#ravengard ward au

[maegalkarven]

Imagine: the year is 1482 DR.

Enver Gortash has spent two years working on the angle of seducing Great Duke Ravengard's eldest son. It has proven to be one of the hardest things he has ever done, with the man being as unattainable as only the greatest treasures of the world can be. Enver is torn between being annoyed and actually starting to enjoy this game of push and pull.

Finally one night he manages to steal Levi on a date around the city; he promises to show the rich boy the lower parts of the city, where the real life is. (He knows it's rubbish, but spoiled children of nobles like that kind of stuff).

Enver's bodyguard follows them on some distance and only that saves him then something overcomes his night date - something unexpected and wild, and murderous. Karlach barely manages to parry the hit what would slice Enver into two before Levi - is it even Levi still? - pushes her to the ground, his eyes unnaturally wide, his mouth twisted into awful smile, his claws sharper than they have any right to be- He is dangerous, he is as if Death became a person and decided to grace them with its visit today - he bleeds but doesn't stop, he attacks like he has nothing to lose and only craves blood-

They're saved, both of them, by the sudden arrival of a harper - THE harper - Jaheira, who knocks Levi out.

Gortash moves to ask questions, or to leave - but is restrained by the vines suddenly growing out of nowhere. So is Karlach.

They stay there, secured in place, until Ravengard and his closest companion Florrick arrive, in a rush, clearly expecting the worst.

That's now Enver Gortash finds out the man he is trying to seduce is a Bhaalspawn. This is when things start to get interesting.

[beyourlionheart]

wait for me !!!

this is a Wyllach AU based on Hadestown/Orpheus & Eurydice. I had the idea during a 4 hour class and thought it was the best idea in the whole world, and then when I sat down to actually write it I really struggled to find either of their voices. Someday I do hope to finish it, though.

The stage is set in Baldur’s Gate, in a tavern somewhere that Wyll Ravengard has no business going into. His father had warned him of such places — the ones where the sun doesn’t shine and the hells’ fires burn brightest. But Wyll’s mother had been a muse, back when she’d been alive, and although he’d never known her, he thinks she would have loved the kinds of places where people thrive amongst the rocks and crevices. And oh, do they thrive. Wyll slips his hands around a mug of ale, feeling young and inexperienced after the menu items had gone over his head. None of them at all resemble his father’s expensive cabinet of liquors and wines that he’d grown accustomed to. That hardly matters by the time he sees her. She’s hard to miss — a head taller than him with red skin and curling black horns, laughing loud enough to shake the bar to its foundation. She seems happy. It’s not something Wyll has seen before — not really. Sure, he and his father are content enough, tucked away in the Upper City, but he’d never seen someone’s face break to accommodate a smile the way hers does. Wyll is enraptured. He feels the lash of his father’s would-be reprimands — something along the lines of getting home at a reasonable hour and not spending his nights in the seedy parts of the city. Wyll wonders what his father might think of this tiefling in all of her glory, warding off the cold of the night as it threatens at the door of the tavern. He makes his way silently toward her. Again, he hears his father’s voice in his ear: don’t come on too strong. “Come home with me,” he says hopefully, sliding up next to her. The tiefling woman barks a laugh. “Who are you, kid?” Wyll grins. “The man who’s gonna marry you. I’m Wyll.”

[maegalkarven]

I think Karlach witnessing Levi almost murdering Gortash and being distressed over it is the final push for Gortash to sell her to Zariel.

Bc Gortash was looking into the ways to realise all his insane plans, and now things are finally starting to fall into the full picture. He had ideas, he had plans, but now? Now, with a beautiful monster what Levi Ravengard turned out to be, he has the means.

Meanwhile Karlach keeps fussing over him, insisting Levi is dangerous, too dangerous, what he almost killed Gortash, and it's annoying. She gets into his way, she becomes more trouble than not. So he sells her and proceeds with his plan to seduce Ravengard's oldest.

Enver can do plenty of things with the knowledge what Levi is a Bhaalspawn. He can blackmail Ravengard, for starters. Threaten to unleash this knowledge into the masses.

Or he can do it smart; play the trustworthy card and swear to keep this secret, promise to honor Levi's privacy and at the same time double his efforts.

And it works marvels; unburdened by the secrecy, Levi actually flourishes under his attention. Gortash sees how scared of the urges everyone around Levi is and how...ashamed they are too, like it's some dirty secret showed under the rug. And he sees Levi himself sees how other treat his "sickness" and what a toll it leaves on him.

So he works on the angle "I like you not because the urges, but with them, because of them, because they're the part of you".

And its so new to Levi, who is used to feeling ashamed, having his father and Florrick being disappointed at him with every death he causes while also not being able to not kill (I'm a firm believer Durge, being pure Bhaal's creation, needs to kill to survive, not just wants/is driven to do that).

Levi is used to people loving him despite the urges, so then someone likes him with them, accepts all of him, every part of his undoubtedly awful self, it's the most freeing thing in the world.

He can breathe, for the first time in his life he can actually breathe. He is honest with Gortash in the way he has never been honest with anyone, not even Jaheira. He tells the man all of his fears and, unlike his family, Gortash acknowledges what his nature indeed is a problem what needs to be dealt with, and it will keep being one for as long as Bhaal exists. Breaking yourself into pieces by trying to change your nature will do no good, but does Levi know what will? Dealing with Bhaal once and for all. Even gods can be defeated.

After that Gortash has Levi in his pocket. Because he saw him when everyone else only agreed to see parts of him and denied the ugly parts. Gortash saw the monster Levi felt to be and called him beautiful.

[maegalkarven]

Thinking of Ravengard Ward AU where things proceed to the point of the events of the game with several results:

Levi, convinced by Gortash fighting off Bhaal is only possible with the Crown of Karsus and growing desperate with every day (as Bhaal pushes to control him with growing force), ventures into Mephistar to steal it from Mephistopheles.

While he is gone Ravengard goes to Elturel and, as Elturel falls to Avernus, descends there too. Duke's second son Wyll, an aspiring ranger, ventures into Hells alongside with counselor Florrick in a quest to find Ulder Ravengard. Levi returns from Mephistar to find all of his family gone. He wants to rush after them to Avernus, but Bhaal's hold on him is getting worse with everyday, and he's running out of time. He hopes his brother and Florrick know what they're doing.

With Ravengard missing and Florrick out of the city, Enver Gortash conspires to have proclaim the duke dead, making Leviathan Ravengard his heir and successor.

The Absolute Plan is set into motion, with only one god (Myrkul) involved. Levi and Gortash are forced to work with Ketheric bc the illithid colony is literally Under His House. Levi plans to betray the man and clean the shadow-cursed lands because this is what Jaheira and the harpers would have wanted. He when plans to use the newly gained with Absolute power to destroy Bhaal, Bane and Myrkul in one go. Gortash plans to obtain the power alike gods without any restrictions gods are forced under.

The first illithid-infected people start to appear. Jaheira and Minsc go to investigate, Minsc gets infected. Levi plans to use him as a leverage against Jaheira and Wyll if (then) they will disagree with his plans.

The incoming wedding of Duke Leviathan Ravengard and Lord Enver Gortash is announced. Lord Gortash is then going to be proclaimed the first Archduke of Baldur's Gate, with his husband's full support.

Wyll and Florrick meet Karlach and team up with her. Wyll is horrified to find out the guy who is dating his older brother sold Karlach to the deviless. Together they find Duke Ravengard and hijack the nautiloid.

The following (with all the in-game steps) events are:

Wyll and the team (Wyll is the leader) reach BG just in time to be informed of the passed wedding and the incoming inauguration of Lord Gortash.

They are horrified what has happened to the city in their absence. Ravengard, Wyll and Jaheira try to talk sense into Levi, Levi argues back what none of them know what it's like to have the God of Murder in their head all the time. What Bhaal was showing him more things these days, what he knows his destiny - he is a pureblood bhaalspawn, made out of Bhaal's dead flesh, he is destined to destroy the world. He is trying to convince them this is the only way he can do it, what this way he can destroy all gods for good, his Father included. What with the power the stones and Absolute gives them, he and Gortash can become new gods, can change the very rules of the universe - and wouldn't it be great?

The huge argument follows and Levi storms out, angry.

The next time they see him is at the inauguration, when, instead of proclaiming Gorash the new Archduke, Levi murders everyone but Gortash (who by this point is used to his husband's murder sprees and is successfully defended by Steel Watch) in the Hall.

Wyll and co walk into the Hall, expecting confrontation, but finding Levi in a pool of blood as Gortash tries to make him come out of the stupor.

Levi raises a desperate gaze at his brother and says: "Don't you see? It's getting worse. Bhaal is so angry. This is the only way. Why can't you see? Why no one but Enver can see it?!"

[maegalkarven]

It's important you know what Ravengard adopting Levi didn't fix him.

He is still an awful murder child, just with good examples and parenting, and trying to resist the urge.

Also in some ways he is WORSE, bc now he's not just random murder hobo raised in a cult, but the Great Duke's son. He is rich, he is spoiled. He looks down at people bc he can, he cares only about his family and Jaheira, he can and WILL eat your face if you're mean to the people above.

And still, he's the best chance Gortash has to breaking into Hells and succeeding with his plans. He is a murder machine who is put into a nice coat and given a cup of floral tea. A child determined to fight a God. Gortash mentions any gods' worship and get laughed at.

Has to re-wire half of his plans around that asshole bc he desperately needs things to work out and the Temple of Bhaal angle proved to be dead end (Orin is a lose catapult, he'll achieve nothing with her).

Also I have a feeling Gortash and Levi meet much earlier than in canon; Gortash trying to sleep, manipulate and blackmail his way into high society, Levi being Right Here, Beautiful, Influencial and Rich. Seduce him - and you'll have access to the heart of the Gate, seduce him - and you can influence Ravengard and the council of four through it.

So they they meet around 1478 DR, 14 years before the events of the game.

Levi is around 23 then and Gortash is around 31, Gortash makes a move into Levi's bed immediately after seducing Lady Jannath (the mother or Oskar's Jannath). It takes some time for Ravengard to notice it, but when he does, he is furiously against it. Gortash looks like a gold-digger to him, and has a shady reputation, and is rumored to work with gangs, and- Levi, are you even listening?

The whole thing with Karlach branches into 2 versions:

Either Levi notices her and offers her a better job, pissing Gortash off SO MUCH. It happens only if Levi's urges overtake him and he almost kills Karlach, but she manages to fight him off, earning his respect. He hires her as a bogyguard who keeps him in check. Basically anti-urge prevention.

Or the thing with Karlach happens like in canon and they meet later in Hells when Levi ventures into Avernus after his father (Ravengard, not Bhaal).

I also think Gortash's angle would be a little different in that version, more "become new gods immediately" than his usual Banite path. He'd want to take the crown of Karsus and use it and the Great Design plot to to achieve godhood for himself (lying to Levi about his intentions in the process but feeding him ideas about defeating and destroying Bhaal for good).

He'd be the one sending Ravengard to Avernus (without Levi knowing and with the full intent of killing Ravengard off there. With him gone Levi would be the heir - would have the power. Though him Gortash could control the council/the city/etc).

Levi better never find out about that, bc if he does - Gortash's life is over, immediately.

[maegalkarven]

But also I keep imagining Jaheira chasing Sceleritas away with the broom and it's hilarious.

[maegalkarven]

Basically all you need to know about Ravengard Ward AU is what Levi is the guy who fixes things by making them worse, and what Gortash is an awful enabler.