First Base Is Beating The Shit Out Of Each Other Second Base Is Having A Civil Conversation

So I have seen a lot of people chuckle over that "younger man" line in relation to Gortash (as if it is not said in direct comparison to Ketheric) and taken it to mean he might have an issue with aging/some midlife crisis going on.

I'm very much not in that boat. He looks his age. He is one of few characters who does. (Not a lot of straight humans ingame tho, so.)

If you look at the man's history, youth has literally never done him any favors. Being younger has meant being weaker, having less information, and having to rely more on other people -- and often people who shouldn't be in charge of anyone.

To me, that's gonna be someone who has no problem with aging. In fact, he probably likes the way he looks now more than at any other point he has been alive. He's at the point he thinks he has always wanted to be.

To quote a friend: "Enver Gortash has exactly one midlife crisis and its name is Orin."

Smooches for babygurl

sometimes Bhaal makes his kids so unsuitable for living that self-sacrifice feels like bliss

Hemlock (left) by @snekkinsnerpent and Omut (right) by me :3c

I think a really interesting angle to look at Gortash's and Durge's relationship from, is the twisted sense of...safety Gortash got from it.

Safety? Around the Dark Urge? You must be mad Tumblr user Felassanis! Well give me a second.

It's about the same type of safety you might get from a really violent dog that trusts only you. Who snaps and is willing to bite anyone except the one holding it's leash. This is great for maybe going on walks if you're terrified of being attacked. A good dog to have in a house in case of burglary or whatever...

And Gortash has never really known much safety. He wasn't safe from the abuse of his parents, the abuse and danger of being raised by Raphael and his staff. He's not even really safe from Bane, his own God, who Gortash MUST know that if he fails him Bane is gonna make him suffer big time. Then, he was in a very dangerous line of work being an arms dealer in the Underworld prior to becoming a lord, surrounded by crime syndicates out to stop him from rising the ranks.

The guy literally has anti-anxiety armour. He, to his core, is pretty much still that terrified little boy Raphael had in the Hells, the little boy cowering from his vile parents.

Then he meets The Dark Urge. The child of the God of Murder Bhaal. The progeny of one of the most darkest and most violent assassins to ever walk the world. An Assassin themselves. And they enter a deal together, one out of neccessity to achieve their ends of course. But wherever Gortash points...Durge will go and kill.

That's perhaps not the strongest basis for a relationship. But then, Gortash and Durge start...admiring one another. Deeply. And this is where I steer into head-canon territory...but imagine having a Bhaalspawn as deadly and as effective as Durge essentially almost at your beck and call. But more than that, they are your partner. Dare I say, Durge potentially becomes Gortash's own assassin?

If someone were to try and take Gortash out. Durge would stop them. And it would be for more than just to safeguard their alliance so they can dominate the world. It's also because Durge likes Gortash. They don't want him dead, the bond has gone much deeper now.

Gortash has always had to save himself. Look out for himself. Until he finds an equal and a partner in The Dark Urge. And there is so much you can chew on with that.

That's an incredibly powerful thing to have. The admiration of a Bhaalspawn like Durge. A cruel, violent thing that he has the confidence of. A murderous creature who stays their hand around him, but will snap at whichever target he points at. That must be such a safety net for Gortash, and it's not just one he's bought out, or dominated, or tricked into serving him whatever. This safety net comes from somewhere genuine that he has EARNED because he's gained Durge's admiration.

To Gortash, being the fucking exception to a creature of murder must be such a privilege. And it gets him a kind of safety he's never known from another person. Ad yeah, he definitely saw the benefit of having this from a detached standpoint - ooh look at me, Durge won't kill me and that pissess off literally everyone and I can use this to my advantage. But I reckon Gortash, who also respects Durge, is honoured by it. Affected by it. Cherishes it.

Going into MAJOR head-canon/fanfic territory. It's even intriguing to think about this mostly violent person being vulnerable and softer around Gortash. (Like the mornings waking up together hehe) Seeing these humanising moments that, arguably the Chosen of Bane shouldn't be privvy to as no doubt Bhaal is fucking seething. But he sees it anyway, and is likely the only person ever to see them like this. His own little reign of tyranny over them as he sees sides to them never shown before. But it's a two-way street - Gortash when he reunites with the Dark Urge, is very visibly on display very happy to see them. He's not able to contain it much because...he thought they were dead. His favourite assassin, and here they are alive and well and things can go back to the way they were and he's elated at that idea.

Lastly, I have to rain on the parade just a bit with some canon. Yes, there is a sense of privelege to being the only one a violent dog won't attack. But how permanent is that relationship? A really violent dog in reality, is only a few triggers away from turning on you. Biting you. And in Durge's case, yes they maybe don't want to kill Gortash. But that isn't how it was ever going to end between them. Funnily enough, Gortash's safety around Durge was only ever temporary. Gortash was always going to die one way or another and it's extra tragic if the one person he ever found some safety in is the one to turn the knife on him. Even more so, because it was originally destined to be this way had they dominated the world. Gortash was both safe and never safe from The Dark Urge.

So I'm writing my fanfic, and I've never written smut before -as in NEVER. Started by diving off the deep end and doing durgetash, because I'm a big boy and I can do whatever I want. Knew what I was getting into, I'd planned it out and everything, it wasn't even THAT BAD like, there was some blood and death threats so I figured it'd be fine, but WHOO BOY was I not prepared for the mental journey writing that scene was gonna take me on. Like damn. I just put that into the world.

It's fine tho, I had fun and I'm looking forward to writing the rest of it

Ugh, whyyy is Gortash's outfit so detaileeed?? like calm down my man (yes i'm just bitter because i'm trying to draw him)

i am once again thinking about gortash seeing himself as a widower after durge goes missing someone pull me out of this idea quicksand

Ever start making art and then you're done and you realize it's the middle of the night? yeah me neither

Anyways, this is an illustration from chapter 1 of my durgetash fic Picking up the pieces which is in the works, so enjoy the sneak peek♡

Improved Enver Gortash Character Model Close-Ups

Enver Gortash Character Model Close-Ups in Blender

Note: this model has the boots as gold instead of the red they are in-game.

Model from here. Models & Textures all ©Larian Studios.

Lighting: Indoor HDR (pine attic).

Decided to do detailed shots within a more complete study to bring this in line with other character model close-ups I have done.

Other Gortash character model studies:

Original basic outfit shots

Left arm sleeve details

Jackboots details

Snowfall

Another experiment with drawing Gorty, already feeling more confident with his features!