#Let's just shove a tadpole in people's brains and call it a day

[y-rhywbeth2]

...starting to dawn on me why the Chosen decided to utilise an army of mind control squids for world domination. Tadpoles, erasure of identity, and hive minds are fast and efficient, as these things go.

The job of the High Primate is managing the entire Bhaalist church in a region (in the case of the region around Baldur's Gate that should be the Western Heartlands) and trying to bring these regions under Bhaalist control. Bhaal having been out of commission for a good century (and the Gate being the only place known to have a temple), there's a lot of room for growth. Like, you're starting basically from scratch with the world's least useful sycophantic butler, a brainwashed half-brother, maybe a decrepit ex-priest or two at risk of keeling over from old age, and your niece (who hates you), and any overly excited serial killers you can find who are up for a new religion.

You'd be looking at pinning down Baldur's Gate first (that'll take at least a few years). Maybe using the Brethren of the Keen Strike to start spreading influence amongst the smaller, less important settlements and locations in the immediate region like Beregost (and Candlekeep maybe?)

But you're going to want to seize influence in Elturgard (Torm is their favourite god; good luck with that) and Najara (infiltrating a yuan-ti cult with another cult: good luck with that.). You might also be attempting to manipulate the elves of Evereska (they won't like that very much either).

And that's an insane amount of work. Except it's actually worse! Because Bhaal's instructions weren't just "I'm putting you in charge of my church in this region and want this area brought to heel."

Bhaal: I am making you my Chosen and High Primate, my prophet, the leader of my reborn faith, and my avatar upon this world.

Durge: So you want me to bring the entire Western Heartlands under your influence?

Bhaal: No.

Bhaal: The Entire World.

Durge, screaming internally: And how soon do you want this accomplished, Father?

Bhaal: Quickly.

Gortash probably has a similar job, but as a Banite I suppose world domination schemes are a hobby of his. I wonder how many schemes they went through before they decided on mind flayer empire, and who had the idea?

On the bright side, once you'd finished expanding your power far enough and have multiple temples and can start appointing individual Primates and Primistresses to manage them, you can make Orin Primistress of Baldur's Gate and she can kick you out of her room and maybe hate you a little less. (Well, no, but it might make things a little calmer while she plots against you? Or she'll shank you for presuming to "give her" the temple she sees as hers already.) Clergy usually live in the temples, and Bhaal's temples are described as fortresses that house the assassins: I think Orin lives in the temple too. Pretty sure she was born there. From her perspective you are very much freeloading in her house.