#baphomet: trying to do a live laugh love makeover on the cult while still being evil

[cacturne]

3, 6, 9, 10 and 13 for the durge asks >:) talk abt ur kids

YIPPEEEEE MY GUYS im going to lovingly interpret this as being for all 3. because i love taking opportunities

okay lets start with menzoberra

^ her (i find the formatting much more satisfying with a picture so im just going to make this the norm)

3. When Sceleritas fetched them from their comfortable home, what did they do on their journeys? Did they take on any jobs? I'll be honest and say i'm not entirely sure what this refers to exactly. I'm going to interpret it as after they killed their adoptive family but before they went and joined the temple(??? i always just assumed they made a straight beeline for it?)

After finally giving into The Urges willingly and killing her caretaker, Menzoberra for the first time ever felt truly alive. This adrenaline, this thrill, at first she chased that feeling over and over again with little self restraint and through it already started honing her craft.

As for jobs, the reason Menzoberra willingly submitted to Bhaal was because she didn't have any plans for the future. She was so laid back about everything that she didn't know who or what she wanted to Be and instead just wanted to take things day by day which won't help you survive in Baldur's Gate. So of course the next best action is to give into your violent thoughts and join a cult. Duh. But no she just stuck to killing.

6. Bhaal loves money; did your Durge inherit that trait? Do they enjoy luxuries or try to live a frugal life, giving their all for their temple?

Yes and no! Menzoberra isn't exactly materialistic or anything and doesn't care for having or keeping any kind of wealth, especially when serving Bhaal was much more important and didn't require having money, but she was prone to stealing expensive jewelry/makeup/outfits from her victims to keep for herself. She does enjoy looking fancy! This is a trait she kept post-amnesia too, even if there was rarely any time for it until post-game.

9. What would a typical meeting of the chosen have looked like when your Durge attended?

Well there was much less squabbling first of all! Gortash was enamored with her and while Menzoberra and Ketheric knew of each others plans to double cross the alliance for their own gods, they both didn't bring it up and played the long game. There was always an unmistakable tension in the room, but they all remained civil and professional. Akin to normal business meetings.

10. Gortash seemed to have admired Durge, what did they do to deserve this admiration? Did they have any notable personality traits or did they impress him in some other way?

Pre-amnesia Menzoberra was cold, calculating and ruthless. The more jovial and playfully charismatic attitude she has after the Nautiloid was absent in favor of a calm, sinister presence. Gortash could see the makings of a fantastic tyrant in her, and was quick to become all chummy.

On her end it was strictly business, though she leaned into any sort of flirting to keep him sated in actuality she yearned to end his pathetic life already, only waiting because his presence was vital to the plan. On his end, he was enamored and saw a life (business) partner that could take the both of them to greatness.

You had to see the look on his face when after disappearing and being presumed dead she comes back with a woman she's hopelessly obsessed with. Priceless.

13. Orin has her faithful group of changelings. Did your Durge have a similar 'personal guard' or task force at their back and call?

None at all! Menzoberra has been extremely independent since she was a child, and kept it that way. Having any kind of squad or guard or agents was unnecessary, she could and would just do the job herself. No briefing, no preparations, no room for error except her own, just the intricately formulated plan in her head and the willingness to carry it out for father!

next up is carnation yay!

^ her (the guilty dog eyes in this screenshot are killing me. perfect carnation screenshot)

3. When Sceleritas fetched them from their comfortable home, what did they do on their journeys? Did they take on any jobs?

Carnation was never able to finish the job, being overpowered by one of her adoptive parents after killing the other due to just how young The Urge overtook her. Instead of being politely escorted away she was quite literally thrown out and made a run for it before the Flaming Fist could arrive, only meeting Sceleritas much later, who was anxiously waiting for his young master to be safe before appearing before her.

Due to how little control she had over herself Carnation kept to the shadows and didn't even try to mingle or fit in. To any Baldurians knowledge the Drow child who brutally killed one of her parents and got away simply disappeared.

6. Bhaal loves money; did your Durge inherit that trait? Do they enjoy luxuries or try to live a frugal life, giving their all for their temple?

She lived with nothing. Her mindset was full and total devotion to Bhaal, he dominated her mind with The Urge often leaving her barely lucid most of the time, acting purely on instinct and whatever that fucked up brain of hers wanted. Material possessions weren't a concept in her mind, she just lived off whatever was necessary for her body to keep going and nothing more. There was no time to be a person when father needed sacrifices.

9. What would a typical meeting of the chosen have looked like when your Durge attended?

...Uncomfortable! With Carnation being checked out mentally she was mostly just there out of obligation and to further Bhaal's plans. Just kind of standing there, exuding rancid vibes. In her case it was Bhaal who conceptualized the Netherbrain plot, using her as a glorified puppet to bring it to fruition.

10. Gortash seemed to have admired Durge, what did they do to deserve this admiration? Did they have any notable personality traits or did they impress him in some other way?

Gortash did not admire her like he would admire a person, he admired her like a bloodthirsty pet. She went along with the things he did and asked of her and he made sure to keep buttering her and her god up so that everything could continue going smoothly. Her magic was devastating and her skill with the knife unparalleled, but outside of combat ability Gortash saw no equal in her, only a pawn.

13. Orin has her faithful group of changelings. Did your Durge have a similar 'personal guard' or task force at their back and call?

Carnation was too disorganized and unavailable for something like that, and likely would kill her fellow cultists along with the victim. It was in everyone's best interest for her to work alone, and honestly nobody really wanted to work with her anyway because she was too unhinged and off-putting even for a Bhaalist.

and lastly baphomet!!

^ her (look at that winning smile!)

3. When Sceleritas fetched them from their comfortable home, what did they do on their journeys? Did they take on any jobs?

Baphomet was left at a monastery far from Baldur's Gate, thus after being kicked out for killing a Dawnmaster and multiple novices the journey was actually much more of a journey. In her warped mind she now saw this as a pilgrimage, a road to a new beginning as a child of Bhaal instead of Lathander, and thus she treated it as any other Monk pilgrimage. Sceleritas kind of rolled his eyes at it but devotion is deovtion! He won't question his young master!

6. Bhaal loves money; did your Durge inherit that trait? Do they enjoy luxuries or try to live a frugal life, giving their all for their temple?

Even after joining the temple Baphomet still held onto a lot of her monastic values, thus she gave away what she gained for the good of the cult and lived simply.

9. What would a typical meeting of the chosen have looked like when your Durge attended?

The average chosen meeting was actually pretty nice! Baphomet was calm and level-headed, incredibly good at mediating and helped with reaching a consensus everyone would be happy with. Hooray for a Bhaalist assassin with a weird affinity for loyalty and community!

10. Gortash seemed to have admired Durge, what did they do to deserve this admiration? Did they have any notable personality traits or did they impress him in some other way?

Gortash enjoyed her attitude, it was a sort of yang to his yin that he thought was perfect for this plan. And even if he didn't, she was still extremely capable and could plot as well as any other. He wanted her by his side for the rest of his life, and as a result of that they grew much closer over time; which eventually led to.. other things.

Now imagine the look on Gortash's face when she comes back from the dead not only having transitioned but also with a girlfriend. It's priceless.

13. Orin has her faithful group of changelings. Did your Durge have a similar 'personal guard' or task force at their back and call?

Baphomet always preached community and togetherness, much to the annoyed groans of the entire temple, but it did actually work to an extent. The cultists became less solitary, more cohesive, and in turn much more dangerous. While she did not have a group at her beck and call per se, she could easily call in favors from others at the temple to do things she could not.