#and durge's road is a grim one

[maegalkarven]

My favorite aspect of "nature vs nurture" with Dark Urge is what it's both why Durge was Like That.

It was both nature (a pureblood bhaalspawn) and nurture (Sceleritas and Bhaal's teachings).

Durge was born into their role of prodigal murderer AND nurtured into it.

Which makes the defying Bhaal so much interesting because at the beginning of the game it's a battle against nature (dark urge) but the lack of previous teachings. So Durge is a clean slate trying to battle their very own origin.

And after the temple, after Durge defying Bhaal and being resurrected, it...reverses.

Because there is no dark urge in them anymore, no Bhaal's unholy blood.

BUT there's nurture. The glimpses of the memories of the person they once were, the eerie familiarity of it, body and mind acting without thought and slipping into old habits. Most of Durge's memories are lost, but they have recovered enough for their raising and past habits to affect them now. And so it's a battle against nurture now, to be different than you used to be, was raised to be.

[sorcerous-caress]

I don’t know if you already answered a similar question but do you have any thoughts on Alfira? I was just thinking about how much it sucks that she’s not a companion. Could’ve had Lakrissa as a camp follower for a double wammy (wammie?idk)

She feels like a Mcguffin that was specifically made for Durge. The game was originally ment to be played as The dark urge like all the previous Baldur's Gate games where you are always a bhaalspawn, but they made a Tav option instead and I think that was a good decision.

In an unintentional way she is interesting because she is the only character who breaks away from the time loop in a second playthrough. You play as Tav and see this cute tiefling with the most heartfelt song, you can be kind and she is thankful, you can be cruel but honest and she admits you sound like her old teacher but you are right.

You keep remeeting her, keep saving her indirectly and view her journey. Much like Barcus except she has no ultimate showdown climax. Her sole purpose is to get to Baldur's gate and start a music school for bards, that's exactly what she does all by herself as long as you're there to pave the road for her from monsters.

Then, next playthrough, it's Durge, and you're surprised when she comes back to camp. You expected the characters to remain consistent with their plots, but she takes initiative in a timeloop. It's like the ghost of her previous life in the Tav save is giving her courage.

Her music is phenomenal, a lot of videogames gloss over actually putting in effort when it comes to ingame bards or music that aren't for background or credits. I'm glad they didn't cut corners around Alfira because her song left me in actual awe and was the best ever way to get me attached to this one tiefling.

She is a symbol of hope in a way, to sing amdist the war, to love amdist the chaos, to hope for a better future amdist ths shadows. She is what proof there is the tieflings have humanity in their ancestory, she is what sets tieflings apart from devils.

I was looking forward to meeting her in each act, especially when she takes the children singing after Mol gets kidnapped. That moment really resonated with me. No one else treats these kids as kids, all other adults are busy fighting and surviving so these kids are expected to grow up fast and fend for themselves. Wipe their own tears and tend to their own heartaches.

Not Alfira, she still saw them as children and comforted them with her music. She still kept this facade of hope that we keep around children during times of peace even when she knew that they weren't buying it.

She feels completely out of place in a beautiful way, a reminder of what you're fighting for. Of why you're trying so hard for these tieflings, of just how cruel the dead three can be.

Because it's easy to get lost in the big picture, the battle of gods, the chaos of arhchamges the, befalling of a vampire lord. Alfira is the single drawn flower in the corner of a grim painting that makes you reconsider your position in the grand nothingness of it all, make you realise how small every person is.

In baking, even with cakes you add salt to them to make the sweetness pop out more. That feels true with Alfira and I'm happy she got her deserved ending with Lakrissa. They are as normal and average as normal can be, and in a world of gods and devils, that's as beautiful as love can get.

I would've loved her as a camp follower too, not a companion no, I don't want her on the battlefield. But maybe she can stay back at camp and give us once a day free inspiration dice to use. Or maybe act as the music ingame changer? Like in Hades the videogame, you can rescue Orpheus and he is the only playing music and singing in the "camp" or home. You can talk to him and ask him to play specific songs or strum differently, it's pretty nice and would've made the camp feel a little more personalised.

[wanderingnork]

For the companion!tav asks: 1,4, 5 general, 10 and 11 story, 1 romance

General

1. Where can your Tav be recruited? Are they first encountered on the Nautiloid, or in the Nautiloid crash region? Or are they not recruitable until a later act?

You'll be able to recruit her in the Nautiloid crash region! I went in depth in another ask meme months ago, but she'll be found defending tiefling refugees near the Risen Road, and recruiting her will require helping her shepherd them in more or less one piece to the Emerald Grove.

4. What sort of general actions raise or lower their approval?

Keeping promises, even at cost to yourself. Taking the more assertive option in hostile interactions. Going out of your way to serve and protect others even if it slows you down.

5. Are there any instances where your Tav can permanently leave the party, depending on player character actions?

Act 1, side with the Absolute and she's gone. In Act 3, if you're playing a durge and you accept Bhaal, she'll walk out. A paladin serving good gods, no matter how tolerant she is of her often-questionably-ethical companions, just can't maintain that association.

Story

10. How do they react if the PC licks the dead spider in the Gauntlet of Shar?

"WHAT are you doing??? No!! That's disgusting!!"

11. What do they say if the PC tries to force them to go up on stage with Dribbles the Clown?

"All right. I'm already surrounded by clowns in this party anyway." (With a very affectionate tone.) She won't disapprove of being asked.

Romance

1. Is your Tav a romanceable character? Are there any specific requirements to romancing them?

Of course she is! A player character who persistently chooses generous, kind options (with NPCs and companions) will catch her eye and at some point in Act 1 a suggestive conversation will trigger. She'll approach the player during a long rest after the goblin camp is dealt with to initiate a proper romance. You can expect the full trappings of chivalry here. Your hand Will be kissed. In Act 3 if you keep it going, she'll 100% swear a proper oath to you for full knight points.

As far as requirements--she doesn't have a particular dark secret or grim past, but she does come packaged with an oath of devotion. That doesn't mandate a strict set of choices--you as the player could certainly make decisions that would violate her oath if she personally made the call--but it does mandate a specific standard of behavior. If you prove to be someone who breaks their word or who is careless with other people's safety, she'll eventually (and regretfully) break off the relationship.

(others?)

[blackjackkent]

Further final explorations in Reithwin:

Rakha stumbles up against the edge of the Absolute army's camp, which is parked against the west side of the village. The noise is tremendous, as is the smell - like the goblin camp back at Moonhaven, but multiplied by a thousand times. Wyll tells her that's the road that should lead to Baldur's Gate. Everyone's pretty surprised and unsettled by the sight of just how big the Absolute's forces actually are - except Minthara, who just looks grim.

Several more encounters with shadow-cursed enemies. Rakha continues to be really miserable dealing with all the shadow-cursed magic here.

Found Thisobald's poison materials stash!

The package includes four corpse roses, as well as several other alchemical ingredients. This is enough for us to make a single copy of "Thisobald's Brewed-Up Bellyglummer":

Given the Narrator's previous comments about Durge having had a history of milking that super-poisonous snake that Kagha had, it makes me sad that there's no Durge-specific reactivity for brewing poisons. :P

Stopped briefly in camp and had a chat with Astarion about his "sibling" spawn also sired by Cazador. "I was one of his first," Astarion explains. 'Some of the others came years later. He was a monster to us all, but did take special pleasure in my pan. He said my screams sounded sweetest." Rakha isn't given a dialogue option to answer this and I don't think she knows what to say anyway, but she does sit and brood for a bit afterwards because she has heard very similar phrases come out of her own mind when the beast is in high gear.

I'm told there is some kind of Durge scene coming up at a future long rest in this act, and I suspect it's gonna be one that gives me Feelings, but so far it hasn't popped yet. :P

Found the morgue entrance! I think Rakha probably smells it before she sees it, and is wary of going inside because of what the sight of death sometimes does to her. Wyll points at the sign and explains that it is a place for examination of the dead and probably there's no dead in it currently, what with Reithwin not having been "in service" for a century. Rakha allows herself to be guided inside to look for supplies, against her better judgement, and sure enough...

"I hate this place," she mutters between her teeth.

[melanie-ohara]

19, 20, 5, 8, 18, 23 and 27 for the asks? You absolute cutie you.

Hoo baby that's a lot of questions, so this is going to be a long one with a fair few spoilers:

5 - Durge

Sithla is the Dark Urge, and she really doesn't want it. She resists as often as she can, but sometimes the thought of bleeding something is just too enticing

8 - Distrust

Mellephora is deeply suspicious of Gale, convinced that his ambition is going to land them in trouble. They are also very wary of Lae'zel because they don't like how sexually aggressive she is

As a paladin, Calarisa can't trust Astarion for a long time until she understands that he's more Cazador's victim than a danger on his own. Other than that, she takes everyone at their word. She is not very perceptive

Sithla thinks any of them might kill her at any time, and they'd all be justified in doing it. She relies on all of them too much to be distrustful

Emily doesn't trust Shadowheart, because she figured out early on that she's a Sharran, or Astarion once he's outed as a vampire

13 - Killing

If you ask them, Mellephora will tell you every death is a tragedy. They are lying. The truth is, they'll do anything to advance their fame and they don't care much about the people they kill so long as they were justifiably in the wrong

Calarisa sees killing largely as a necessity until they come up against someone they think is properly evil - the hag, slavers, bhaalists - in which case, killing them is a grim pleasure. Morally, she sees it as saving all their future victims rather than avenging those they've already hurt

Sithla loves and hates it in equal measure. She loves the feel of a blade splitting flesh and the spatter and ooze of fresh blood, and she hates that it's the only thing that makes her feel alive. Most of the time, she feels like a barely leashed feral animal the rest of them keep around to unleash on their enemies

Emily isn't against the others killing people, though she usually averts her eyes from the nastiest victories, but she can't do it herself. While she is morally against killing (unless its someone who really, really deserves it) mostly she just doesn't have it in her to hurt people

18 - If They Weren't Infected

Mellephora would still be in Baldur's Gate, crafting exquisite violins, performing, and rejecting every opportunity at adventure for not being grand enough for them

Calarisa would still be on the road after tieflings were banned from Elturel. She might have ended up with Zevlor and his band of refugees, and probably got into a lot of trouble with Kagha at the grove

Sithla would be doing hot bhaalspawn shit, like arguing with her stupid sister about how their daddy liked the murders done

Emily would be in Rivington, specifically at the temple of Ilmater, trying to help as best she can once the murders start. Since Bhaal loves to cull the kind an innocent, she may well have ended up a victim

20 - The Elder Brain

All of them decide to destroy it, but Sithla has an almost overwhelming desire to take control

27 - Before

Mellephora was born to a long line of wood-elf druids and left when they were young to pursue a career as a bard and artisan in Baldur's Gate. They worked their way up from apprentice to master craftsman. Eventually, they started to think more people ought to know the name Mellephora Lallorē, and started idly looking for opportunities to grow their reputation as an adventurer

Calarisa spent her whole life in Elturel, and worked with her parents as accomplished tailors. When the city was taken to the Hells, her parents and younger brother were killed in a fire that took everything from Calarisa. Inspired by the paladin who helped save the city and driven by furious grief, she swore a paladin oath of vengeance

Sithla was doing hot bhaalspawn stuff, like drinking blood out of a skull while her butler applauded her sense of humour

Emily was living on the outskirts of Rivington as a cleric of Ilmater, with her ailing mother. Though she barely had two coin to rub together, Emily was happy serving the broken god despite her mother's suggestion she become a librarian at Sorcerous Sundries

23 - After

Mellephora retires with Shadowheart and her parents, now a household name across the sword coast. They learn the valuable lesson that becoming a famous adventurer shouldn't be something you seek out

Calarisa goes to Avernus with Wyll, Sithla, and the love of her life Karlach. She swears an oath to defeat Zariel and is determined not to go back on her word

Sithla, having become illithid to defeat the netherbrain and take responsibility for her actions in starting the plot in motion, goes to the Hells so she can have a guilt-free source of cambion brains

I actually don't know what Emily's fate is yet, because I haven't got far enough into her story to know, oops

19 - Their End

Mellephora is doomed to outlive Shadowheart. After her peaceful death, surrounded by plants and animals and her doting father, Mellephora returns to the woods where they were born to rejoin the druid circle there. After a few more daring adventures, they eventually pass away peacefully

Calarisa and Karlach live together for many years, returning to Faerûn once the engine is finally repaired. They retire to Baldur's Gate for a long time, until the next crisis forces them to take up arms again. They die together in a heroic last stand against overwhelming odds, in a defiance that saves the city once again

Free illithids retain their original host's personality through accessing their memories. Eventually, the memories run out. Sithla makes a deal with Wyll that, once she is no longer herself, he'll kill what she has become. It doesn't happen for the rest of Wyll's natural life, and after his death she continues to hunt his prey as the new Blade of Avernus forever