Once agreeing to ally with Gortash, Durge can convince him to join the party, but only if they agree to kill Raphael. If Karlach is in the party, this may be done in exchange for Gortash to fix her heart if Durge can pass the persuasion roll on Karlach.
• Upon joining the party, Gortash shows up in a more practical armor set, still gold and black but not as decorated as his robe. There’s scrapes and dents on parts of it, clearly having been worn before. Durge can ask him about it in conversation and discover he has chosen to wear the same armor as he did when they robbed Mephistopheles Vault. He never repaired it and can tell a story for each scratch.
• He does a lot to try to jog Durge’s memories, and it works a some degree. We hear little stories around the city, some more suggestive than others.
• Old habits never die. He’s constantly touching Durge, always walks next to them, has a lot of strong opinions but will only concede to Durge.
• Durge persuasion rolls on Gortash are DC10 and under. Anyone else it’s DC30.
• He absolutely compliments Durge a little too much. And he’s always the first at Durge’s side after the fighting ends. Grumbles if he has to rez anyone else but dotes on Durge.
• Gets along well enough with Astarion, Shadowheart, and Laezel. Respects Minthara and Gale, sees them both as potential allies if they know their places. Absolute bitch to Wyll. Actively the number one Ravengard hater.
• If Durge can convince Karlach to stick around, she will only be in the same party as Gortash once or twice. She’ll confront Durge about it after and either has to be kept separate or leaves the party.
• If taken to Astarion and Shadowhearts’ personal quests, he’ll be surprisingly respectful, and will tell them they’d make good Banites, particularly if Shadowheart resists Shar. (Kinda think he would tell Astarion not to Ascend but for his own advantage of not having to deal with an Ascended Vampire and not wanting the hells to gain power from 7,000 souls)
• Random gifts pop up in Durge’s inventory. He says nothing about them. One is definitely the hand of an enemy.
• When in the House of Hope, Gortash will only allow Durge to enter the prison with him until the warden is dead. He’ll tell them everything, but won’t let the others see it.
• Killing Raphael is very emotional. He’s proud, happy, relieved, but being there shakes him up. Durge can hug him in private when they talk about it.
• If Durge chooses to save Hope, she tries to hug ‘little Enver, all grown up’ before they leave. He does not like it, but part of him is happy to see her free.
• Durgetash romance can initiate after Raphael is dead. Sceleritas is so fuckin' pissed. Like, he kinda ships it, but he CANNOT handle Durge getting labotomized again for this Banite fool.
• He has random little personal quests and pop-up events like his formal coronation celebration ball, taking Durge to a fancy dinner, dealing with fans, and assassinating a rude journalist who called him not-so-young-and-handsome.
• If taken to Lady Jannath's estate, she flirts with him. Durge has an option to stab her for this- just once. Just a little. She'll be fine! Gortash approves. He apologizes to her, but he's absolutely into it.
• His two allied pathways at the end are to remain fully evil and control the brain/Faerun with Durge or absolutely still be, ya know, Gortash but destroy the brain and become archduke without the tadpoles' help as he’s now viewed as the city’s hero. This is his least evil option and requires a Durge romance or at least a Durge that will remain by his side regardless and saving Hope as pivotal moments.
• Durge's alliance or resistance of Bhaal would significantly influence this. Resisting Bhaal lowers the DC on any persuasion. Failing the duel with Orin would block any option except controlling the brain with Gortash as he sees it as the only way to protect Durge. Because controlling the absolute would offer them a large enough following to grant them literal ascension to godhood, freeing Durge from Bhaal's control. Plus, you know killing a god would only inflate Gortash's ego more, and that would be his new goal.
Initial thoughts about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms ending and how it is with the books:
SPOILERS FOR FUTURE AKOTSK SEASONS (2 & 3 spoilers) BELOW
(BIG spoilers for all of the Dunk and Egg Novellas)
- soooo if Maeker doesn’t know Egg is gone how will this affect future seasons? Because I hope Maeker finds out between 1&2!!! IF HE DOES NOT THE PLOT OF SEASON 3 WILL CHANGE!!! Maynard will think that Duncan kidnapped Egg instead of helping him and warning him to leave!!! THE 2ND BLACKFYRE REBELLION WILL BE… so different and ehhhh no. The conversation between Lord Bloodraven and Egg?? Hope we still get that and there is an understanding.
- I loveeee how they added Raymun Fossoway lore. We barely got shit of what happened to him after in the books. I am TAKING THIS as book canon. I need it okay?
- DUNK SAYS HE ISNT GOING TO STORMS END BUT IN THE 2ND BOOK HE MENTIONS HOW EGG AND HIM STOPPED BY FOR A BIT!??? How will their tension affect this trip? Will it just not happen???
- Surprised they didn’t mention how Egg wants to go to The Wall (though I’m pretty sure that’s more a book 2 & 3 thing)
- LOVE how they mentioned how madness is sewn into the wombs when it comes to Targaryens. Then mentioning how Aerion liked fishing…. And cutting to a shot of Egg’s dinner (a fish with a knife in it)… and then Egg seeing how much he looks like Aerion and taking that same knife to Aerion’s room…. And Maekar holding him while he cries………….. Now we don’t see Egg’s decent to madness in the books (yet) but…. Based on certain context clues this one is going to hurt. Especially knowing that Egg and Aerion have to fight side by side in the 3rd Blackfyre Rebellion…. Ooooohhhh this is gonna hurt. No one can save Egg from the madness that comes with discovering what is near/betond the wall. Or from his craze with needing to hatch his eggs. No one can stop a dragon’s blood from running hot.
- “I will love you like a brother” okay now I’m WORRIED with how they are gonna show John the Fiddler…. Don’t queerbait it pleaseeeeeee omg!!! Either add a kiss where Dunk is confused as FUCK or in the LEAST DO NOT ADD A SCENE LIKE THAT BETWEEN THEM!!!!! I think an added kiss after “so be my dog and we can howl at the moon and wake the gods” would add so much to the plot and also Dunk’a general confusion. But if they don’t add it 1) I understand 2) pls pls pls pls pls don’t pull some “you’ll be like a brother to me” shit. Daemon II is so gay YOU CANT DO THAT TO ME!!
- Rohanne vs Rowan… I would say this will get confusing but there are four Wills in book 2. Raymun gets a red head, Dunk gets a red head. Raymun gets a happy ending… Dunk can not afford…
- Showing Egg about to kill Aerion was a GREAT add considering how Egg says “you spared him. Don’t you remember?” To Dunk in the book. I feel so bad for Egg in this part. And I know Maekar must simultaneously be comforting and angering in that moment. But Egg is so not used to love that he just leans into his dad who is just trying. But… not doing the best at it obviously. Maekar probably knows but… I don’t think Egg is supported though it all. Instead Maekar tries to fix Aerion, not listen to Egg. They don’t say anything. Egg was the one affected dude… but Maekar only knows how to stop broken things, not stop things from becoming broken.
- I LOVED HOW GENTLE BAELORS SON WAS WITH TALKING TO DUNK!! In the book, I read it much harsher but damn. He played this role in such a light I have not considered. And brought such distress yet honor to this character.
- Loved Maekar saying “he’s my last son” OH THAT HITTTT!!
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.
Banite-Bhaalian cultural exchange: Gortash attends a ritual sacrifice, Durge gets dressed up and goes to a ball. Gortash helps assassinate someone, Durge commits tax fraud. Gortash dissects a living person, Durge learns about bureaucracy.
