#my durge is such an awful person

[scorndotexe]

playing as a drow durge is so fucking funny. everyone hates me. i do a nice thing. people call me the good drow. i do something violent and give them another reason to hate me.

[lesfir]

Fanon!AA will r!pe Tav, laugh while Tav cries in chains, sits in a cage and gives them drugs to make them cum and smile.

Canon!AA doesn't get involved in this dead dove shit. Tav can go to hell, to war. And come back when they want to, is what he likes - Tavs chose him themselves, as they did in act 1, act 2, and chose him in the night of turn, be together forever.

>I'm sorry I kind of disappeared. I didn't mean to leave you like that. It's added in Patch 6, by the way.

[berrywinkle]

I love the posts that say their Tav/Durge and Astarion are making each other worse and being an evil power couple, but I say go the extra mile. Make it even more toxic. Make Durge be Astarion’s new abuser.

Astarion not recognizing it as abuse because Durge never hurts him, not noticing how he is being singled out and isolated from the rest of the party. Durge promising Astarion that they will protect him, keep him safe. Astarion seeing Durge slaughter the grove and doing everything to please Durge so Durge won’t turn their bloodlust on him. Durge treating Astarion with kindness, but punishing and berating anyone else for their mistakes and shortcomings, which makes Astarion afraid to disobey or speak against Durge.

Astarion watching as Durge destroys Last light inn and knowing they are his only chance of surviving in the shadow curse. Durge standing up for Astarion against Araj because they refuse to share him with anyone else. Durge using Astarion’s confession and the vulnerability he feels so they can present themself as the only person who cares about him.

Durge stopping Astarion from ascending, not because they care about Astarion losing his soul or the 7000 spawn, but because they want to keep Astarion weak and easy to control. Durge becoming the slayer and telling Astarion they will spare him as long as he obeys. Durge never hurting Astarion, but making it clear disobeying or leaving them is not an option. Astarion staying with Durge because they have been the only source of safety he’s had for so long, he doesn’t even consider leaving them.

Durge not letting Astarion leave their side, saying it’s to keep him safe. Astarion thinking that it’s fine, that he’s happy like this. Durge doesn’t hurt him. Durge isn’t like Cazador.

Astarion thinking that for once he is actually loved. Durge having a twisted love for Astarion, being posessive because he is the one thing that is completely theirs, that their father can’t take from them.

[spookieloop]

"I seem to have trusted you once, and it ruined me."

The Dark Urge having some flicker of a memory, begging the one person who mourned them to take their loss and the horror they're feeling at the removal of everything they once were seriously.

And Gortash is just so elated that they're back that he's having a manic episode and can't.

[takekawa]

YOU ACTUALLY GET TO TELL HER TO HER FACE?!?!?!?!

[bucca2]

I need tumblr to look at my dark urge

his name is Istorvir and I’m obsessed with him

[meowsgirldrawing]

Astarion has Tav around his finger and everyone knows it..(Astarion x GN Tav)

Just a small headcannon of mine, hehehehe. Especially for my Tav and Astarion.

Note: Slight suggestive stuffz (Nothing explicit, mostly Astarion's teasing), mentions towards Tiefling Tav who's tall cause that's cute. Some cussing. Durge gets mentioned here as it's my personal head cannon that they are part of the group, just not the leader.

Word Count: 1,084

Masterlist: Here

AO3: Here

Everyone knows Astarion has Tav wrapped around his finger. 

Everyone.

Their fellow adventurers obviously, having watched the couple grow in their very campsite. Random folks they come across long enough to hear the banter between the two, which with Astarion’s need for constant teases and digs into Tav’s constant need to help every miserable stray they come across, happens quick enough. 

Overall, everyone and their mother knows it. Everyone and their mother can see it. 

See how much Astarion has their calm hearted leader sweetly wrapped around his finger without him having to even lift it. 

It was clear to Gale when Astarion threw a simple but meaningful glance at the Necromancy of Thay book they found safely tucked away behind traps of all kinds. Instead of giving it to him, the proudly pronounced wizard of the group. Durge had to jokingly soothe his feelings over that one. 

In reality, he didn’t mind it that much. Just rolls his eyes and ignores the small smile wanting to grow on his lips every time he sees Tav giving him yet another book that has the vampire reading for hours afterwards. 

Shadowheart already knew the moment Tav kept coming up to her nearly every morning, holding their neck and blushing up a storm. One glance to Astarion’s poorly hidden grin behind his book and Tav’s inability to keep eye contact, had her shooting down their apologies quick.

‘No you’re not.’ she said, hand flared up in Cure Wounds spell. 

Their tail simply curled up tighter on their leg as their blush deepened. 

Lae’zel simply scoffed at the idea, always watching as Tav reluctantly let Astarion go off to loot their now dead enemies belongings. 

‘They won’t need it anymore, darling, remember?’ He chirped with a wink. 

Still, she later had to give respect where it was due. Afterall, they had to bravely put up with her insistence to hurry it all up so they could get to the Creche faster. All as Astarion was behind them both, taking his sweet time to find his new treasures. 

Wyll laughed at the idea. Tav and him usually share many ideals amongst the group. Protect the innocents, take down the monsters. 

But for Tav to turn around and protect their own little monster in elf form, he can’t deny his happiness for his friends. 

Though he wished there was less need for blood in some situations. 

Like Tav subtly telling Astarion to cool it in the midst of talking with the Gur man, who didn’t realize-in short- just how fucked up Astarion’s situation actually is. 

The hopeless romantic one in him was in fact grinning proudly when Tav used their towering height to glare down the drow for her disgusting persistence towards Astarion. Especially when he caught them hugging hours later, Astarion looking for once the most relaxed ever. Like a cat curled up in their favorite person’s presence.

Karlach cooed and awed over it just as much as Wyll to be honest. She was full of grins and teases as she battled alongside the rogue in the field. Not just towards Astarion though, no. She threw the same treatment at Tav anytime she could.

Astarion could smirk and throw a line out like, “ Do take it easy, my love! You’ll need that energy later, afterall!” that had Tav glaring at him as they blocked off an enemy coming for their throat. Their flushing cheeks evident to everyone that it wasn’t from the battle anymore.

Karlach snickered, adding a little “ Just keep it down for us single-people, yeah Fangs?”

His smirk only grew with his grin, “No promises, dear.”

Her head tipped back in a laugh before she slaughtered down another fucker. 

Halsin squints his eyes at it with a fond smile.

Astarion batted his eyes at Tav the moment he saw the grease-filled flooring in the sewer in front of them all. 

‘If I have to go into a damned sewer of all things, I should at least be able to save something dear to me.’ His reason when he requested to be held across as they passed over it. Granted it took a minute, Tav crossing their arms and squinting their eyes down at the shorter elf. The bigger one holding his chuckle at the sight alone. 

Halsin did offer to carry him himself, but one glance from him and back to Tav told him everything. He wants Tav to carry him. 

And -unsurprisingly- surprisingly…they did. Astarion curled up with a giddy grin, clutching their shoulders as they suppressed their grin with a faux grimace. One kiss on their cheek had it peaking through however. 

He smiled at the small light they shared together despite the horrors of the world, praying that’ll always shine bright for them for however long it can. 

And laughed loudly the moment Tav’s foot slipped and had them crashing into the greasy puddle. Not without keeping Astarion to fall on them, safe and sound of course. 

Everyone knows Astarion has Tav wrapped around his finger…including the two of them.

“The things I do for you...” Tav grimaced as Astarion leaned back, tongue licking up the excess blood dribbling down his chin. It’s quick his grin appears. A sight like that would set others on edge, reaching for their weapons. For Tav, they scoff and wipe it with their thumb. 

Astarion is too fast in licking it off there too, a wink thrown their way that has them glaring once more. 

“Ah yes, the things you do for me..” His arms clutch their shoulders, wrapped around as their’s circle his waist again. Keeping him safe on their lap. 

He awws their pout, “You can just let me go then if you hate this so much, you know.”

Their grip tightens, as does the tail around his right thigh. 

“Quiet and finish up, alright? By the rate you're going, the sun will be up before you get even 3 gulps done.”

His eyes match the mirth in his smile, relaxed and happy that has their heart doing summer-salts. He tilts head sideways. “Oh, but of course, my love. Afterall, I wouldn’t want you to grow bored.”

Tav’s eyes soften. They know he’s merely joking, but they still kiss his cheek as sweetly. Feeling his eyes flutter in his happy hum. “Like I’d ever get bored of you.”

“I know.” He simply agrees before connecting with their neck once again. Making sure to keep it as gentle and kind to them as they always do for him.

[y-rhywbeth2]

'My old friend [...] we are brilliant [...] You are a god [...] I liked you,' he says as he deliberately outs you as the major villain of the entire plot, knowing that you're a mess of self-hatred and maybe that you have Bhaal whispering in your ear that you're 'worse than everybody else' and 'an awful person,' and now he's planting the seeds so that it seems that every new friend you had who was telling you otherwise now thinks so too so that he'll be the only person who praises you. (Sceleritas is programmed to do it, he doesn't count).

He's garbage: I adore it. Jaheira can even point out that he's deliberately isolating Durge to manipulate them here. It's not like this is anything the fandom doesn't know but sometimes I like to stare at this moment in awe. And I express my enjoyment through babbling.

Still the healthiest relationship my Durge had, pre-amnesia.

[bat-connoisseur]

I turned your Baldurs Gate 3 characters into furries. Sorry. Actually no I'm not I won't pretend anymore.

General notes and specific species under the cut.

Astarion: He is a Ghost Bat! I like to think him being a vampire and being a bat are entirely unrelated, it's just a coincidence and he's honestly pretty mad about it. Ever since I first started playing bg3 I had him assigned as a Ghost Bat or a Spectral Bat in my brain, just arbitrarily, and I went for the former just because the colours work.

Gale: He's a Eurasian Lynx! I had to make him a cat. I just had to. And I trawled through the wikipedia pages for pretty much every type of cat and Lynx was about the only one that fit in my brain. The fluff kinda evokes his beard and hair I think, and I almost didn't have him have proper hair, just the fur, but in the end I wanted to be consistent about it so he got it. Peep the greying muzzle because mans is stressed and dying.

Karlach: She's a Bongo Antelope! I knew I wanted her to be some kind of large hooved mammal, because of the horns but also because their builds and general sturdiness really suit her I think. It was a tough pick, there's so many cool ones, and when sketching I was actually going to have her be a Mountain Nyala, but I changed my mind last minute just because the colours of the Bongo fit SO well. They're also my favourite antelope. Let me have this. She's so cool and she gets to be one of my favourite animals.

Lae'zel: She is a Pterosaur! My specific reference was Dorygnathus, but I was fairly loose on the details and so she doesn't super resemble them beyond the teeth and tail. I wanted her to be something prehistoric since the Gith are aliens or something (i dont know dnd lore that well), and so I wanted her to be in her own sort of category apart from the rest so, prehistoric! I considered making her a dinosaur but the idea of a Pterosaur just really appealed for whatever reason. Kind of parallels their dragon riding if they can fly, I suppose? And their Enhanced 10 Foot Vertical Leap.

Shadowheart: She's a Hare! Very specifically a Hare rather than a rabbit. Hopefully that comes across. I wasn't super sure what to do for her honestly, but in several scenes she has these big scared eyes, and she's generally just kind of having an awful time and being harmed by the gods for the whole game and I was like 'hey I know an animal that looks like it's been personally slighted by the gods' and so Shadowhare was born. There is a part of me that wishes I'd made her a cat for the warrior cats joke though.

Wyll: He's a Pine Marten! I just kind of got it in my head he should be a Mustelid of some kind, I'm not sure why, he just has that kind of vibe to me? Maybe it's the way he moves, maybe it's his skill at killing, maybe I'm just biassed because I love him and I love mustelids, who knows. I looked through em all and I didn't want one of the bigger sturdier ones like a Wolverine because. Strength stat of 8. So I went for one of my smaller favourites, the Pine Marten. The reason he's not an animal with horns naturally like Karlach is because I still wanted them to look out of place on him! I toyed with giving him wings (because they're cool) but ultimately didn't wanna stray toooo far from Pine Marten.

And that's all! Perhaps I'll get around to anthropomorphising the non origin characters, but who even knows. Halsin would almost be too easy. I could make Jaheria a cool ass fox or something though. Much to consider. If I do them then I'm gonna be doing my Tav Deimos and my Durge Lethe though. That's da law.

[lunastrophe]

Hello! Thank you so much for the answer(s) to my previous question(s); always so eloquent and enjoyable to read! I have a few more, about Minthara's time in the cult of the Absolute.

How long do you think she was in the cult?

What made Z'rell hate her so much?

When she says "The things that were done to me... they broke my mind", is she discussing the mind control alone, and if so, does that imply they brainwashed her repeatedly?

Could she access her memories in those times, or were they warped/otherwise hidden?

Hello again! 😊

🕷️Minthara's Time In The Cult - I am not sure if it is possible to tell exactly how long Minthara was in the cult, but I think that it might be several months (less than eight months, though).

Minthara left Moonrise shortly after being infected and for some time, she was fighting in Ketheric's army, participating in raids and battles. Then she was given command of the goblin camp - and she has already managed to settle in there when we meet her. Things like that take time.

Also - if I am not mistaken - Durge was betrayed around eight months before the Nautiloid crash (Orin's note suggests that). Minthara apparently never saw them in Moonrise, which may suggest that she was recruited after Durge vanished.

🕷️Minthara And Z'rell - honestly, I suppose that Z'rell did not really need a reason to hate Minthara. She seems to generally hate all her subordinates: she constantly bullies them, threatens them and shows her dominance whenever she can. Minthara - with her noble female drow / Baenre mindset - probably did not take it well!

Also, during her short time in Moonrise, Minthara was likely often seen with Orin. And then Ketheric personally chose her to serve in his army. I imagine that Z'rell might be envious, seeing a freshly recruited True Soul - and technically, her subordinate - already having such favour of two Chosen.

🕷️Each memory that returns to me is more disturbing than the last. The things that I did in the name of the Absolute... the things that were done to me. They broke my mind - I always thought that Minthara speaks here merely about her time in the cult: all the memories are returning to her and she starts to fully realize what the Absolutists did to her.

She may also refer to her most recent torture in Moonrise prison - when the torturers broke her mind and almost erased her personality.

I do not think that she was repeatedly brainwashed. After she was infected, the tadpole apparently did most of the work when it comes to indoctrination, erasing some things from Minthara's memory and giving her some false memories (about her first visit to Moonrise, first impression of the Absolute and so on).

🕷️True Souls do not seem to remember that they were tadpole'd and brainwashed. The Absolute's power is apparently so overwhelming that they remember only some basic facts about themselves, but the rest is warped by the tadpole's influence.

I am convinced that Minthara could not access the memories of her infection / indoctrination when she was under the Absolute's control. She did not even remember that she came to Moonrise with other drow and with a mission - the tadpole changed her memories and convinced her that when she arrived to Moonrise, she was immediately in awe of the Absolute and willingly joined the cult.

[istoleyoursk1n]

Could I request a durge who, while they have more control of their urges than most other Bhaalspawn, will sometimes blurt the urges out in conversation to try and get someone to help them stop doing it just in case they try? It's half sweet and half chaotic, because on one hand, aw durge trusts them! But also, durge and the character were just having a nice evening stroll in a park when they turned to the character and bluntly said "Can you tie me down before I kill that couple over there?"

With Roland, Dammon and Wyll please!

•❅───────────✧❅✦❅✧───────────❅•

How would Rolan, Dammon, and Wyll react to a Durge who blurts out their urges?

Context: Durge starts blurting unhinged things out like “Can you tie me down before I kill that could over there?!” (I find this so funny)

.

.

: ̗̀➛ ROLAN

“Gods damnit again?! What is it, the fourth time this week?! Can you behave enough to whisper when you utter those violent little thoughts of yours? It's like you want every damn person here to hear you! You’re embarrassing us both y’know!”

You what?! <— His live reaction caught in 4k

He’s well aware of your urges by now but they never fail to startle him. You always seem to blurt them out during the worst times too. He’s spilled his drink once because of you!

He goes from having to quickly shush your mouth by placing his own hand over it, to not so subtly scooting you away from everyone, and then having to use every damn magic trick in the book just to keep you from lunging at people.

He seems more annoyed than scared to be honest, having to scold you once again about ‘not ruining happy couples’ and to ‘stop trying to bite that dwarves leg’.

The whole situation ends up looking like both of you play fighting or Rolan trying to tend to a rabid dog. Either way, it's absolutely hilarious to everywhere who may bear witness to it all.

Eventually, when he's managed to get you to calm down, he’d be able to help talk things out with you, finding out proper ways on how this ‘urge’ of yours could be tamed without the need of you hurting yourself or others.

To his dismay, he cares for you deeply and despite it all, he’d be willing enough to help you through each and every one of your urges no matter how much of a hassle it all is to overcome.

And hey! If someone truly does piss him off, he has you to rely on to immediately go chasing after the poor soul with bared teeth.

: ̗̀➛ DAMMON

“Hells, just hold onto me okay? We’ll get you home and away from this crowd if you think the urges are getting far too overwhelming. Don't you worry, we’ll be back in no time, just squeeze my hand and it’ll all be alright.”

He kind of just stood there awkwardly at first when he first heard you blurt out your urges. He’s so surprised by them that he needs to blink five times before actually processing what you just said.

It would be during the most unsuspecting times too like whenever the both of you were relaxing together side by side whilst eating a nice warm meal then suddenly you’d say something along the lines of ‘dwarf tastes better’.

He’s very much concerned about you and your mental state but he cares for you enough to listen and lend you a hand whenever you do decide to blurt out your urges.

At least then it gives him a clear sign as to when he should be tying you down or locking you in a room for the day.

He hates having to tie you up when your urges get worse, seeing you lash about and growl at him just pains him because he can't imagine the amount of stress you actually going through just to hold yourself back.

He’s probably been scratched by you a few times while he was trying to calm you down but he never once took it against you. Instead, those became his favorite scars all cause they came from you.

He would stay with you no matter how dangerous you say you are. He’d make sure that you’d have food and he’d feed you every time you’re mind was too scattered to eat yourself during the moments when you had to be tied up; for even the fear of dying by your hands does not scare him.

Though it does become an actual shitshow during the times he actually has to wrestle you down. It's funny to watch but Gods does it exhaust him.

: ̗̀➛ WYLL

“By the hells, Is it that time again? Alright, calm down, just breathe with me okay? You're going to be just fine. Now quickly, let's get you somewhere safe before the worst comes to show, I doubt you’d want that poor couple overhearing what you said.”

He goes wide-eyed concerned for a moment as soon as your violent urges suddenly come out of your mouth. He truly could never not be shocked for when and where you say such things.

He’s somehow extremely prepared for it though that it's mildly concerning.

The first step is to take you away from any person aside from him in sight, if you are close to home, even better! But ideally, he either takes you to a secluded forest or an alleyway.

Next, he very gently restrains you whilst reassuring you that everything is going to be just fine. Better to restrain you while you're still in control of your own thoughts rather than when you go full-on feral mode.

He even has a timer for it. If for an hour or so you don't act up and remain calm then he lets you go but if you start lashing out then he knows it’s time for him to probably pull an all-nighter just to make sure you and the others don't get hurt. Note that either way, he stays with you.

He’ll be your number-one supporter in helping you control and contain your violent urges, always giving you hope in times when all you can see is blood red.

He’ll always have a plate of food ready for you when the urges finally settle and you’re back in the right state of mind. Perhaps even a warm bath if you're both in the comforts of your home.

Truth be told, the real reason he stays by your side is not just cause he cares but because one moment he looked away for about ten seconds, and you suddenly disappeared. The poor man nearly had a panic attack.

•❅───────────✧❅✦❅✧───────────❅•

[animentality]

It's tough because I hate the Astarion haters on Reddit, who are just misogynistic and homophobic and dismissive of the character because they hate how gay he acts and also how many women love him.

but I also hate BookTok Astarion fangirls who feel the need to assert how superior Astarion is on every fucking Gale, Wyll, Halsin, Shadowheart, Minthara, Lae'zel, Karlach or pretty much any BG3 video at all. Like we get it. He's white.

And then I'm ambivalent on the Tumblr Astarion fans because there are the people who simply like him and make fun art and fun meta analysis about him, and then there are the people in my inbox currently telling me that Astarion's Ascended ending is morally correct and it's not a bad ending for the character, and if I disagree, then I hate women.

You're correct that I hate women, but it has nothing to do with Astarion.

Also, I once again point out, that your own husbando literally tells you outright in both endings that being Ascended ruins/ruined who he used to be and also your love for one another.

Your man literally says that your love would have been corrupted by becoming his spawn, and you still cling to the idea that your character is living happily ever after.

He's not making you a vampire queen, he's making you a vampire pet. And it's fine to like that ending. I don't care if you LIKE bad, unhappy endings. That is your prerogative. But you are simply incorrect if you say that it's the "happy" ending for the character, when it clearly is not.

No one ever said you had to use your skull for anything other than cold cut storage, I just don't see why it's even necessary to argue your point to me.

Stay in your Astarion echo chamber, and block me. I don't have time or energy to block all of you.

Anyway.

It sucks because I really like Astarion, he's my favorite love interest.

I really enjoy his storyline and his growth as a person and how sweet he is. He's also very funny. All the companions have great voice acting behind them, but Neil really knocked it out of the park, and I honestly think the character would be far less popular if they'd picked any other actor.

But the fandom around him is just...awful.

It's a mixed bag of normal, unnormal in a fun way, and unnormal in a "you need to fucking step off in this Walmart bitch" way.

It's why I'd rather interact with Dark Urge and Gortash fans.

Much smaller subset of the fandom, so I don't have to deal with the generic crazies, and we're all such freaks that we don't feel the need to go around acting like Gortash is a good person.

I also only ever see people saying these two are fucking disgusting and horrible and I'd murder them in real life and honestly, true and based.

No happy endings for those two, and that's fine for me. In fact, it's great.

See, Astarion girlies, this is called...knowing your ship doesn't deserve a happy ending after all they have done, and knowing it wouldn't be a happy ending if they got together, but being able to acknowledge that and not get bent out of shape trying to justify it.

Stop tying your irl morality to your tastes in fiction.

I never said that liking the ascended ending made you a bad person in real life.

I just said that pretending it's good and happy and great and not continuing the cycle of abuse, is factually incorrect.

And it is.

Every single bad ending for all the love interests is literally continuing the cycle of abuse. Why would Astarion's be any different?

But maybe I'm being bold in assuming you even know the other love interests exist or have stories. Maybe you don't even know the general story of baldur's gate 3, because it is, as you say, the vampire dating sim, and it's definitely not about anything other than banging the sexy vampire.

Media literacy weeps.

Anyway.

Not ruining my enjoyment of the game.

Just my general tolerance for the fandom that is not Durge and Gortash obsessed.

[thedorkurge]

fic prompt: Durge feeling jealous and possessive because of some noble flirting with Gortash :)

This was a fun flip on my last prompt, thanks for the suggestion<3

You can read it under the cut or on ao3

Green-eyed Monster (1,5k)

It was incredible how close you could get to the most well protected people of the Gate simply by climbing a few pillars.

People never looked up. It seemed pointless to bother with such high and elaborate ceilings when most people never bothered to tilt their heads upwards to appreciate it. But it worked in Durge’s favor, of course, allowing him to perch on elaborately carved rafters that no one else could see.

This was the part of his job that the urges were never really good at. Observing, planning, sitting still for hours at a time before your prey was in the right position. It was a kind of hunt, but not the kind he preferred.

Sharp eyes scanned the crowd before finding the one person actually worth observing.

Enver Gortash.

The soon-to-be lord was dazzling the guests with stories that Durge could not make out over the idle chatter of the nobles below him. Not that he really cared what was said, after all, Enver could talk a lot without really saying anything. No, Durge’s focus was on one particular person in Enver’s adoring crowd.

He was too close. 

Leaning in, hands ghosting over Enver’s arms. The way his gaze blatantly traced Enver’s form made Durge want to rip his eyes out.

It didn’t help that Enver had taken a healing potion today. All marks from their last night together were gone, leaving a blank canvas that might give other people ideas.

The urges growled within. His father did not approve of his choice of lover, but the urges hated sharing more than they hated Gortash.

He didn’t want the noble’s grubby little fingerprints all over his kill.

Because Gortash was his. Not in any romantic sense, of course. There were no expectations of exclusivity, both of them all too happy to use their sexuality in pursuit of their own goals. Durge hadn’t stopped his more depraved forms of worship, and Enver had continued to charm his way through the upper layers of baldurian society. 

Their sexual relationship was born out of convenience and mutual fascination. There was no reason to pretend otherwise. And yet, Durge found himself itching for a kill whenever he saw someone else’s hand on Enver, or smelled a foreign perfume on his skin.

It was ridiculous, but he knew better than to question his murderous instincts.

These days, the line between “his kill” and “his lover” was getting increasingly blurred. It was slowly but surely becoming a distinction without a difference. 

So to see someone else try to lay any sort of claim to Enver Gortash left a bad taste in his mouth. Especially someone like Theobald Rykwin. 

The half-elven noble had little other than his looks going for him, being a minor lord with no military or political ties to speak of. Rumor had it that he had blown the family fortune on parties and gambling, making him an awful prospect for a business relationship. Hells, Enver was higher on the food chain than this man. There was nothing to be gained, so what was the point? Wasn’t there better things Enver could be doing? 

Perhaps he ought to teach the banite a lesson about wasting valuable time.

A corpse on his doorstep would do nicely.

He waited for Rykwin to break away from the company, more patient now that he had a kill in mind. He didn’t have to wait long before the nobleman excused himself and headed towards the bathrooms. He never heard Durge coming. The long hallway led him away from the ballroom, along the edge of the building where the pouring rain outside disguised the sounds of the dragonborn’s footsteps. Rykwin barely got a sound out before he was pulled through a back entrance, and onto the wet cobblestones in the deserted courtyard. 

Durge had gotten lucky this time. Usually killing at parties required discretion, but thanks to the rain no one was outside. The thick brick walls, distant rumbles of thunder, and heavy downpour would hide his screams perfectly.

The half-elf was still on the ground, sputtering and wheezing from having the breath knocked out of him. Whatever indignant questions he was about to ask were interrupted by the bored voice of his attacker. “You should run.”

The nobleman got to his feet, far too slowly for someone in this much danger. In spite of it, he stood tall. Durge probably would have respected that, if he believed it was a show of bravery. Unfortunately, he knew better. Indignation, outrage, the way he looked at Durge like he was the scum of the earth. This man wasn’t brave, he was prideful. And frankly, rather stupid. Honestly, what did Enver see in him?

“Have you lost your mind? This is outrageous, do you have any idea who I-“

His stream of words was interrupted by a mouthful of his own teeth, as Durge’s fist connected with his face.

This time he didn’t give him time to get back up, instead digging his knee into the man’s abdomen and putting his weight on him. His screams were muffled slightly by the blood in his mouth, but they still managed to grow louder with every punch. 

Until they stopped completely. 

Durge was breathing heavily when he finally backed away from the pulped mass of flesh. It wasn’t the kind of kill he was used to, rarely using his hands so crudely, but it felt right this time. The half-elf’s handsome face had been reduced to nothing, finally reflecting his worth on the outside. His chest had caved in, fine elven bones no match for the dragonborn’s weight.

The rain only grew heavier, washing away the blood that had spilled onto the stone.

Durge’s breathing finally evened out, as he looked at his well-executed kill.

“Well, that was quite a show.”

Durge tensed up. He wasn’t aware of his audience until this very moment. Either his instincts had been dulled by the thrill of the kill, or Enver had used an invisibility potion.

It was troubling that his senses had grown so accustomed to Enver’s presence. Usually he would have sensed an unwelcome guest immediately.

“I don’t recall inviting an audience.” He scrubbed his raw knuckles methodically, using a scrap of Rykwin’s cloak. It wasn’t like the lord had any use for it anymore.

“Given that this was a private function, this hardly seems like an appropriate time to discuss invitations.” Enver stepped closer, mindful not to get blood on his clothes as he took in the corpse. “Now what did he do to deserve that?”

Durge wasn’t exactly sure what to say to that. His reasoning had seemed sound at the time, but he couldn’t find a way to say it out loud without sounding completely pathetic. “I don’t need a reason.”

“Is that so?” Enver looked at the pulped mess that had once been Rykwin’s face with a frown. “A shame. He was quite handsome.”

It was bait. Durge knew that. He knew Enver was just pushing his buttons. 

“Oh I’m sure you’ll find someone else to warm your bed for the night. If your standards have fallen so low, you’ll be spoiled for options.” He inwardly cursed the bitter edge that snuck into his voice. Especially when he saw the smug grin on Enver’s face. “Do I detect a hint of jealousy, dear?”

Durge shot him a withering glare that would have had anyone else running for the hills.

It was a ridiculous notion. The Dark Urge did not feel jealous. It was a ridiculous emotion, useless to him. He had everything he needed, his cult, his father’s love, his purpose. All he felt for living beings was hatred and disdain. It was troubling that he couldn’t identify the feelings in his chest as either.

“You overestimate your own importance, banite.”

“I don’t think so.”

Durge scoffed slightly, ready to retaliate when Enver stepped closer. The gauntlet, a fairly new addition to his ensemble, traced the skin above the dragonborn’s blood-soaked collar. “You know…” The claws sank into his flesh, securing Enver’s hand around the throat that would otherwise be too wide for human hands. And Durge let him, with nothing more than a short growl. Another thing to repent for. “You aren’t the only one that dislikes sharing.”

The dragonborn’s hand wrapped around Enver’s wrist, the claw on his thumb placed threateningly over the banite’s pulse point. “At least I have the decency to kill mine.” All pretense was gone. There was no point, they both already knew why he had killed Rykwin, even if Durge refused to admit it.

“Darling, decency never had any part in this.” His other hand traced a path down Durge’s front. He could feel every moment of it through his rain-soaked clothes. “We’re Death and Tyranny. If we want something, we take it.”

As much as he loathed to admit it, Enver had a point. He was Bhaal’s blood, his chosen. The world was his to play with, as was everyone in it. The banite was no exception. 

Durge would make sure that anyone who set eyes upon the future Archduke knew exactly who he belonged to. And if anyone didn’t heed the warning, he’d simply kill them. He’d butcher his way through the Gate, and then the world, until everything was his and his alone. 

As Enver’s back was pushed against the brick wall, the rain dulled all sound, allowing their moans to be swallowed by the night.

[taki-yaki]

A Dhampir's Dietary Needs

Pairing: Astarion x F!Reader/Tav/Durge

Word Count:1588

Your recent studies on vampires led you to research their offspring, dhampirs. One of these books shows how the diet of a dhampir is never as simple as it seems. (Tw: Mainly domestic fluff, Dhampirs and their diets, light mentions of flesh, blood and cerebral spinal fluid but never in graphic detail)

As Promised here is a lighter fluff fic to balance out The Chains That Bind Us

In the lone, abandoned, fortress, deep in the Underdark in a small house, Tav lay on her shared bed, deep into her research on vampire species in hopes of a better understanding or cure. The abandoned fortress grows, day by day as more and more spawn find the haven in hopes of regaining a semblance of normal life.

Her recent studies have led her to read about the various subspecies of vampires, dhampirs, half-vampire half-mortal creatures, who live life like a vampire but with none of the restrictions of one. Allowed to walk through the sun without being turned to ash. 

However, dhampirs were not free from the curse their undead parent had bestowed on them, although they could resist the hunger pains via consuming food, each dhampir seemed to have unique tastes for certain life sources.

A sudden shift of weight onto the bed interrupted her train of thought, “Hosting book club tonight without me darling, how rude” your pale lover teased, taking off his armour to lie down next to you. 

Astarion had finished his rounds on the fortress with the other vampire spawn, looking as if he was ready to collapse at any moment.

“Did Petras cause trouble for you again star?”, 

You knew that some of the new spawn would have caused one or two issues during their first few days in the colony but Petras seemed to be a beacon for it but still managed to stay in the group either through luck or pity, much to Astarion's annoyance.

“No.. not today, just that it's quiet….for once,” He says with a heavy sigh. Quickly he cuddles up next to you on the shared bed, now wearing his class white shirt.

“I see you still have your head stuck in those dusty notes, any new skills that I can show off darling?” he spoke with a grin, the thought of him discovering another vampiric ability that he never knew before fills him with glee. 

Reminding you of when awoke to him hanging upside down from the ceiling a few days after the defeat of the netherbrain, scaring the hells out of you.

Turning your attention back to the book, he wasn’t wrong about it being dusty though as you found it after the defeat of Cazador in his manor, was a collection of books about vampires written by the mysterious Lady Incognita had been a great assistance with the advancements into the colony, through the knowledge of vampiric biology to diseases. However, this book differed from the others, written by a scholar in Ravenloft centuries ago who did personal interviews with dhampirs.

Facing the elf, you spoke, “We can read it together if you’d like?”.

He lets out a soft hmph he knows how he can get lost in your voice all day, entranced by you like a siren, although with less of the murder part.

“By all means my love, go ahead, Gods knows how many I’ve read to you, it’s only fair that you spoil me this time.” He responded with a fanged grin.

Quickly trying to recompose yourself, clearing your throat, you start reading the chapter.

' Throughout my research on dhampirs, I have discovered that each of the participants has special dietary needs, while most dhampirs have the pangs of hunger to consume blood, as shown by their lineage from vampires or spawn, there are a small few who seem to break this norm, by having acquired different tastes. '

' One of the participants was shown to have the urge to consume flesh or raw meat, usually, they would consume the meat of animals over humanoid flesh. '

“Urgh, you’re reminding me of awful gnolls we had to fight” he muttered with a look of disgust on his face as he spoke. “I mean blood is much better to deal with, and besides it’s less of a mess on the clothing….and the smell isn’t as bad either…” He mutters to himself quietly.

' One interesting dhampir I studied, talked about how they were attacked by a rare vampiric illithid but were lucky enough to survive the attack. In most cases, dhampirs have a hunger towards blood, but this participant has their diet curated towards the cerebral spinal fluid in the body, preferring to drink from animals and thieves. ’

“I think we’ve had our fair share of bathing in illithid slime throughout our adventure with the mind flayers, and curating to the diet of one is just….. urk ” Holding back a lump in his throat, the thought of someone willing to consume such things is too much.

“Hmm, a vampiric illithid though,” you ponder,  “I haven’t heard of that before” With a pause, you turn to him “Do you think the tadpole would have made you one?”

“Please don’t finish that thought darling, I don’t want to recall the illithid parts of our adventures.”

With a quick sleight of hand, he takes the book from you, skipping a few pages ahead in the entry. Before swiftly handing it back to you. “There, this should be an interesting read and less of the tentacle diet”.

'While most dhampirs prefer to feast upon physical sources from living creatures, there is a small group who target that of the mental energy in creatures.'

' Some dhampirs aren't always made by a vampiric transformation being interrupted or by being an offspring of one. One was infected by a mind flayer tadpole and their body rejected the parasite, which as a result halted the ceremorphosis process, but caused a mutation in them of wanting to feast on people's psychic energy .'

“I’m sure just being around Petras does that anyway” he grumbled.

You respond to his remark with a simple “mm-hmm”, knowing how much the simple-minded questions he asks seem to have the ability to drain your mental energy for the rest of the day. Living up to Astarion’s claim when you first met him in Farygo’s flop house a few months ago on your adventures.

' Other forms of mental energy that they consume are dreams. Through other living creatures who can dream via sleep or trance. Despite the other forms of hunger seeming to be harmful to others, or hard to obtain, this form of hunger has no negative side effects for those who fall victim and is a good cure against night terrors but will leave the victim slightly forgetful the next day '

You wait for his next witty jab to come along after you finish reading out the last line, only to be greeted with a bout of nothing but his knotted brow, lost in his thoughts before his mouth began to open once again, slowly this time.

“Good against night terrors….”

It leaves his lips like a stray afterthought.

Even after creating a better life together for both of you in the Underdark, escaping from the horrors of your previous lives to create something new. The one unavoidable thing is the memories that it leaves. Especially the effect on beings who go into a trance forced to relive the situation. 

Ever so slowly you reach out to touch his hand that lay flat, resting on the soft covers. 

His skin is cold to the touch, you softly squeeze it to reassure him of your presence, his safety, 

pulling him out of his musing.

His head snapped back to glaze into your eyes, and a soft smile greets you.

“I’m sorry, my sweet, I was just lost in my thoughts then”

“I-I can stop reading for now if you want me to-” Your voice was abruptly cut off.

His cold fingers touch your lips before he opens his mouth to speak once again.

“It’s fine love, carry on, this is what I want , to hear your voice.” His hand moves to cup your cheek, kissing your forehead lightly with a soft peck.

Reminding you that creating these moments of comfort is the best counterweight to the years of misery thrust upon you both.

“So” Astarion declared “Are you going to continue spoiling me with tonight's reading session?” 

“Huh-? oh um yes” snapping your face back to the book, heat still clinging to your face.

Reaching the last section of the chapter you speak aloud clearing a lump in your throat.

'The last form of hunger I was unable to a living dhampir but ancient texts describe those who drain the life energy from living creatures, similar to the spells of necromancy magic, they sustain their hunger by sucking the life essence from others.'

Reading that last sentence sends a shiver down your spine, the thought of someone constantly feeding off a part of you that can’t be replaced naturally, slowly draining you day after day.

“Hmm, you know, we could just get Gale to sort that out when we cross that line”

“Besides, he ate most of our magic items back when we were adventuring, he’d know a thing or two about that.”

Giving him a light jab in the side, he shifts off the bed stretching his limbs to stand up. 

“This was a nice lecture love, but I must be off now, I’ll start preparing dinner for you”.

Watching him descend the stairs, silently hoping that he won’t burn your food to ash this time.

Ensuring you were out of earshot, muttering to himself, “a dhampir….Hmm, I wonder what ours would be like.” Would they still crave blood, but enjoy the appetite of the living? Or would they crave something else entirely?

A light laugh leaves him, seems that’s a story for another day.

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

This was a very sickly sweet piece I enjoyed writing, even if I had a bit of trouble with the fluff scenes to the point where I thought it might be too sweet for me.

I might write more domestic/dhampir stuff if you guys are interested.

[oops-all-concrete]

This was requested by @wine-effectao3 !!

BG3 characters react to the other companions story events/conflicts! These lovelies watch each other go through so much and I have so many HC's about how they feel/interact. There isn't a HC for every character combination, but I did as many as I have rn- I'm open to a part 2 👀

Spoilers for BG3! Enjoy the fluff ^^

(I don't have another image rn, so enjoy my necromancer durge; Ezerah)

Lae'zel -

Lae'zel tends to keep to her own affairs, so stays distant, but watching the Blade of Frontiers gain horns from the source of his commitment and power over what was essentially a mislead, a lie?? The thought of Vlaakith doing the same to her, makes her sick. But inspired her all the same, seeing him take it in stride. She always spoke highly of him as a warrior. Shadowheart gained Lae'zels sympathies as well after the fall of Ketheric. Both Wyll and Shadowheart never have to worry about their weapons being maintained and sharpened. Lae'zel gladly allows them both as much time to relax as she can.

Shadowheart -

Knowing she and Astarion have such similar stories makes the vampire seem a lot more...human, for lack of a better term. She understands that all his avoidance and irritation with immediate kindness isn't out of just being mean- he doesn't want to come off as vulnerable or easy to take advantage of ever again. She goes out of her way to make comments so people know the kindness is begrudging or hesitant, so people don't get that idea. He doesn't know she does that. She won't tell him either. And as much as they butt heads, Lae'zel would have a cleric at her side at a moments notice if she asked.

Wyll -

Watching a man like Gale (someone Wyll looked up to given his mastery of magic without need for a devil's pact) be told by his goddess his old lover- turn so cold as to ask for his death? Nothing makes him more hopeless. Wyll tried to take his mind off it by asking Gale about his home, asking him about plans, making sure he has them. Because Wyll won't let him sacrifice himself. On top of that, he feels awful for Karlach. She inspires him so much knowing what she went through in Avernus and survived, still giggling and dancing. As a lover of dance, he teaches her ballroom and formal dance, in turn, she teaches him house and breakdancing.

Karlach -

There is nobody she feels for in the camp quite like Astarion. She cannot stand the utter hopelessness, anger and betrayal in his eyes and voice whenever he speaks of Cazador, and how willing he is for help from a devil of all people. She knows that desperation. It hurts to see. She sh!t talks Gortash and Zariel with him, so he has an excuse to talk about wiping the floor with Cazador. She also likes watching Gale get excited whenever she asks him a question about- anything really. She hates when his big brown eyes get all sad, so she'll keep him occupied talking about weave and potioncraft and old scripture.

Gale -

While it doesn't bother Wyll so much, Gale is a mommas boy, and can't imagine not having her. He makes plans for his mother to meet Wyll. She makes amazing brownies, and every person should be able to enjoy a mothers baking. (Wyll loves Morena and visits her often after act 3. She loves him for keeping her son safe.) Other than this, watching Lae'zel and Shadowheart lose the admiration of their Gods hurts him personally. He knows that fall. Goes out of his way to make sure they don't lose hope. "Who's to say you can't still have a dragon? There's plenty around. Bigger. Scarier. Probably also hates mind-flayers. Perfect for a woman of your demeanour." He assures her. / "If its any consolation, I like the new hair, Shadowheart. Between you and me, you look much better with white hair than he does" He jokes.

Astarion -

As a man used to fixing his things (since they're all he's got) he goes out of his way to make sure Karlachs things are all in good shape. Clive gets torn at some point or other, and he's pulling out his fabrics and sewing set and wordlessly returns him to Karlachs tent, much to her relief. Neither of them have a lot- so of course he's going to maintain what she has. She deserves it. Also, Shadowheart telling her story hits home for Astarion a lot. Being vulnerable, scared and otherwise an easy target- and having your whole life turned upside down because someone took advantage of it? He becomes a lot more talkative with her. Even if it's just over wine and complaining. Oh, and of course nothing makes him happier than watching Lae'zel turn her back on Vlaakith. Go her.

Halsin -

Halsin has nothing but praise for Wyll. His endless kindness, his patience with the teifling children, his level-headedness in crisis- he is the leader Halsin wishes he was. Halsin also sees Astarions hunger for power. Halsin might not speak of it often, but he's had at least 3 years of what Astarion's suffered for 200, and he knows how much powerlessness feels like vulnerability. He let's the vampire know he's got a bear at his back, even if its met with an eye roll.

[eye-of-yelough]

i think Gortash’s sole consistent trait is an insatiable desire to know Everything. Insatiable curiosity. it’s his first and only emotion for the first few years of his life, and of course as his brain develops it all too easily becomes a desire to consume Everything. to conquer Everything. to unmake and remake in his own image, to be Everything.

in my interpretation, it’s just a snowball process, maybe he wasn’t born ‘evil’, but he became it very early in life, and i think it would’ve happened regardless of his circumstances; you can’t stop a runaway train. no empathy, no capacity for love, no capacity to see any “people” as equal to him.

for me there was truth in his parents calling him those awful names. does it make them good parents? of course not, nor does it excuse anything, but it creates space for a ‘born this way’ interpretation. for a lil enver gortash who terrorised his parents and the local kids and their pets alike. i also think it’s worth pointing out that he’s the only one of the dead three who doesn’t have a thing that makes him pause, like orin and ketheric. and i think it’s just underselling larian’s efforts to just brush it off as them not having the time, or not wanting to.

but a lot of the reason i have this interpretation is just personal preference to be honest, i enjoy gortash because he’s absolutely terrible and frightening and, for some reason, i enjoy that fear. i enjoy him scary. which is why i have the ‘born this way’ interpretation. it makes sense that people who see gortash as… well. a ken doll to mash their durge together with, might enjoy a different, more humanising interpretation, but as someone who thinks he belongs in a horror, who sees him as incapable of love or physical attraction, ‘made this way’ just doesn’t do anything for me. i like to think he was ripping wings off butterflies just to see what would happen as early as 4.

anyway tldr: i have no issue with people voting ‘made this way’ on poll. i do have issue with people telling me and my friends we’re wrong and bad for enjoying him as a ‘born this way’ villain.

PS: “no one is born evil!!!!1!!!1!!111!!1!1!!1!” it’s fiction. if it was 100% realistic it would be boring.