It’s an excellent morning indeed, waking up to more TSS! I’m excited to read more of what you’ve been working on for so long now, and this was a bloody gorgeous and devastating and then blood-pumping ride!
Can’t be said enough how lovely the beginning bit is, with Astarion under the sunrise. That warmth, that happiness, that hope and how thoughts of Cazador rip it away from him. Fascinating too that later it’s Cazador, rather than the tadpole, that has him sticking with the group. Needs meat shields indeed! But yeah, it speaks very much to the cycle of horror and hope that is early Astarion.
And then startled cat Astarion is of course one of my favorite Astarions XD
Yay, we get a description of durge!
“His shoulders are hunched forward as if curling his body around a wound” -- dang that turn of phrase!
Oooh, hello face tattoo. The poor scarred up guy needs some sleep, but of course, the urges don’t allow things to be so easy.
He stands up and glances down at the half-drow, voice dripping with sarcasm, “Do take care of yourself.” ^I absolutely LOVE where you brought this conversation in and made it fit so well. It’s one of my favorites between Astarion and Durge, so seeing it recontextualized here was excellent!
“Time is being kind.” ^You know, for once. Yesssss personification!
I really enjoyed this scene between Shadowheart and Durge. It makes sense, that she would examine him under these circumstances with her proficiency in medicine and, well, probably her desire to return the favor in some way of being rescued. You really nailed her imo, not quite gentle but eminently practical in evaluation. * Tongue lays thick in his mouth, useless. He wants to nod but the idea of moving at all sends a wave of nausea rippling through his core. The world is starting to t i l t –
“Oh no you don’t – don’t you dare faint on me – I cannot carry you–”
Rude, shoving hands push him to the side, one step, two. The backs of his knees hit something and his strings are cut, and he’s sinking– * ^Big yeowch on this! And also amazing use of formatting for conveyance. And well…the double meaning on strings cut. Both his own control strings and, as Shadowheart reveals later….his tendons being severed at the ankles and wrists T_T Horrible horrible horrible but it makes so much sense to control him. (chew Kressa)
HAND RUBBIES. You do care Shadowheart! I imagine that’s the kindest touch he’s received in a long time…
Also proud of you durge for remembering her name! And her mental exercises suggestion is a brilliant one. Honestly, it’s very cool to see durge getting some helpful examination rather than the nothingburger that comes when urges get confessed to (I mean, I know that sort of confession isn’t what’s happening here, but I just mean in general I love seeing the companions empowered -- and it’s such a twist here, seeing the MC referred to as a burden and being led along).
Shadowheart used insight! It was super effective but painful! Yeowch that conversation about vivisection…but honestly, the group discussing what happened to durge is something that I didn’t know that I needed but I did! An excellent and painful conversation. And Shadowheart you SHOULD feel guilty about suggesting to leave him behind. He didn’t leave YOU behind.
(Also Astarion haranguing durge in the background. Such a bully! Picking on him to make yourself seem stronger? Or you just can’t resist? Either way let the poor guy breathe XD)
“Soft hearted…he would never last under lady shar’s love.” ^SO SHADOWHEART, this line. I love it!
Something I’ve also enjoyed about these perspectives so far is their thoughts on staying with the group. There’s Astarion, staying for just in case Cazador. There’s Shadowheart, considering leaving to get to Baldur’s Gate faster, but then hazards are harder without a group (especially when you’re more a defender than a damage dealer). And there’s durge, working on being useful…which I feel like for him is going to become this persuasion check that post it noted behind his eyes for a very, very long time in this. Persuade them I’m useful, persuade them I’m useful…Their names like a mantra, an anchor…
And, well, you were certainly useful in that fight my dude!
GALE! GALE MY DARLING. I cracked up when he approached the bandits all hunky dory for directions. And how he didn’t listen so nobody helped him negotiate….except then Shadowheart who, well. You know, baby, maybe that -1 isn’t so great for intimidation. But she sure as shit did save his ass with that shield. Get the cleric is a solid battle strategy, and I’m glad you had the bandits use it here. Super logical! And Lae’zel good job coming to her rescue after she did the wrestling…
One in a nightgown and one without boots -- I snorted. But buddies, yall bit off more than what you could chew in these folks. Cus…
….DAMN DURGE. I love how the battle sort of cleared his mind immediately. Very durgecore. Getting to let it out a little when the urges have been making their appearances among the companions.
“That look, that sense of dawning terror in his opponent’s eyes as he looms over him. It does… something to him. Lights his nervous system aflame even as his awareness begins to wane.
His own heart pounds, loud, heavy beats that seem to rattle in his chest. A phantom sensation spreads – sharp nailed claws in a feather light touch dragging back through his hair, from temple to crown, sending shivers down his spine. Pleasure. The world narrows, stretching long like a tunnel, darkening along its edges.”
^I love this sort of awareness that he has, an almost above self knowledge of how this is affecting him. And your description of the urge in battle is just superb and spellbinding! You feel as drawn into it as the reader as he does!
* “You can’t be serious? ‘E’s just one man and you’re squalling like you’ve your dicks caught in the door!”
The hinges creak behind him, letting in the wind and the rain and the strides of many more feet.
Torch’s arrogance drains from his face like blood from a wound, “Okay, more than one man.” * ^HAH! I laughed out loud in truth!
Ooooh damn durge got bite. Bet you’re jealous, Astarion. (also lately acknowledging that I liked how it affected him earlier, durge being covered in blood)
“The urge is pleased, if not truly sated. It fades into the back of his mind, watchful but quiet.” ^This depiction of the urge, SO GOOD. I also like the idea of it being watchful, because it is, isn’t it? Looking for any hook, any opportunity to make suggestions.
GALE THINKING THEY WERE TEMPLE ATTENDANTS. Honestly, I’m so here for this level of Gale insight fail.
Greatsword!Acquired. Lessons with Lae’zel, booked!
Thank you so much for sharing this chapter <3 I enjoyed it greatly, and I’m chompin at the bit to explore the temple with these guys! This fic is a fascinating, detailed retelling, and you’ve managed to make it all seem new again. Thanks for recapturing the magic of the game I’ve played so many times <3
I'm so glad you enjoyed! I was nervous, especially that the fight scene was too drawn out, or that Shadowheart didn't feel authentic enough, etc, but it seems like it might have worked out in the end! (I overestimated how tough it was going to be writing an action scene from the pov of a nameless character, like, holy shit it was ridiculous. I was so worried it was just going to end up a confusing mess lol)
Astarion's a character that other than his very first comment about 'turning into a monster' when you tell him about the tadpoles, he doesn't really seem to be in any kind of a rush to remove them, and who can blame him? Despite what Gale says, you survive the first few nights and nothing changes and this little worm comes with so many plus sides -- compulsion free and sunlight proof, I'm surprised he didn't argue near the end of game to find some way to make his tadpole permanent.
And Astarion is 100% a cycle of horror and hope, though I think he can only recognize the latter in himself much later in the game.
Sleep? Durges don't need sleep (says the Urge)!
I love that line from Astarion too, but it didn't really seem to fit here without being sarcastic -- maybe in a normal playthrough with a less borked durge, but here it felt strange to have Astarion worrying over their amnesiac.
And I always felt it strange that we got a cleric and we got a character who (canonically in the story, though the model never represents it) has giant scars, and there's just no mention of it? Again, if durge here was more self-capable I could see an excuse of the shirt just never coming off or something so Shadowheart would never see the wounds but still, its something I wish I could have had some representation of in game (other than admitting your lost memories or violent urges and everyone just chuckling and being like 'you know, one time I was minorly inconvenienced so I got so upset I told someone off -- man those were the days! And you're just standing there soaked in blood with a dead bard at your feet).
Kressa being horrible (and the other characters finding out about it) has always been such an important thing to me (as you know!), and I remember reading that letter where she talks about durge trying to strangle her with their own intestines and I thought, 'you'd think she'd try to do something to restrain them more'. Plus, it does seem like something she would do -- she is using the excuse that she's cutting them open to study how the tadpole affects them, I could see her cutting them up in random ways and being like 'but can you heal from this tho?'
(And yes that's most definitely the kindest touch he's received in like forever -- both time's Gale has touched him so far he's felt uncomfortable, just because he's not familiar with it. He would have felt strange about this touch too, but he was still out of it and the sensation was grounding).
I still wish we could get a conversation about Kressa in game because the origin characters reacting to durge is my jam, and that's just such a pivotal moment! This is a lesser moment but between Shadowheart -- who's seen his wounds and his symptoms -- Gale -- who's smart enough to glean some of what's wrong on his own -- and Lae'zel -- who's seen his scars -- I figured they had to have a chat about it. Shadowheart doesn't remember it but she does have some expertise in the area because I can just see the Sharrens doing some cruel shit to people in the name of getting information, and then once they no longer have a use they 'give' the prisoners over to the initiates and their trainers to practice information extraction.
Astarion is both annoyed and amused by this shell of a man they're dragging around, and it's so easy to poke fun at him! It's like a game to pass away all the time while walking! He'd do the same if it were Petras with them!
Oh I'm sure durge will be perfectly fine and there won't be any lasting repercussions! Everyone's gotta be useful right? But yeah it makes more sense to me that early game everyone's in their own mind set of step a) remove tadpole, step b) go home (except Astarion, of course, but he's got an overall similar mindset) and none of them are really thinking of sticking around for the long term. Allies of convenience and nothing more.
I can't remember the numbers but I set this roll up real easy for Gale; smart man like him should have no problem realizing that hey, maybe these guys aren't the best people to be asking -- but nope, he rolled like a 2 or something, so xD The rest of the party was very amused watching the wizard try to fumble his way through that one.
And yeah, Shadowheart isn't the best at intimidation, but it doesn't help that one of her teammates is a yellow spotted alien lady in armor that shows a surprising amount of skin, the most gullible wizard ever, and this big man in a badly fitting shirt and no shoes. Gimblebock weighed the numbers (also remembering they had more people inside of course, and 4 on 5 -- or if necessary 10 on 5 -- seemed doable).
Durge's brain basically saw battle was imminent and pushed all of the healing it was attempting and pushed it aside -- if there's anything he's got going for himself its muscle memory from years of combat. Plus, the urge is always so encouraging for a bit of bloodletting!
It is kind of an above self feeling, though I never thought of it that way -- its basically him feeling how the urge is slipping into semi control and trying to encourage him to do more (hence the pleasure he was feeling. I'm just saying its good he has pants on now is all). Daddy Bhaal might not be actively watching his spawn but the urge is very present.
I'm glad you enjoyed the fight! I originally was going to describe what everyone else did in battle as well, but it didn't make sense -- by the time they get into the temple durge really only has eyes for his targets.
I like those lines too! I'm always a bit worried about dialogue but that was one of those bits that felt right!
Astarion is peeved okay -- he'd get in trouble if he started biting people, why does the braindead tagalon get to sample? Bad enough that he's so close to blood and mortals and it seems he doesn't have the compulsion anymore preventing him from biting, but if he bites... what if the others figure him out? He needs a plan!
I'm so glad you enjoyed! Thank you so much for the comment! I could hardly go back to sleep because I was so giddy when I read it! :D
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m3rcurylanding on Chapter 2 Fri 20 Sep 2024 12:51PM UTC
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KohKoh on Chapter 2 Fri 20 Sep 2024 06:58PM UTC
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