gortash & Durge return to Moonrise - Their identities are kept secret from Ketheric’s people - Durge impresses the Moonrise Gnolls, but not Steelclaw - Ketheric yells at Durge in the throne room for unknown reason

Durge proposes their plan to the Elder Brain who accepts

Raid on the illithid colony - Durge puts the Crown on the Elder Brain - Orin gets Durge alone during the raid & stabs them in the head - Orin tadpoles Durge, making them the first True Soul - Orin leaves Durge in an illithid pod - Orin tells the Chosen she now speaks for the Temple of Bhaal - Orin likely told Gortash, Ketheric, and Balthazar something vague about Durge’s disappearance being related to Durge’s religious crisis and let their imaginations do the rest

1492

Durge breaks out of their pod & is found by Kressa Bonedaughter

Gortash gets weird and intense with unethical experiments - Some futzing to get the tadpoles to consistently remain in stasis - This is when the name ‘True Souls’ gets coined - Extremely questionable fun with brains - Getting the Absolute’s voice sorted out - Tadpoling his parents - Poorly conceived experiments on children & their parents

Isobel is resurrected by the Dead Three

Minsc captured by Absolutists at recruitment rally in the Undercity

Minthara Baenre is recruited by Orin and Ketheric

Gortash has the Iron Throne converted to hold hostages

Gortash presents prototype Steel Watcher to the city council

Jaheira tracks cult to shadow-cursed land, meets Isobel

Elturel falls into Avernus

The brain sends the Chosen dreams about the Astral Prism

Gortash researches the Prism, finds out that Vlaakith has it

Gortash tells Ketheric to send a team to get the Prism - A nautiloid piloted by the Emperor and other illithid is sent - Kressa’s husband arranged for Durge to be on the nautiloid

Gortash deploys Steel Watch in Lower/Outer City

At this point Elturel is no longer in Avernus

Nautiloid picks up Shadowheart & the Prism from Astral Plane

Nautiloid picks up Lae’zel (?)

Nautiloid picks up Gale (?) & Astarion in Baldur's Gate

Nautiloid picks up Karlach & Wyll in Avernus

Nautiloid crashes, game begins

[theannoyingurge]

On the topic of Durge / Ketheric / Durgetash and how it potentially echoes the lore of the Dead Three...

Back in the mortal adventuring days of the Dark Three, it was originally just two power hungry humans with a common enemy who'd gained respect for one another's capacity for ruthless violence and paired up - not so different from Durge and Gortash.

The duo was comprised of Bane of the Ancients (a former battle slave to a primordial evil from Abeir) and Arabhal (a chief assassin and spymaster from ancient Netheril).

Long before Myrkul joined the party, Bane and Bhaal adventured together seeking power for themselves, plotting to slay Bane's former master and take divinity from Jergal (Bhaal's patron deity). Sort of like how Durge and Gortash were allies before Ketheric joined the cabal. I can see Durgetash plotting to ascend together.

See where I'm going with this?

Anyway, Jergal thought they were neat. He encouraged their antics by blessing them with terrible nightmares and leading them to powerful weapons - most notably, leading them to Myrkul (a crowned price and powerful necromancer). It was Myrkul who finally managed to gain the three access to Jergal's domain, and Jergal really wanted to retire.

I suspect Bane and Bhaal remembered how critical Myrkul had been to their initial ascension, and that was why Ketheric Thorm was eventually looped into their new alliance.

Despite Bhaal and Bane's long history together, something funny happened following their ascension. Suddenly Myrkul and Bhaal have way more in common. Their portfolios make them natural allies. In the Avatars novels, Myrkul actually grieves the death of Bhaal, noting that one could hardly exist without the other, and states that 'amongst all the gods, they were perhaps the closest'.

Which means... Bane isn't Bhaal's favorite anymore. In fact, Bhaal can seriously fuck him up. While Myrkul truly appreciates the lord of death and murder for feeding his kingdom, Bane has as much to fear from Bhaal as to gain from him. (technically Bhaal claims he could starve Myrkul's kingdom, but since he really enjoys killing and hates the living world, Myrkul's kingdom is probably like a vacation home he'd prefer not to burn down.)

What we see after a thousand years or so of this is Bane antagonizing Bhaal every chance he gets, and profiting off every one of his failures. Bhaal picks a fight with the Moonshaes and gets exiled from Toril? Bane sees free real estate and conquers the wreckage. Assassins fail to kill the mortal Midnight (Mystra) and retrieve the tablet of fate during the ToT? Sacrifice them all in a massive death ritual to fuel Bane's new avatar! Bhaal is dead and his remaining loyalists team up with Bane's kid to bully Cyric, who usurped them both? Return in a pillar of fire and annex them into the church of Bane! Sucks to suck, your worshippers are mine now. Again.

I can see a BG3 prologue where Gortash and Durge are super best friends right up until Ketheric Thorm joins the party. I won't get into all the reasons why Ketheric's and Durge's personal issues make them ripe for toxic bonding, but suffice to say that Gortash soon gets jealous of the undead immortal stealing his Bhaalspawn's attention and (whether unwittingly or out of spite) leads Durge down the path to ruin (shooting himself in the foot in the process).

Meanwhile, Bhaal (who has been raging at Bane for stealing his stuff for the last century or two) is now raging at Bane and Myrkul for fighting over that stuff until it physically and mentally snaps and becomes a hero.

Now it's ruined and I have to settle for Orin. Fuck you both.

[animentality]

re: gortash and durge having such a good working relationship. i respect the toxic relationship grind too (and godspeed to all who partake in that durgetash flavour) but i feel like we just.. do not talk enough about how they were BEST friends. utterly and desperately in love with each other too of course, but god they also LIKED each other. admired each other! made up their own secret code to send each other notes! they were spending time together presumably just for fun for years before they even knew ketheric, for years before the dead three set the whole mind flayer thing in motion. when durge went missing, gortash didnt just lose his lover he lost his best friend too. his ONLY real friend, probably. all in one fell swoop. and that’s almost what breaks my heart the most about the whole situation.

(i wonder how long it took gortash to realise he’d fallen in love with his best friend. i wonder if that added any trepidation to it, what with the risk of destroying their friendship if durge doesn’t feel the same way.. i’m unwell)

see, i love toxic ships too, but durgetash is so special to me, because it's the inverse of toxic villain ships.

it's not just "oh they're villains who HATE EACH OTHER and FUCK and have a power imbalance/struggle that makes them compelling," although i do love that dynamic myself.

it's "we are the most evil people alive, who are incapable of feeling empathy...except, at the end of the day, we are still, somehow, human. we still NEEDED someone who could understand us. we killed and we tortured and we maimed, and somehow, in spite of it all, we still found kinship, camaraderie, and love, even if it was in the most wicked of places."

the perseverance of the human heart, in spite of all the brambles and thorns.

that's durgetash.

i don't think that they're a vanilla ship, or an edgy ship. i think they're both. i think they're neither.

you can read death and despair and tragedy in them, or you can read this oddly uplifting wholesomeness to them.

it doesn't matter. it's just a perfect ship, with so much potential.

i'm holding it in my hands like sand holds the waves.

[enchanted-by-the-reaper]

Idk if this is a spicy enough idea for headcannons/fics but I LOVE third wheel ketheric with durgetash. I just love the idea of him hopeless trying to conduct a meeting and gortash/durge 100% not interested. I always liked the idea of durgetash making out and ketheric drinking his way through the interaction or him avoiding them yet stumbling upon them in a hallways at moonrise tower. Ketheric done with them and just not holding back his sass or words towards how much he hates them being obsessed with each other then the plan (yet the plan somehow keeps going smoothly).

YESSSS Ketheric would be so over them, mans is just trying to make a battle plan and Durgetash is just making out right in front of his salad.

I may or may not have an interaction like this written into my fic but who knows… 👀

[devotedlystrangewizard]

i am a durgetash girlie through and through dont get me wrong i love these freaks i think about them too much even now. but the begrudging respect the durge wouldve had for ketheric pre amnesia. heres the durge they are destined to kill everyone. heres a guy whos unkillable. they work together now. did the durge try to figure out how to kill him despite the alliance. they couldve straight up torn him to shreds the way the game literally tells you theyre imagining in the throneroom, and we wouldnt know.

im just saying theres potential for some crazy psychosexual violence here

actually ketheric is such a good foil for the dark urge and it will make me a little insane

[hootshooligan]

gimme those gortash, isobel, and raphael opinions 👁️👁️

character bingo !! these were good ones to give me because I don't think I talk about any of them that much when they're all pretty important to my character's backstories HAHA

Gortash. I hate him (affectionate) - I agree with your opinion about him. He's deplorable but I can also sympathize with him. I want to shake him around in a little jar and then send Karlach to kill him with hammers. I love villains that are terribly pitiful and comically evil and he checks off both of those boxes. I'm too am a casual durgetash enjoyer despite not shipping my own durge with him (at least in the Main Universe where she's not evil).

Isobel!!! I have brainworms about Ketheric so I have brainworms about Isobel by proxy. I relate HEAVY to the experience of remembering the good parts of a parent and feeling like they Love You and still having to reconcile that they've done horrible things to you and the people around you and knowing they can't be a part of your life anymore for your own sake. AUGH. I also relate to. the lesbianism

Raphael. I hate him (derogatory) - unsurprising that he's the only character who doesn't have a bingo. no hate to Raphael fans but I genuinely find him SO annoying. He insists that he's an invaluable ally but he does little to help you throughout the entire game; it feels like he's just betting on you being both stupid and stupidly desperate - which is fair enough, considering you'd have to be both of those things to make a deal with him, but I don't feel like you ever get to that point of hopelessness in the game unless you never discover you can steal the Orphic Hammer. I know why people find him attractive but I don't GET it (still respect it, though!)

If he wasn't intrinsically tied to Muldred's backstory I probably wouldn't think about him all that much. I like the infernal bard thing he has going on, though (used to be a stagehand and lightboard operator at my local theater so I'm a sucker for theater stuff)

[yeetmeoutthewindowdaddy]

Quit messaging me with your fake sob stories asking for money, I will report and block you. I'm not sending money to a stranger over the internet. Using the tragedies of real people to scam for money is vile and you should be ashamed of yourselves. Fucking scumbags.

I'm over 21 and my blog isn't blank, please just let me devour your headcanons for my current fandom hyperfixation.

If you know me IRL, you don't. (Please never mention the contents of this blog to me or anyone else. This blog was supposed to be my anonymous shame blog.)

THIS BLOG IS NSFW/18+

This whole blog needs a spoiler warning.

I post almost exclusively about BG3.

I decided to throw some of my own ideas at the wall, if you would like to see what sticks my master list is under the cut. (It's a mix of shitposts, fanfictions, character analyses, lore breakdowns, headcanons, simping, and horny posting.)

I have a memory worse than a goldfish. I will reblog the same posts multiple times, sometimes multiple times a day an hour. 😥

If I've spammed your notifications by mass liking your posts.

(I don't really understand how tumblr works, and most of the time I'm using it through a web browser on my old/kind of shitty new and confusing phone.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Master list:

Characters are indexed in the order that I made posts about them in; with their respective posts listed from oldest to newest, top down.

A link with a * at the end is a link which has multiple instances on this list, but is under a (slightly) different name.

A link with a ^ at the end is a link which has multiple instances on this list under the same name.

A link with a 🔥 at the end contains smut or NSFW/18+ content.

DND:

Homebrew:

Homebrew tabaxi ability

Lore:

Elven naming conventions (ft. Halsin's name etymology)*

Everybody hates tieflings (ft. Zevlor)

Elturel's history and culture, the Hellriders (ft. Zevlor)

Where a tiefling's scent gland would be located

Deneir's dogma and cool IRL history

Tiefling lovers PSA

BG3:

Gale:

Playboy Gale

Gale has daddy issues updated

Gale cucked Gortash*

Gale has a large... vocabulary🔥

A Rose by any other name

Gale's hot wife

Zevlor:

Psychoanalyzing the characters I simp for

Shopping bags

"Cat" dad Zevlor

Science rat

Vein thirst post🔥

Caging Zevlor during his rut🔥

A deep dive into Zevlor's devotion series master list (incomplete)

Using Zevlor as a chew toy

Love is an open wound^

Grandpa is too strong

Zevlor's breeding kink, horse girl edition (NOT bestiality or pony play)🔥

What Zevlor once was

Scent glands🔥

A thirsty Zevlor ask that went angsty🔥

Gortash:

Monster fucker Gortash

The dark urge to simp for Gortash

Psychoanalyzing the characters I simp for (Part 2)

Durgetash Daddy Issues🔥

Gortash cucked by Gale*

Durgetash is drowning

How in the hell you spell chauffeur? (comic request)

Monster fucker lover Gortash ft. Ketheric

Gortash spoiles Durge

Durgetash intrigue

Astarion:

Worm love

NSFW fluffy Astarion HC🔥

A cursed thought that should've stayed in my head🔥

Sassy Astarion

Rolan:

Sibling bonding time

Rolan's name etymology

Tsundere Rolan master list🔥 (ongoing)

Sub Rolan🔥

Rolan's performance issues (Part 1)

Love is an open wound^

Rolan's Tav^🔥

How Rolan got his nickname

Rolan's puppy dog eyes

Rolan's nickname

Angst potential

Rolan's performance issues (Part 2)🔥

Rolan's lisp

Rolan's lisp headcanons🔥

Rolan and sorcerer Tav imagine

Wholesome Rolan lisp idea

Rolan mod request

Princess Bride AU

Throne thirst

Glow sticks

Halsin:

Halsin's name etymology, and Elven naming conventions*

Halsin can't catch a break

Halsin's in-game stats, how Larian did Halsin dirty

Multiple characters:

Ranking camp companions on their childrearing abilities (Astarion, Wyll, Halsin, Gale, Shadowheart, Lae'zel, Karlach, Minthara, Mizora, Withers, Volo, Jaheira, Minsc and Boo)

Troubleshooting a PC updated (Zevlor, Dammon, Rolan)

Accidental BG3 shitpost

Tav:

Rolan's Tav^🔥

Other shit:

An unfortunate side effect of being in the BG3 fandom🔥

Possible Geraldus IRL actors

A dress Lae'zel would tolerate wearing

A dress for Selunite Shadowheart

[wafflerageface]

Cue the boss music! I may have fallen asleep as I was typing this yday, apologies lmfao

For the 1st past life ask game, number 3 and 9?

Bruh I was just doing a little Sun Haven with the wife and suddenly drums started playing 😭 there’s so many asks in my inbox 😈 I’m so excited. For ease and fun, I will be answering these with my main two durges. Aria, who is Durgetash Bhaalspawn, and Fallon, who is the actual Durge of the story.

3) When Sceleritas fetched them from their home what did they do during the journey?

Aria was very young when she first came to the temple and was accompanied by her mother as well, which kept the trip rather uneventful. She wasn’t overly concerned with where they were going because mommy was there, but Sceleritas did scare the fuck out of her. She hates him. He’s creepy and feels malicious. She spent most of the journey curled up with mom or hiding behind her, refusing to acknowledge the creature. Unfortunately when they arrived at the temple, she was expected to undergo the bhaalist test, and was forced to kill her own mother. She was only six, and understandably terrified. Nezryn ended up stepping in to help guide her, thus leading her into her life of murder.

Fallon was older than most of the others when they joined the temple. Much older. She was twelve when she awoke one morning to find she had killed her adoptive parents in her sleep. She was confused and in hysterics. She had grown up next door to a retired paladin that treated her like his own granddaughter. He was the entire reason she liked swords. But when she went to him for help his auras had already told him what she was. Sceleritas showed up in time to save her, killing the old paladin, which only distressed her more. Despite this, she felt a sense of endearment towards him for protecting her and helping her through such a difficult and confusing time. Their trip was relatively peaceful. No guards came searching for them. The only thing of note that happened were a few of Sceleritas’ impromptu learning sessions where he taught her about the urges and how to satisfy them, instructing her to pick off lone travellers or the occasional homeless person.

9) What would a typical Chosen meeting with the Dead Three have looked like while Durge was in attendance?

Things get slightly complicated here, because the plan was somewhat Enver’s when it came to taking over Baldur’s Gate, but the brain and everything that followed, making him Archduke, was Aria. She had been given to Enver to be a personal bodyguard, as well as an assassin should he need one, so it gave her special privileges. She attended the meetings with the others and typically kept close to Enver. During the first few meetings she remained professional, acted a way befitting a bhaalist, and she generally helped keep the group on topic. During this time Ketheric admired her and even developed a more fatherly relationship with her. As the relationship with Enver developed she focused less on being proper and there ended up being more than a few meetings where she would end up in his lap, they would start flirting, or Enver would be turned on by her intellect and get way too handsy. Either way, a lot of meetings began ending early because Kerheric did not wanna watch them fuck nasty over their war table.

Fallon attended the meetings to perform a more perfunctory role. She was there to be seen as Bhaal’s Chosen, but she had little input to give to the planning, and really didn’t care much about her required roles so long as Bhaal was placated. She gave Aria the Crown and had her take on the role of the Absolute, the crowning of the brain. She spent most meetings note taking for the group, listening, and occasionally telling off Enver for being too horny on main for her sister.

This was so fun to answer and holy *fuck* there’s so many left to go!!! I’ll get to them as I can throughout the week. Thank you so much!

[durge-marzio]

3, 4, 21! lets hear some music

oh, hell yes for these! i love you for this one! music is my love language!

3) What song describes your OC?

CHOICES, CHOICES! I'm going to have to go with End of the Contender by Everything Everything (Everything Everything my beloved). That or Paint the Town Blue by Ashnikko

Spotify | Youtube 2. Spotify | YouTube

Here's Marzio's whole playlist, but I haven't organized it in months, so the lore order is all messed up.

4) What song describes your OC and their partner/love interest?

This one's hard. Most songs I have are from Gortash's perspective. I think You Were Bigger Than Life by Shook is a bittersweet one for Marzio's perspective on loving Gortash.

Spotify | YouTube

Honorable Mentions:

Blood - Azari -> Spotify | Youtube (lyrics)

RUNRUNRUN - Dutch Melrose -> Spotify | YouTube

Suki Suki Daisuki - Caitlin Meyers -> yes, sorry. it's the english one specifically (Spotify | Youtube)

Actually, here's just my whole ass Durgetash playlist. Go crazy, go wild

And if you're here for the GaleXMarzio -> their asses are BettyXSimon coded so you get Everything In Me by Half Shy (Spotify | YouTube)

21) What song best describes their relationship with their enemy?

Depending on the point in time, he has three greatest enemies:

Ketheric: Smells Like Blood - Kensuke Ushio (Spotify | Youtube)

He just hates Ketheric's guts

Orin: Dogmatic - femtanyl (Spotify | YouTube | lyrics)

I gotta warn you! This is a very violent song (both in lyrics & instrumental). Explanation for this song under the cut!

Bhaal: ABSOLUTE - Shwabadi, LongestSoloEver (Spotify | YouTube)

Pitted against his sister really struck a cord after her death.

I think I got all those links right.

I chose Dogmatic for Marzio's struggle with Orin, because the majority of the lyrics are filled with rage. Hopefully, after my graduation, I'll have more time to dedicate art to their dynamic.

But the end of song lyrics are:

I WILL BE IN LOVE FOREVER CAUSE IM GONNA DIE TONIGHT. SO PLEASE JUST HOLD ME ONE LAST TIME. BEFORE I BLOOM INTO A FLOWER OF FLESH AND SAY GOODBYE.

Transformation complete. You are now, as you once were. Beautiful. You are. Dogmatica.

Because Marzio got the luxury of amnesia, in his case, he wouldn't have understood the level of brainwashing Orin went through until it was too late. The lyrics would reflect his final thoughts towards her as they are forced to fight to the death (or Orin's final thoughts, if you want to see it that way too).

[theannoyingurge]

Playing with the idea that none of the bg3 villains are fully honest with Durge. Everyone is hiding some piece of the puzzle and happy to abuse the amnesia situation to their advantage. 'Cept Kressa. She's psycho, but she's an honest psycho. In another life, we might have been friends.

Edit: part 2 here

Ketheric is the first, most obvious example of this. He doesn't even bother to inform the other Chosen you've reappeared. (Myrkul is the god of exhaustion, so this tracks.)

Balthazar also 100% recognizes you and also doesn't even bother. To him, your amnesia means no tedious reunions with annoying Bhaalspawn who are big mad that he stole their brother's name and rib bones.

The Emperor is sometimes overlooked when piecing together Durge's history, but he admits to knowing your past if you reject him in Act 3 (stating "I know everything about you" while threatening to turn you into a puppet like Duke Stelmane). Whether or not he's posturing, he should at least be aware of your past with Gortash, considering you helped kidnap him in the first place. For evidence, see Gortash's interrogation notes, which open with "When we captured you". (Sure, this could refer to Orin, but I simply do not see these two working as a highly functional team. More on this and the timeline below the cut.) Naturally, despite traveling together for months, The Emperor wouldn't want to fill any gaps in your memory that might cast doubt on his trustworthiness or help align you with his enemy.

The Absolute might be lying about respecting you/your plan and preferring you over your replacement. I am of two minds about this. If you were attacked immediately after crowning the brain, there should be no basis for a preferential relationship. In that case, the brain is just stroking your ego and need for approval. However, I have doubts about Durge being taken down during the initial raid.** I think some time must have passed after crowning the Absolute, giving it the chance to develop a working relationship with you that it lacked with the other Chosen, which caused everything to fall apart after you were tadpoled. This also buys us time to kidnap the Emperor and bring it under the Absolute's thrall as described in Gortash's interrogation notes.

**Some of Gortash's other notes claim Durge was lost during the first raid, but his journals are full of contradictions. He leaves the House of Hope out of his memoirs entirely. He seemingly retcons history to present himself in a more favorable light, which probably includes intentionally diminishing the work of his allies (or erasing the painful memory of his nearest and dearest). In any interpretation, the brain definitely hates Gortash the most, and that's good enough for me.

Orin and Gortash paint somewhat conflicting pictures of you pre-tadpole. The difference here might be genuine (the honest perspectives of a little sister vs a business partner or lover) or it could be a manipulative game of tug of war over your budding and impressionable self image.

Now, I like Durgetash - but I like every possible interpretation of these assholes, not just the mutually reciprocated and/or sexy ones. It's conceivable to me that Gortash may have discovered Durge's crush on him via the Prayer for Forgiveness and played up their history in Act 3 as a defensive measure. Maybe Gortash always knew of Durge's feelings and used them to his advantage (Orin outright tells you this, but again, nobody listens to Orin. Sorry sis).

It's also conceivable that he knew Durge was the first to be tadpoled, considering how close their pod was to his workbench. The brain was given orders to transform the party (that were resisted several times), so Gortash's surprise that Durge still lives makes sense, assuming he even knew Durge was with them (he doesn't seem to be checking the scrying eyes at all. What kind of loser tyrant ignores his own surveillance system? I digress). His general relief and preference for them over Orin is also still valid. (I imagine he feels something along the lines of Durge being the one who got away, you don't know what you've got until it's gone, etc etc. Cue hysterical bonding as the long lost love of his life waltzes into his coronation covered in blood to save him from their psychotic sister and the poorly housetrained Netherbrain they left him full custody of. Yes he wanted full custody, but still.)

Puppy eyes aside, Gortash is a blackhearted pragmatist (he will turn on Durge if they give him the stones) and progress is progress. The first True Soul was an incredible breakthrough, and the show must go on. So just imagine the bricks he's shitting in Act 3 if Durge comes back and remembers the Wrong Things from before the nautiloid. What if they want revenge on him? Nope, not good at all. Best to position himself as Durge's only friend and most trustworthy partner. Regardless of how well he treated them before, Durge was willing to piss off Bhaal to spare his life. That's an extremely useful vulnerability right now, because he's about to ask them to do it again!

Lastly, I have no proof, but I strongly suspect that Sceleritas is fibbing about Durge's past as well. Partly because the Slayer form is severely disappointing in-game and canonically excrutiatingly painful, despite Fel claiming you've always wanted it. It honestly sounds like a way to sell an unwanted used car back to it's amnesiac owner who failed to appreciate it before. Bhaal isn't a full deity any longer, so take what you're given (and you'd better damned well like it!) I also call bullshit on tossing a coin to a beggar being the "worst" crime Durge ever committed against Bhaal (*ahem* looking at you, Gortash). Some dialogue with the Oathbreaker Paladin suggests we've tried somewhat consistently to be good in the past, and Sceleritas has a vested interest in making Durge worse, not planting noble ideas in their freshly lobotomized murder-happy brain.

[bg3-brainwormed]

more details on "Tav" please

Anon, I don't know who you are, but you have MADE MY DAY.

First off, you may already know this, but for those who don't - My Tav is from my fic "How to Save the World (one companion at a time)" on ao3.

This does, unfortunately, mean that some things shouldn't be revealed just yet. Which has me gnawing on the bars of my enclosure but alas, such is life. But! There is plenty of non-plot relevant information that I can share, only some of which has been revealed in the fic thus far. (As of chapter 8.)

The Basics

Pre-Nautiloid, "Tav" was also known as The Dark Urge, chosen of Bhaal. Yes, my Tav is just a Durge in disguise.

Tav, short for Tavern, short for Tavernus. ...It's a long story. (See white text/first paragraph in "History" and white text/last paragraph in "Present Day" for details.)

Lawful Evil pre-Nautiloid, Chaotic Neutral after

Chosen of Bhaal -> Chosen of Jergal -> Currently ???

Wild Magic Sorcerer

...has always had an interest in music (eventual Bard dual-class)

He/They, transmasc build 3

Not a dragonborn, not a drow, but a secret third thing. They are more drow than anything else, though. (see: Appearance)

Demi-aroace, eventual QPR with the companions. Loves all their companions equally.

However, did have a situationship with Halsin in another life and used to be closest to Gale (see: fic context/present day).

Past Durgetash (future ??? due to ~spoilers~)

Uncanny valley but cute about it. More creature than "human" in actions and somewhat in appearance. Has vocal mimicry skills. Can change sex and minor physical characteristics at will.

Still a cannibal

Hates the majority of the gods and general divinity. Jergal is one of the few who gets a pass.

Honorable mentions include Eilistraee and Loviatar.

Trust, Self-worth, and Abandonment issues. Tries to do the right thing, but their version of the right thing can be... interesting. Also quick to give up on doing the "right thing," especially when someone they care about is in danger.

And most importantly: Ride or die personified

I haven’t been able to find the right mods to make their appearance accurate in-game, but scroll to the end for a wip sketch of what they actually look like.

Now, a read-more. Because oh, is there more.

History/Pre-Nautiloid

They only ever went by "The Dark Urge" before meeting Gortash. Their Unholy Father forbid them from using any other name. It was Gortash who suggested their other names:

Durge (pet name/teasing)

Dark (The Dark Urge, just... without The Urge. Only Gortash was allowed to call them this, though Orin, Ketheric, and Sceleritas all learned it in time. Their 'truest' name.)

Tav (an alias for the outside world)

Keeping in mind that they age like a drow -

Their very early childhood is a blur, spent wandering the planes, fae wild, and Underdak as more creature than thinking being. Eventually, they were found and captured by a group of drow at age 13. They were brought back to Menzoberranzan to serve the group's House.

They were treated less like a person and more like a pet/weapon due to their... abnormalities (see Appearance) and the way they grew up. Was taught language, the lyre, and various fighting styles as part of their role as entertainment. Learned magic on their own. Their only saving grace was having a "female" body and thus some measure of worth. They also hated every moment of it. Hated being the Matron's "tamed beast," hated having to stick to one form/being seen as female, hated the whole society.

When they turned 24, Sceleritas appeared to them the first time and began telling them of Bhaal, promising them freedom and bloody vengeance, etc. The ability to do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted forever.

They resisted only because they had several friends among the fellow servants, but they eventually disappeared one by one. Some were sacrificed, some killed or sold, others bought into the society and religion that Tav hated.

Eventually, the person they were closest to betrayed their trust and revealed to the Matron that they were learning magic in secret. The Matron planned to have their magic sealed and threatened with further punishments, etc.

At the betrayal of one of the few they had left, they snapped and slaughtered the whole House. They have no memory of that night and don't know what happened to their former friend, but don't regret it.

Sceleritas then guided them to Baldur's Gate, where they took up their role as Chosen of Bhaal and began leading the cult age 30. They also learned how to shift sexes and minor characteristics (hair color, etc.) at will, though that was the extent of their ability. Have since spent ??? years loyally following Bhaal and growing the cult.

They tended to give into the Urge very easily but was also very loyal to their people. This led them to gain better control over The Urge, as they had to learn how to direct it away from "their people," much to Bhaal's ire. However, it also put them at odds with Orin after Sarevok began influencing her, as she would just as easily sacrifice a cultist as a stranger.

They also had a soft spot for animals and was often punished for sparing them, feeding the stray cats, etc. Was always a bit sad when The Urge took over and killed them, but followed their Father unquestioningly nonetheless.

Joined forces with Gortash and eventually Ketheric to enact the Absolute Plan. Their own motivations? Their relationship with Gortash? Etc.? To be revealed later, I'm afraid.

They did, however, have fun breaking into Mephistopheles' palace. Absolutely vandalized the fuck out of it on the way out, unknowingly gaining Raphael's regard. They also have plans to kick a certain gnome into either Cania or Menzoberranzan.

And then Orin happened.

Fic Context/Present Day

The first time around after waking up on the nautiloid, everything went to shit. All of their companions (except Halsin, Jaheira, and Minthara) got 'bad endings.' They had been closest to Gale due to their shared curiosity and distrust of the gods, but had not romanced anyone. Had, however, shared a night or two with Halsin, and were in a situationship with him.

The loss that hurts them the most are Gale and Karlach, partially because he thought he could save both of them.

With Karlach, he had thought they had more time, had tried to convince her they could go to Avernus together. In the end, she died too soon for either option.

With Gale, they had grown concerned about the Crown after watching everyone else become corrupted or die and begged Gale to leave it be. He agreed... only to go around behind their back and fix the Crown for himself, disappearing one day without a word. Tara was the one who broke the news to them and thereby pushed them off the edge into a downward spiral.

Before Everything Went to Shit, they also got rather close to "Withers," becoming his Chosen after rejecting Bhaal and taking on a role similar to Arabella's with him. At the 6-month reunion, Withers finds them near the river, mourning the version of their friends they once knew. He gives them the chance for a second try, but only at a "cost."

Tav doesn't know what the cost is, partially because Withers - of course - didn't explain shit, and partially because they're an amnesiac twice over now.

They woke up on the nautiloid with no memories of either past. Additionally, Withers made some... modifications... when he sent them back. On the bright side, they still have access to some of their powers and subconscious manipulation of the tadpole. On the downside, ???

All they have are half-forgotten instincts and faded memories to guide them. They don't know their own name, who they are, or what happened to them, but they do know that these strangers they keep meeting, these broken companions they've gathered? They're worth everything, and they'll do anything - become anything - to protect them. They have also adopted Us and will beat the ass of anyone who even thinks about hurting their creepy little Friend.

I'm sure none of this will have any consequences whatsoever.

Meanwhile, regarding names -

Of the memories Withers yoinked, he also took Tav's names - besides The Dark Urge, that is. However, they have an instinctive hatred of that name - especially after it tried to convince them to kill Gale and Astarion - so they decided to drive me mad by going nameless for the first 8 chapters. Astarion has been internally calling them "Horns" (see: Appearance).

Eventually, the companions came together to try and help them pick a name. One of the ones Gale offered was "Tav." Shadowheart jokingly asked if it was short for "Tavern," and Astarion, who is half-convinced Tav is a demon and just doesn't remember it, replied that "Tavernus" was more likely. Lae'zel approved of a powerful name inspired by the hells, and the group devolved into teasing and debating about it.

Tav found the situation so funny that they decided to keep all three names as a reminder of their companions and new purpose.

Appearance

Unlike the Default Durge we all know and love, Tav is not Dragonborn. ...Not entirely, at least.

I am of the firm belief that nothing created from the flesh of the murdergod will be a plain or straightforward anything. Bhaal has too many doppelgangers and Slayer-shifters and just straight up shapeshifters in his bloodline for me to believe Durge would JUST be a dragonborn, etc.

For this Urge, that manifested a couple ways. First, as mentioned previously, they can change genders and minor things like hair color at will. However, unlike Orin who can shapeshift into anything, they were "born" puzzle-pieced together and permanently stuck that way.

Tav is a dragon/tiefling/drow chimaera, created by Bhaal getting a little too over-eager in unmodded character creation. Their base is a drow, but they also have dragon horns and scale patches from default durge. Their tail is scaled and overall shaped like a dragonborns, but also tipped like a tiefling's. Their eyes are tiefling's and they have natural fire resistance.

Along with these come claws and fangs/sharpened teeth, though both can be changed to "regular" form at will. Tav doesn't actually know this one yet and has only subconsciously activated them once.

Since I haven't been able to find mods that can give them horns, fangs, and/or a tail in drow form, their screenshots only have their base form + transmasc mod. I do have a WIP character sheet for them, but have only had time for a quick sketch so far.

[animentality]

ketheric hating durgetash is like that one meme with ted from scrubs:

Ketheric: I am totally over the death of my wife. Yep, totally over it.

Z’rell: Sir, we found you throwing rocks at Gortash and Durge in the park.

Ketheric with his head in his hands: Why should they be happy?!?!

Ketheric: The rock throwing was coincidental with the anniversary of my wife's death. I also only burned down Gortash's house because I was drunk, not because I was sad and drunk and I saw he and the Dark Urge were living together for some fucking reason, as if you can domesticate a bhaalspawn. I also wasn't the one who buried the Dark Urge's clothes and weapons in the shadow cursed lands because they left them strewn around moonrise like the fucking whore they are. That was someone else, not on my orders. I get a long just fine with my coworkers. Stop talking to me, go torture someone.

[animentality]

I joke about Ketheric hating durgetash.

He probably just didn't care though. He's too busy being sad that Isobel won't return his calls. Gortash is sitting in the Dark Urge's lap across from him at the meeting table and he's just writing another letter to her and only looks up occasionally to ask if either of them knows what kids these days are into.