#well previous durgetash but you know

[basket-of-cats-and-witches]

Time for new angst hello

Ex durgetash now durgestarion time

Or, as I like to jokingly call the pairing between Astarion and my Durge, BloodMoon.

I waffle back and forth on two different paths. One where Durge has a complicated rocky relationship with Gortash (as is their messy, toxic right), or redemption with Astarion.

There's also the ascended vers, of course, but that's something I'm going to explore once I get to that ending in my evil Durge playthrough :3

Anyway. Have a waltz.

(if you like it, reblogs are appreciated!)

-

"Would you believe I've never done this before?" Astarion's voice was airy, playful, as if he had not a care in the world.

Years of experience reading people had taught Aelune differently. The slight tremor in Astarion's hand, his artful smile a little too sharp, and they clocked the anxiety instantly.

They smiled. "Impossible, of course. You move with such a fluid grace, you must have danced with the nobility at least once or twice." They nodded to Lestor, their bard.

The violin started up, and they bowed. Extending their hand.

"Lord Astarion," they murmured. "May I have the pleasure of this dance?"

A moment of hesitation was marked in the pause before he answered, his eyes softening as he settled his hand in theirs.

"You may, darling."

Thus, they began.

Astarion had shown much improvement in the weeks past. Since Cazador's death, he had blossomed, leaving the shadow of his former life behind at last.

It was funny. For a creature of the night, he glowed like the dawn.

Still, it seemed he still didn't know how to react to the way Aelune treated him. He was precious to them, cherished and adored behind all measure.

They would have hung the moon for him, if he asked, or torn the world asunder.

To be given such love after so much abuse...well.

Aelune knew better than anyone what that was like. Jarring, and sometimes overwhelming.

They tried to pace themselves.

"Follow my lead, you're doing wonderfully," they murmured. Together the pair moved across the floor, almost seamless in their grace. Astarion was clearly a quick learner.

He shot them a sharp look. "Don't coddle me."

"If it's being taken as coddling, I apologize. I meant only to encourage." They smiled as he rolled his eyes.

"You're impossible. How on earth do you know how to do this, anyway? Last I checked you weren't some Mezobarrazan noble."

"And even if I was," they reminded him, "I wouldn't have been called upon to dance very often. Men are merely ornaments there, even one born female." They kept pace with him, politely ignoring it when he stepped on their toes. He learned fast, but not that fast.

"That doesn't answer my question, darling. Unless you're being coy on purpose."

"Surprisingly smooth, for an assassin," Enver said, the delicate filigree of his jewelry warming up against Aelune's hand. "One would think you were raised to this."

They chuckled halfheartedly, glancing away. The overlay of memories sometimes caught them off-guard.

"I was a singer in a pleasure house, Enver. Of course I learned how to dance. It may not have been anything as sophisticated as this, but it was certainly more complex. Unless you'd like to learn how to dance with scarves."

His husky laughter warmed their ears, settling their bloodlust and hunger in a way it hadn't been for a century or two. "I'll pass, if you don't mind."

Astarion stumbled slightly, and they kept him up, smiling as he huffed. "Coordinating this is tiresome. I can't believe I agreed to this."

"Because for some reason, you like Wyll, and thus accepted his invitation to his celebration as the new Duke of Ravengard," they reminded him.

He waved them off. "Oh, yes, that. Merely a trifle. I don't know why he seemed so touched when I agreed. Of course I would love to attend such a lavish event, if only to watch people bask in my presence." His hand trembled again.

Aelune snagged his hand once more. "And I'll be there the whole time to fend off your waves of admirers. Maybe even steal you away to a secluded nook or two."

Astarion couldn't hide the flicker of relief. Aelune knew he still had trouble in crowds, in settings that reminded him of Cazador.

"If only we'd met sooner," Astarion sighed. "You could have stolen me away from so many tedious events."

Aelune pictured it. Attending one of Cazador's events, probably for Gortash's networking, on his arm like a dangerous jewel.

Seeing a beautiful man across the room who laughed too loud, too bright.

Who reeked of fear.

They wondered what it would have been like. Probably not good for any of them.

With Enver's help, they would have made him worse. As power hungry as the pair.

They wondered if Astarion would have replaced Ketheric.

The dead three. Bhaal, Bane, and Myrkul.

Aelune, Enver, and Astarion.

Their grip tightened slightly on Astarion's.

"If only," they murmured, and ignored the dark desire that thrummed in their veins.

#my writing #bg3 #bg3 spoilers #durgestarion #durgetash #well previous durgetash but you know #aelune for oc tagging #lestor for oc tagging! #astarion #enver gortash #more of a thinky piece but I still like it

[ceeridwen99]

BG3 is a R O L E P L A Y I N G GAME...

Okay, time to be a bit controversial but I need to get this off my chest. Mainly because I've been seeing it everywhere. Instagram. Here. Youtube. Even the cursed site that is Reddit. I doubt this will reach many people, but I'll feel better having gotten it out of my head.

I think that a lot of people who play/played BG3 have forgotten that it is of ROLEPLAYING game. Let me repeat that. ROLEPLAYING. That means, that your game is based off of YOUR choices and YOUR choices alone. Meaning that the things you choose to do in this game are based on YOUR interpretation of the media. There is NO canonical interpretation of the game because it is YOUR campaign based on how YOU play. The plotline, the romances, and everything that happens is based on YOUR choices and how YOU decide to ROLEPLAY it.

Why am I putting so much emphasis on this? Well, because with the new patch, some additions were made to Durge's storyline. Mainly regarding Gortash. Nothing major at all, honestly. But, as we know, durgtash is quite a popular ship in the fandom. There was an added line during Gortash's coronation when Gortash expressed that he "liked" the Dark Urge in comparison to his sibling. A line has been added where the Durge can reply "I think I liked you too." That's it. That's what all the fuss is about. Because oh boy, did some people interpret that as Larian forcing durgetash on the players. First...what? How--

Let me preface this by saying I'm NOT a durgetash shipper AT ALL. I don't even like Gortash. Believe me, I've tried to see what people see in it (and him). I went and found all the journals and letters trying to see the romantic connection, and I just couldn't. It seems more like admiration and respect than love for me, but hey...guess what...that's MY interpretation. That's not what those who love this ship feel and that's perfectly okay because it's THEIR Campaign.

My point is, in no way is Larian FORCING a romantic relationship between Gortash and the Durge UNLESS you interpret it that way. Gortash says he "liked" you. Okay, That can mean many things. He respected you as his partner in this whole scheme. He enjoyed your company in comparison to Orin. Or, he saw you as a true friend. Or if you want--and only if you want it--he liked you romantically. And this is vice versa for the new line that was added to further differentiate the Durge from a Tav. It is such a vague line and can be interpreted in so many ways, that I truly don't understand what all the fuss is about. If you don't see Gortash as a previous romantic partner...then don't.

The Dark Urge is in many ways a blank slate. Yes, they have a bloody past when it comes to murder, but you don't have to add personal relationships to it if you don't want to. Hell, in my latest playthrough, my durge was a virgin when this whole mess began lol (They, of course, didn't know that, but it's what I roleplayed). They also never fully recover their memory outside of what's shown in the game. They're a complete blank slate at the start and the end. The durge has no personal background so you can make your own. So you can ROLEPLAY.

If you don't like the idea of Durge and Gortash being a thing...don't roleplay it that way. And, if you interpret that line as romantic DON'T click it. But there is no reason to be going around saying something is being forced on you when it isn't.

(If you want to be mad about something, be mad about Wyll constantly being sidelined compared to every other companion, but that's another post in itself.)

Anyway, if you read this thanks and have fun with whatever headcanon you carry.

#bg3 #baldur's gate #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 durge #enver gortash #gortash x durge #dark urge x gortash #bg3 gortash #lord gortash #the dark urge #durgetash #patch 6 bg3 #justice for Wyll