#durge just makes me very unwell

[lav3nder-bees]

This may or may not be a hot take but i really dont think that the Dark Urge should ever be free of Bhall, not completely at least

They are his flesh and blood, they’re him entirely, at least before they grew a soul throughout their adventure, so at least to me the ending they got just felt kind of.. cheap? It felt sort of like a “congrats you made the moral decision! Heres your reward <3”

To clarify I like the current story for the Dark Urge, I think Larian did a great job with it, but maybe its just me but i really wish there had been some larger narrative impact for the urge, rather than it just being forgotten almost as soon as it was resolved, personally I can’t see durge being able to just leave theyre god so easily with what was basically a meaningless sacrifice (i mean sure they died but it didn’t really matter because it barely lasted a minute)

Anyway, my suggestion is for this big climax of freeing yourself from the urge to have just a bit more of a sacrifice (similar to how Shadowheart either loses her parents or spends the rest of her life with her wound, or how Astarion can either retain his soul by giving up the powers of the ascendent or he can gain that power but sacrifice who he is in the process), i mean so much of bg3 is sacrificing something for another so i wish that had carried on to durges “final” conflict

Basically i think there are multiple ways this could be done, either by showing us (the player) and the companions what durge could have by submitting to Bhall (especially since in the game it feels like theres a very strong push towards “hey dont pick this option! Its bad!”) and/or there being a larger impact after rejecting Bhall (this doesn’t even have to be in game, just a nod towards affects after the game)

For the first option i was thinking that perhaps durge rejects Bhall at first and then similar to in-game we get a second chance to accept Bhall, but this time he mentions all of the perks from submitting to him (correct me if im wrong but i believe if you submit you effectively become his chosen? There should be some cool ass new powers with that), obviously mentioning the slayer form, but perhaps also stuff such as immortality (specifically being resurrected an hour or so after death, not being unable to die) or other new abilities (if this is too op from a gameplay perspective it could always just be a “do my bidding THEN you get this stuff”) and if durge still rejects bhall then you can get the whole dying and being resurrected scene, just so theres an actually meaningful narrative sacrifice

The second option is the one im most interested in where durge’s link to Bhall is retained even after theyve been freed from his direct control, I find it hard to believe that a literal godspawn could just walk away like that so it wouldve been interesting to see a few moments of perhaps Bhall chasing after durge, maybe influencing their dreams to a minor extent, almost “speaking” to them in that sense or even having lesser instances of the urge where its not as overwhelming but perhaps the barest flicker towards murder, more like intrusive thoughts then anything that actually threatens to take over

Ive also seen an idea of durge having to make a deal with Bhall to be free of him i believe the exact post was durge having to kill every tenday else Bhall takes control back (said by @crossdressingdeath i think?) and i just LOVE this idea, imagine just that constant knowledge that you have to make a sacrifice to avoid becoming a mindless slave, and as mentioned removed that whole moral superiority aspect of durge’s ending

Please feel free to critique or share ideas!!

[autistichalsin]

11 or 22 for Halsin/Your Personal TavDurge for the meme, maybe? But if an origin character slips in your head for this, I'd still love to read it!

I actually don't have a Tav or a Durge- I haven't gotten to play yet, and even when I do I find the Origins much more interesting than making an OC. (I do love seeing others' Tavs and Durges! I just don't think I'd like to make one). BUT, I think this prompt works best for a resisting Durge all the same, so I'm going to... sort of... write what I hope is the best approximation to everyone else's resisting!Durge?

Also, there be hurt/comfort here because I don't think I am capable of not whumping Halsin in my fics.

And Durge isn't named here. I have this headcanon that after the temple, a resisting Durge doesn't want to be known as their old name anymore, but hasn't chosen a new one yet (but they eventually pick one with help from their LI.)

I hope this is okay!

--

"You came back." Halsin stares in shock from his spot on the altar, still stuck in place by the lock and still very weak, but at least conscious- and able to talk. "... Thanks to our skeletal companion, no doubt..." He gives a little smile. "You came back to us..."

The Bhaalspawn stands, wiping the blood off their front as best they can. A few weeks ago, they might have relished being covered in another's blood, but that had been another lifetime.

"Yes," they whisper as they give up on removing the bloodstains. They approach Halsin, kneel down to remove the magic bindings. "I could hardly leave you alone with old Withers, could I?"

Halsin laughs, and then grimaces, breaking into a fit of coughs. The sound makes the Bhaalspawn's eyes narrow as he they approach Halsin. "What did Orin do to you?" they demand in a low hiss, concern and anger clear on their face now.

Freed at last, Halsin holds up his hands in a placating gesture. "Nothing a healing potion will not fix. I simply... this place... is making me unwell," he admits, coughing and rubbing his side.

"Then we will get you to camp, and when we arrive, you will take that potion at once," they reply, doing their best to help Halsin up. Halsin is significantly weakened, though, and he struggles to remain upright.

Halsin's eyes close in exhaustion before he opens them. "... You came back," he whispers again, like he can't believe it. "I watched the foul... that..." He inhales slowly. "I could not have imagined resurrection was possible after that."

"I was much more worried about you." The admission comes before they can stop it. "I thought at any moment, she'd fly into a rage and..."

"But she did not." Halsin closes his eyes again, leaning more of his body weight against them with every step. "We are both here."

"Yes," they say softly. "And I am glad for it. I could not do this without you." They stroke Halsin's back, their hand lingering so they can feel every inhalation.

"Nor could I. This... I cannot imagine being without your presence." Halsin smiles a little. "You reminded me... who I was."

"And you believed in me when few did, and helped me discover a version of myself I never could have been otherwise," they whisper in response. "You saved me from madness."

"And you saved me from darkness. Me, and Thaniel and Oliver." Halsin smiles again, despite the exhaustion.

They chuckle as they manage to finally guide Halsin from the sanctum. "I have no other choice but to use that cliche 'we saved each other' line now."

Halsin nods. "That would be appropriate here, yes," he whispers. He glances back, looks at Orin's body, and the associated puddles of blood on the altar, and watches as Withers finally follows after them. "I suppose we will be unable to complain about his comments on our love life either, after all he has just done for us..."

They smile a little. "Yes, that is true. As I said... I could not abandon you to him."

Halsin takes a breath, one hand holding his sore chest. "Most kind of you. It would be the most cruel fate of all, surviving being a sacrifice to Bhaal only to lose you..." A pause, like Halsin had forgotten the joke. "And to be left with those prying comments."

Understanding, they kiss Halsin's cheek. "I'm alright. And so are you," they whisper again, knowing that they will have a lot of reassuring to do over the next few days as they process what happened- and find their way forwards together.