#bane dnd

First and foremost, yes, Durge does suffer from amnesia. They have no recollection of their past because Bhaal madr sure that they can't remember a thing. Sure, Orin helped with that, but it's still mostlx Bhaal who is keeping Durge from remembering anything.

But there ia another memory related issue Durge is suffering from, that isn't just not remembering their previous life. It's the fact that they keep losing memories.

Durge can straight out tell Ethel this:

"I lost all of my past memory, and worse: I keep losing new parts of it."

And they can mention this to Halsin as well:

"Black outs, fainting spells. I'm losing new memories every day..."

It pisses me off beyond measure that none of the companions ever acknowledge it.

There is also the fact that Durge just seems to lose consciousness now and again and nobody cares!

"Black outs, fainting spells..."

And the scene in act 3 when you enter Wyrmsrock, Durge passes out and has their little dream sequence with Orin, and then wakes up again. The only one to make a comment about that is Jaheira.

And that's not even it. Durge also hallucinates and sleepwalks and it's, once again, just completely ignored outside from a few dialogue choices.

"Sleepwalking... hallucinating creatures... the temptations... I could lose myself before I make it to a cure."

And Raphael points it out as well:

"This is no night you can sleepwalk through, somnambulist, you must be wide, wide, awake to survive."

Aside from Durge sleepwalking, they seem to have problems falling asleep to begin with:

"The Urges are calling on you again, aren't they? I haven't seen you sleep through the night once in the past days."

The Dark Urge also seems to have trouble concentraiting/focusing on the presence:

"Where am I? What's going on?"

This fits nicely with the black outs Durge can mention to Halsin. I fon't know if they sre dissociating, but I wouldn't put it past them.

Furthermore, Durge is in almost constant pain:

"I have such a headache."

And this one:

"My mind is full of holes and some of them are still being punched."

As for Durge being unable to properly control their own body:

"You look rabid, pained, sick. You're spasming and twitching..."

And this seems to be quite obvious for everyone, given that Minthara also recognices it:

"...when you're so clearly broken. Beautiful, but broken."

So it isn't a secret.

Aside from all the things I already mentioned, I also wanna add that Durge displays self-harming and self-loathing tendencies:

Astarion: "So. What happens next?"

Durge: "We whip each other within an inch of our lives."

There is also this narrator line when facing Bhaal in act 3:

"For a moment the brine-pool of your brain clears. To die: to rest, to save the world from yourself..."

And this one:

"Better to die than live on an earth walked by you. Each of your deaths is a mercy."

The Dark Urge also constantly refers to themselves as 'broken':

"In another lifetime, you were greeted in this throne room like a God, not the living wreck you are now."

Or this:

"Oh, don't mind me. My brain is all but mincemeat - I'm harmless now!"

Anyway, Durge is an utter mess and according to Omeluum, their brain shouldn't even be fuctioning and they should be dead,

And I can't help but respect Gortash for still wanting to ally with them.

Gortash knew Durge in their prime, they were allies when Durge had earned the respect of (almost) every member of their cult, of Gnolls and even of an Elder Brain. That is something almost no mortal has ever achieved before. Elfer Brains are highly intelligent, complex and cruel beings. They are capable of working out more than one highly efficient scheme at the same time, they have a better grasp at reality and their power is often incomprehensible to mortals. And the Dark Urge was so respected by one of them that said brain would have followed their plan without the intention of treachery. Not only were they respected, they were admired.

"You brought the Crown to me, Bhaalspawn, thinking the army I amassed with it would become yours. Your plan was devious, your cruelty unparalleled. I would have followed it, were your mind not destroyed by your sister."

And this:

"I respected Bhaal's child once, but not you, Gortash."

And also this:

"Gave- ---us- -EVERYTHING--- ---disappeared--"

The Absolute also calls Durge 'Tyrant' and 'Kingmaker', which should be a title given to Gortash because he is Bane's chosen. But the Absolute isn't the only one who respects them.

Gortash obviously does it and has no quarrel admitting it. But there is also this:

"You were the jewelled hope for their design, but now you are their flaw."

At first I thought 'they' referred to Gortash and Ketheric, but the wording threw me off. Because the 'design' was also Durge's, so if it would refer to the chosen three the wording would have to be more like 'to your design', due to the fact that Ketheric and Orin only joined later and didn't really plan anything. They just joinrd when most of the details were already planned out, which is why I believe that 'they' actually refers to Bhaal, Bane and Myrkul.

Bhaal, despite being a horrible man, clearly knows that Durge is still dangerous and still useful. Even in their broken state they can defy gods, lead a whole party with people who have their own issues, and claw their way back to Baldur's Gate. This is even mor eimpressive if we consider the constant nausea, pain, fainting etc. They are not weak, they are powerful and they do get shit done. Bhaal, even if he would never openly admit it, does recognize that his child is durable and cunning, and he can even, indirectly, acknowledge it.

Bhaal is all about self-control, killing those stronger than you and in so doing proving that you are superior, patience and, obviously, death.

If the Dark Urge wins the duel against Orin and defy him, Bhaal kills them.

BUT.

He doesn't enslave them or rends their mind asunder. He could still do it. There is nothing keeping him from doing to Durge what he does to them when they lose the duel. Why? Because despite their disobedience they did prove themselves worthy by not only managing to drag themselves all the way back to his temple while being an utter mess, but also by killing Ketheric, an avatar of Myrkul, Orin and (maybe) Gortash and an avatar of Bane. By surviving all of what happened while being clearly weakened, Durge did prove that they have not forgotten how to survive. They are still dangerous.

And say what you want about Bhaal, but killing Durge instead of making a slave out of them (which he still could have done) very much does say that he recognizes that. Durge showed that they can still control themselves, and Bhaal, while being utterly cruel and mad himself, may yet has seen a sliver of reason and acknowledged that his dogma/doctrin had been fulfilled/respected by Durge.

If Durge loses the duel they prove themselves to weak, a disappointment, which Bhaal straight out says. By killing Orin they proved their worth, even if they deny him.

As for Bane respecting Durge:

"My master admires you, as I always have. For the slaughter you bring, and for the Netherstones you bear."

One could argue that Gortash is lying here, but I don't believe that. Bane and Durge are eerily similar to begin with: The infancide, the ego, the reckless pursue of mass-slaughter, the loss of self-control, the absolute lack of elegance. Really. Durge would make a great Banite. But even aside from this we do know that Bane also admires Bhaal, even if he would never say that out loud. And I will take a guess and say it's for the same reason Gortash admires Durge:

"I always preferred your methods to hers. You have mastery over your Urges, Orin was consumed by her gruesome obsessions."

It's a pity that the Dark Urge doesn't get any unique dialogue options with Bane.

Anyway, Bhaal, like Durge, does suffer from violent urges as well. Bane, undoubtly, knows that. Yet he also recognizes that Bhaal is in control of himself most of the time. If Bane clearly respects Bhaal for it, he will respect Durge for it as well. There is also the fact that Bhaal served Bane as personal assassin and that Gortash calls Durge 'my favorite assassin, and that Bhaal is Bane's oldest ally/friend/frenemy (his nearest and dearest, so to say (no idea what exactly those two have going on, but given their past and how Bhaal despises Gortash, I will say that they had something going on (I am a self-indulgent idiot))).

As for the 'now you are their flaw' part: The Dark Urge is running around throwing everything into disarray, despite barely functioning. So yeah, they are as durable as a cockroach.

And Gortash, who knew the Dark Urge when they were an utter menance, a scheming mastermind with remarkable self-control, someone who had earned the respect and admiration of an Elder Brain, various cults and of Bane, looks at this absolute broken, hyperventilating mess they are in act 3, and wastes not even a single second trying to be close to them one again.

Yeah.

I never really was into Durgetash, but I am getting it now. That man still considers zhem his equal, despite Durge blacking out and whatnot. Even if they deny Bhaal Gortash is still waving his 'Welcome home' flag around and grinning like an absolute idiot.

Gortash is ready to work together with a barely functioning and completely mentally fucked up Durge again because he respect and admires them. Maybe even cares for them on a deeper level.

...

Which also reminds me of Bhaal and Bane, I am sorry to say.

In 2e Bhaal is listed as serving Bane. We don't really know how that happened, but I believe it happened after the Moonshae Triology.

At the end of the triology Bhaal was thrown from Greater Deity status down to lesser. That's already bad enough, especially if you happen to reside on the lower planes and every one of your neighbors will try to enslave or kill a weakened deity. So... Bhaal really had quite a problem here. And there is also the fact that even if we ignore his massive loss of power, he was almost completely defensless. Here:

"... pulling his tortured and writhing form through the ether."

"Here he lay in broken despair, scorned by other gods of evil who now far superseded him in might and influence,..."

"Motionless, Bhaal knew only suffering."

"Thus he would lie for generations, as a forgotten god and a distant relic of the human past."

He was in agony, utterly defensless, and would have quickly become subject to the whims of another god. He could have been killed with ease by other deities, or even just enslaves or subdued. He was incapable of pulling himself back together and a god that is in such a state in the lower planes usually never survives for long.

But he wasn't killed or enslaved.

Bhaal would never start serving Bane if he didn't had to. We could argue that Bane enslaved Bhaal, but this seems unlikely:

"In life, he commanded Bhaal and Iyachtu Xvim, his son, though Xvim performed his designated tasks only reluctantly, as he held no love for his father. Loviatar and Talona served Bane indirectly by serving Bhaal."

It's specifically pointed out that Xvim hated serving Bane, yet there is no mention, anywhere, of Bhaal loathing it. Let's be clear here: I don't think he was thrilled, but he did owe him. And Bane seems to have given Bhaal quite a bit of freedom as well.

Though I also could interpret into the 'as he helf no love for his father' part. Could be a coincidence, could also be that Bhaal did have some kind affection for Bane and now, after the Time of Troubles, sees Durge repeating his mistake.

Tiamat, Hruggek and the gods that serve Bane are specifically mentioned to only save Bane out of fear. Bhaal isn't.

Those two have a long history and Bhaal has put up with Bane's bullshit longer than anyone else (and Bane with Bhaal's). They respect and admire eachother.

And it is reflected in Gortash and Durge as well.

The mutual admiration and respect, the knowledge that they will have to turn against the other at some point.

Gortash and Bane ignore the vulnerable state Durge and Bhaal are in and keep them around, even if it goes against their own doctrine. Bhaal and Durge are the perfect equals of them, so far that both stay their hand and don't kill them even if they know that they should.

The parallels are there and it is not like Durge and Gortash are the only bhaalist and banite duo that works well together AND display affection for one another.

Tamoko (Sarevok's first and only real lover) wears Banite armour.

Then there are Polandulus and Clotilda.

And now Durge and Gortash.

This seems to be a reoccuring theme

Welp. Gortash and Durge are fascinating to me and I admit that I ignored that pairing for far too long.

To every Durgetash fan: I apologize for side-eyeing you for the first two years. You had the right idea all along.

These days among Gods it is popular to have a Chosen – the Chosen, the one who excels among dedicated worshippers, the one who deserves a special attention of the God that allowed them to represent Them and Their will on Toril. Naturally, Bane too has His Chosen.

He can see Himself in this Enver Gortash, this mortal man He put on pedestal and allowed to rule His worshipers in His name. That is not a compliment though. He looks at him and He sees way too much of His old and mortal and still imperfect self. Gortash embodies all His desires and ambitions, yes, but also all the mistakes and mishaps He took when He still used to be so unfortunately mortal.

But like aside from that… Unfortunately, Enver Gortash is really rather a great fit. No, really, he is perfect. Like, seriously, Bane tried, He has done His best, He really tried so hard to find a reason why to find him unfitting, why not to name him. But there really was no one better and He needed to name someone, just anyone, since literally every other God had some Chosen and he just fits so well…

Enver Gortash keeps setting impossible goals for himself just to reach them before Bane has even a chance to scold him for slacking. He follows His doctrine perfectly as if it was the most natural thing for him. He rules with an iron fist and never forgets to give his praise to Bane. Even with his incredibly busy schedule he holds Black mass at least once every tenthday. He is just so terribly good at his job. Yes, he is annoying like that. Because it is almost a bit frustrating, because how can He accuse him of failing Him and not trying harder and how can Bane strike fear in his heart when he never fucking stumbles?

And since Gortash is so fucking great he of course always makes sure at least once every tenthday to also dedicate more private prayer to Him. Like today. Like this evening when he kneels in front of the personal shrine to Bane and okay, alright lets get this meeting over with.

The Dark Lord Bane blesses His Chosen with His presence, strong and commanding, filling the entire room.

“Thank you for honoring me with your presence, Dark Lord,” Gortash says dutifully, head bowed like real low and all, not giving Him any space for scolding and pointing out a mistake.

“Yes, I, the Tyrant Himself have come to you, my Chosen. Speak, why have you called upon me.” Bane appears in form of dark shadow and pressing force crushing everyone who would not be wise enough to bow to Him properly. But Gortash does not move, does not flinch, does not tremble in the terrifying proximity to his deity. Like of course he theoretically has no reason to, but he could be at least a bit unsettled? Just a tiny bit?

“I wish only to once again pledge my loyalty to You, I only wish to make sure You approve of all the actions I take in Your name and for Your eternal glory, my Lord,” Gortash recites basically the same line he always does, as is appropriate. But also, it would be real fucking nice if he asked for something more for once. For help or blessing or something. Not that Bane would grant him that, He would of course tell him to just help himself. But also. He really wants to just tell him that.

“My gaze is ever upon you and so far, you are performing well enough,” Bane is forced to give him the greatest praise His ego allows Him to. And just for a brief second it seems Gortash smiles under His praise but before Bane can call him on that his perfect stoic and solemn expression returns.

“It brings me great joy to hear that. But please, spare me no complaints, is there anything that might concern you regarding my actions, my Dark Lord? Anything that would worry you?” as per usually Gortash seems to be more eager to talk about Bane’s wants and needs than his own. And Bane can see this strategy and how dare he all the time fuckign shifting the conversation to Him. Like no one ever asks Him how he is doing and everyone only wants things from him so it should be nice but… but this is not how it works when you are speaking with Gods. You should not be worried about how your deity is doing, it is weird to ask them what their concerns are, right? (Not that he would know, not that He could learn that. Because like what, is He supposed to ask Bhaal or Myrkul if any of their Chosen inquire from time to time how are they doing? Of course, fucking not)

“Okay, actually, since you are asking… yes, I have some worries. To be more specific I have some concerns about your relationship with the Chosen of Bhaal,” Bane starts because he might as well address it now and get it over with. Maybe it will finally get him some reaction from Gortash, maybe that will finally make him at least a tiny bit nervous…

As always when it comes to dealing with this particular mortal, Bane is wrong. He is so wrong. Because…

“Oh, wonderful,” Gortash beams at Bane’s topic of choice and what a deep regret Bane feels right now for deciding to really breach into this subject, “I wanted to talk about it with you as well. You know, to see if you had any questions and to offer me some clarifications… but, oh, my deepest apologies, for interrupting you, please go on.”

“No, it’s fine, so like what exactly did you want to say? About the alliance with the bhaalpawn?”

“Well, I really, intended to keep it short and simple and inform you, that we are getting along just fine and that our alliance is going quite smoothly… but since right now, it sounds you do have some doubts, I feel I really need to elaborate in much greater detail on all the aspects of it.”

Bane rolls his eyes which luckily cannot be perceived as he still lingers in here only in form and unseen presence a shadow on the wall. But a loud sigh of regret he must suppress.

“You really don’t have to.”

“Oh no, since You Yourself felt the need to bring it up specifically, now I absolutely have to. There seems to be something troubling you, my Dark Lord, please, allow me to do my best to ease Your worries!”

There are many perks of being a god and only a few disadvantages. One of them though is that when You are a fully independent God there is nothing to curse on. Because what is Bane supposed to say exactly, by My cock and balls shut the fuck up?

“You see, I thought it might concern you that I am treating my fellow Chosen, the one created by your occasional foe and ally the Lord of Murder, as my equal. So, I wanted to assure You I do so, only to ensure the alliance goes smooth as You Yourself recommended and approved. I hope that you are not concerned about that.”

Bane could not care any less about how well or poorly Gortash is treating the alliance he commanded him to make if it was just a matter of politeness and empty promises. But Gortash went way beyond the art of polite small talk in accommodating the Chosen of Bhaal. As a somewhat omnipotent entity, He has the displeasure to witness what is the exact nature of relationship between His own Chosen and the abomination Bhaal created.

“It is also very physically close…”

How should he even address this???

“Yes.”

Gortash nods unhelpfully.

“Regarding how close…”

Bane continues, still refusing to finish that sentence, because He actually really does not want to.

“I thought you might bring it up!” Gortash nods again, approvingly as if he was the one setting the agenda for their meeting. It is an amiable trait to be so well prepared but it should be a blasphemy to deny his God having an upper hand. Gortash has no decency, he should at least pretend he is surprised by Bane’s topics of choice. “Yes, see, I really thought there is a chance you might be concerned about the way we are fucking,”

Why would he be so ready to bring this topic up, this is not something one should be willing let alone eager to discuss with the deity they serve.

“Yeah, you could say that…”

“Luckily, I prepared some points regarding that just for the occasion. In fact, I have specifically just for you written several pages of detailed reasoning why it is all perfectly aligned with your doctrine, Dark Lord,” Gortash says joyfully and to make his point he actually pulls out concerning amount of parchment fully covered with his handwriting out of his stupid overdecorated coat.

Did… did he really write detailed essays about his own sex life to recite to his own God? What the fuck is wrong with him?

Bane really feels quite exasperated. “So, you are my Chosen, why the nine hells would you…”

“Let them fuck me?” Bane is on one hand glad he does not need to say it out loud. On the other hand, the fact that His Chosen has no remorse speaking those words so boldly does not feel entirely right to Him either. He almost seems like he really wants to discuss his personal relationship with Bhaal’s Chosen in all explicit details and therefore forcing His God to hear it all. Does he like not have any friends or anyone to gossip with? (No, of course he does not, because Bane forbade him from having friends...)

Nevertheless, it feels ridiculous to accuse him of that because there is not a single crack on his face, there is no waver in his voice. But thinking about it, Bane would maybe prefer if Gortash was mocking Him because it would be more insane if he was completely serious right now.

“Of course. I would hate if anything was not fully clear,” Bane grits his teeth, and he is already tired of the subject. “Go on!”

“Oh, thank you, how generous of You, to be willing to grant me Your precious time, I swear I will not waste even a bit of it, that would-“

“Yeah, yeah, get to the point,” Bane decides not to point out how much of His precious time Gortash is already wasting else He would have to hear a long serenade of ‘deep and honest apologies’.

“You see I was naturally concerned about it as well at first,” Gortash begins with an appropriately enough concerned expression. Unfortunately, then he continues, “Alas afterwards then I gave it some further thoughts. I examined the encounters we had and how it could be viewed in great detail. And you see, them fucking me brings me pleasure, it is something that I myself decided to desire. Therefore, it can be reasoned that I am the one getting what I want from this arrangement. And I always make sure to give my specific wishes on how the encounter should play out before the act. What way they should fuck me and so on. And they abide. Therefore, it can be argued that the entire thing is all about meeting my expectations, and following my instructions… I mean my orders. Yes, they are pleasing me the way I instructed them. They are the one following my commands. The submission of taking their cock is just a part of my own satisfaction, they are trying to fulfill. You see it is all about them-…”

“Can you like… shorten it up a bit?” Bane suggests, really desperate to get out of this conversation.

“If that is your wish, Dark Lord…” Gortash hesitates and so Bane tries to interrupt him before he changes his mind.

“Excellent so- “

“Unfortunately, I really wish to clear up everything, you know to the smallest detail, so there is no need for you to dwell any further on this subject and so I indeed think it would be better if I addressed your concern in as much detail as possible…”

No, please, by His own black fist and by his own arse crack and by his own whatever – could His Chosen please shut up?

“So, anyway, there is a great number of things to be said about the intricacies of taking the cock dominantly in Bane honoring ways. Your doctrine is all about taking what one wishes at and not being ashamed about it. And I am taking what I want for myself, that is the point I am trying to make... I am forcing the Chosen of Bhaal to be active and show his desires and force him to display them as I graciously allow him to fuck me… “

He is mocking him. He is fucking mocking him. He must be!

“Again, do you have any less detailed version? You see, I am a God and I am incredibly busy.”

“Of course!” Gortash agrees cheerfully and starts shifting through his papers and rearranging them a bit and Bane is ready to celebrate the small victory.

“Great then-“

“Alas, giving you the shortened version could leave you with doubts, my Dark Lord, and I would hate to bestow that burden on you. If I really need to make my case know to you and make sure you will see there is no sin, no transgression on my part, I am afraid it will be the easiest to recite to you all my note, my humble argument prepared for you,” he reorders the papers in the original order, how he had them prepared before. “Where was I… oh, well, lets start once again. From the beginning. So about how I take a cock dominantly…”

Okay. Enough. He cannot pretend to care anymore. The fucker can do whatever he desires in His name, he is efficient enough, he is capable enough, He can trust him in that. He will rather trust his poor fuckign judgement in choice in bedding partners than to be forced to hear…”

“And anyway, I think that when they are penetrating me, it could in away be seen more as...”

No. He cannot do this anymore. He will fucking lose it if He will be forced to listen to this even for one more fuckign minute-…

“Uh, yeah, that sure is great and interesting, like so interesting, unfortunately there is some… emergency prayer… God business… I really need to pay attention right now.”

“But you are talking to your Chosen, me, right now, my Lord, it surely is not that urgent and can-“ He can feel smirk being made under his perfect mask of devotion, like of course he cannot see it but he can fuckign feel he is mocking him right now. He is so sure of it.

“No, it cannot wait but you know what, I fully trust you with your decisions, just consider whatever further requests and questions you had, authorized, bye.”

Bane quickly severs the connection established by prayer and finally takes a breath or like whatever equivalent of it is when you are all mighty God and do not really need to breathe. Well, this was fuckign exhausting.

Of course, the great Tyrant himself would never admit to feeling defeated. Less by mere mortal, who He on His own discretion decided to name His Chosen, that would be silly. And stupid. Yes, that would be really fucking stupid.