I feel bad for Ketheric Thorm because he went mad with grief and loss, I also feel bad for him because if Gortash and Dark Urge were constantly whispering and giggling and sitting in each other's laps during their evil chosen three meetings in front of ME, I'd definitely mock the Dark Urge when they came back to me with no memory of what happened and also not tell Gortash what happened to them even though I probably knew.

Like I'd definitely be like, *nodding at dark urge* that's what you get for being a whore, and *nodding at gortash* I'm not telling you shit about your slut. Fuck you for making me third wheel. You guys thought you were so cool and smart and sexy for coming up with your dumb plan well, your stupid romance ruined everything, hope you're happy, harlots.

And then I'd fuck off and die.

Enver and Virgil

(Dante and Virgil by William-Adolph’s Bouguereau, 1850)

I've seen a lot of durgetash naysaying out in the wild and I just wanna say this.

Larian wouldn't have paid for Gortash to be animated two different ways in a number of his scenes if they wanted it to be ~up to interpretation~ if he and Durge were close or not.

I think that players can articulate the nature of that closeness for themselves, but make no mistake: Enver Gortash treasures the Dark Urge, and not for no reason. You were confidants. You had a cipher, just for the two of you. You knew each other for 10+ years (if the Hall of Wonders heist happens around the same time Karlach is sold).

Headcanon your Durge's sexual orientation however you wish. Headcanon their gender however you wish.

But closeness — even intimate, private closeness — takes many shapes. Whatever your preference, platonic or romantic or some third thing, Gortash and the Dark Urge were as close as two people can be.

And it killed them both.

Durge and Gortash progressively playing a game of chicken as their relationship progresses where they continuously do vaguely threatening yet innocent gestures to test each other’s (dis)trust. It starts with something simple like Gortash placing his hand on Durge’s shoulder near their neck. He just wants to see the Bhaalspawn squirm, he justifies. Of course, Durge plays along- they won’t show weakness. So, it becomes a game. They do things like playing with a dagger while they talk, cutting the loose thread off each others’ shirt collar, bringing each other food or drinks with no guarantee it’s not poisoned, Durge insisting on shaving Gortash’s quickly growing beard for him after too many long nights planning. In the end, it just becomes habit, and they’ve just tricked themselves into allowing this intense domestic affection, allowing vulnerability and showing unquestioned trust. Oops. They still think it’s edgy though. Anyone else who sees it thinks they’re just married.

Gortash: He hasn't texted, he hasn't called... Did I get DUMPED? Orin: I DON'T CARE. Now put your shirt back on, whoretash!! Ketheric: Please. Extra Durge snickering from the side because Gorty is being silly ♡

Gortash drawn by the wonderful @kaijusaur!!

Suuuper normal about gortash & durge interactions- super normal.

I saw this HC post that suggested Gortash's dumb hairdo is bc he cut it in a fit of grief. So naturally, I didn't sleep till 4am making this :))

I love the thought of a pre-tadpole Durge X Gortash relationship dynamic where, instead of JUST being incredibly toxic, Gortash actually made them a (marginally) better person.

I am just obsessed with the idea of Faerun’s antichrist being swayed not to begin a fucking APOCALYPSE out of sheer admiration for a certain tyrant.

And I love that tyrant becoming worse when he realizes that the Scion of Bhaal himself will kill for him. Anyone he wants. He has but to say the word.

That would go to Gortash’s head SO fast, I can feel it.

Especially when he realized that, more than killing, he could convince Durge NOT to kill.

TELL ME that man would not get a big ego when he told the SCION OF BHAAL “Don’t kill this person, the plan works best with them alive” AND THE DARK URGE STAYS THEIR HAND.

He would KNOW that their oath not to harm him is in direct opposition to Bhaal’s plan.

At the end of the day, Gortash is worse for having known Durge because of the INTENSE ego boost of having Bhaal’s Scion love him.

And at the end of that same day, The Dark Urge, Bhaal’s Chosen World Ender, chose Gortash over the apocalypse.

Which makes it INCREDIBLY juice if, after the Death of Gortash, Durge decides to take the world for Bhaal after all.

"The arms dealer Gortash, along with a known Bhaalist leader, met yesterday with Helsik for a considerable period"

constantly giggling about inside jokes 😒

durge x gortash

i’m so normal about them

Sceleritas has special dialogue when the player talks to him with one of the companions instead of Durge (no special dialogue for the LI, at least not for Gale). So if he's that difficult and hostile towards Durge's companions/friends which he perceives as competition I guess, you bet he was even more horrible to Gortash

And that coupled with Sceleritas avoiding to answer whether he watched Durge fuck, makes me think that he definitely has watched durgetash fuck and was giving Gortash the evil eye the whole time while Durge was bent over a desk or smth lmao

Bhaal- approved sex list: dead bodies, super dead bodies, and people you intend to make bodies immediately after

non-Bhaal approved sex list: BANITES, banites whose names rhyme with whoretash, anyone you don't intend to kill immediately after, politicians you don't intend to kill, and MEN THAT PLAY WITH STUPID ROBOTS AND TOYS

in my dreaming you'll be drowning Hells below God above all drunk on my love

We all know the "They live?" smile here in Durgetash Nation.

But frankly, what happens next should be illegal.

As Orin walks off and the artist has long since fled the room, Gortash is left alone. And when he is alone, he smiles... like this.

It's so out of focus as the cinematic comes to a close, but it has me in a fucking chokehold. Because look at it.

Whoever animated this face, in this moment (Neil Newbon??? Is it YOU???) is both a war criminal and the eternal holder of my heart and soul, thank you.

The first smile is, "They live?"

And this one. This one is, "They live."

I’m a big fan of Durge having some more animalistic qualities, regardless of race, like fangs meant to tear or a real, inhuman growl. But ya know what? I’m also a big fan of this vicious Bhaalspawn being able to purr. Maybe not like a house cat. Maybe it’s a deep, rumbling sound that comes out with a contented sigh. Either way, it’s a shock to Durge when one day it happens for the first time, the Chosen of Bane’s fingers carding through their hair.

What could That Sound possibly be? It wasn’t a growl. But if it wasn’t a growl, what could it be? The Dark Urge is no house cat! But Gortash knows exactly what it was, and he makes it his life’s goal to make it happen more often. He’ll tease Durge at first, justify his efforts to himself by claiming to exemplify how he has subdued even the Bhaalspawn. In reality, it means Gortash spends copious amounts of time pampering and doting on Durge until it becomes too obvious he just thinks it’s cute, a proud smile and a bit of color coming to his plaid cheeks every time he succeeds.

Two brooos, chillin in a saunaaaa~

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