D&D Lore: Baldur's Gate 1 Story

you may have played any or all of the excellent series of balers gate video games perhaps you've read the books adventured within its walls through pen and paper or listen to the story Recaps in preparation for the game's most recent installment but there are stories still left Untold and much left to be discovered the story and lore of bioware's first and groundbreaking crpg balder's gate told in long form and as never before right now on riches and liches welcome adventurers Scholars and World Builders I'm rich and this is riches and liches dedicated to dungeons dragons and tals of lore if you've made it this far then you most likely have at least a passing interest in the rich lore of the sword Coast specifically the tales surrounding the great Hort city of balder's gate as I do perhaps even reignited by the release of larryan Studio's most exceptional balers Gate 3 whether you are playing through the entire series looking to get caught up on the complete lore or just love a good story I think you'll really enjoy today's offering while balers gate existed long before the video game series being part of Ed Greenwood's own forgotten realm setting created before man even landed upon the moon cersa 1967 and officially becoming part of the Dungeons and Dragons lore in the80s it was bow is original story however in balers Gate 1 that really put the city and its lore on the map in fact the series was so well received and proved so popular that many aspects of those stories have since been codified as canonical Dungeons and Dragons lore and while lots of summaries and Recaps of the gamees lore exist in both long and short form I really wanted to write and share a compelling Story one that mirrors my own and likely millions of my fellow RPG Enthusiast experiences with this legendary series however as much as I enjoyed the story in balers Gate 1 transcribing a variable and semi-personal Story one with lots of choices and twisting paths all created in a video game environment it did leave a lot of Headroom to weave a tale of my own artistic license now for those that are looking for only a canonical recap of the main story line and maybe some extended lore worry not I've got you covered I'll also be creating a shorter video devoid of any of the story elements so please feel free to check that out if that's of interest and if this volume proves popular I plan to also cover the expansions the sequels and even some deep lore dives into some of the more notable characters so if you enjoy a good story and want to hear and see the balers gate tale like never before then settle in and let me regil you with the dark story of the series First Central protagonist you know him best as you if you played the game but the historical Canon knows him as abdell Adrien ward of candlekeep abdil was born sometime between 1347 and 1348 Dr or Dale Reckoning as a young child abdell was taken in by an accomplished Mage named gorion and raised in the sword Coast Library Fortress of fyon candlekeep the young boy grew up alongside his childhood friend emn another orphan taken in and raised by the Inn's keeper winra as children abdell and emn formed an unshakable Bond becoming as close as siblings together they would find all manner of Mischief around candle keep's ancient halls and sacred passages constantly vexing the keep's monks and Watchers with their excited and curious Expeditions yet gan's wisdom and kindness always kept abdell on the righteous path under gan's toage abdell received a proper education from kandle keep Scholars he studied history philosophy magic and more gine also ensured he was trained well in arms and combat for the roads outside the keep could be dangerous despite the gate Warden Hull's Gruff demeanor he took his training duties seriously putting the children through rigorous weapon drills Eman favored the bow while Abell excelled early with sword and shield as abdell Grew From A Child in into manhood he sensed he was different than the other children his reflexes and strength vastly exceeded the other Wards even those some years older when sparring he sometimes fell into an involuntary trance effortlessly disarming his opponents even humbling veteran guards on occasion yet through all his years raised in the great knowledge Fortress his Heritage remained a veiled history despite his constant inquiries Gan refused to explain abdill's unique gifts or his origin but there was no doubt he cared for him like a son sheltered in the safety and magically warded candle keep abdil had few worries he grew tall and strong in body and mind under gan's wise guidance however that Serenity changed abruptly on the dawn of abdel's 20th birthday in 1368 Dr Gan suddenly burst into his quarter saying they must depart candle keep immediately taken AB abdell began to object but Ryan quickly cut him off son there are things you do not understand evils I have sheltered you from I wish I had time to explain but you have to trust me and we must leave candle keep at once please follow me stay close and speak to no one I will tell you more when we are beyond the keep's walls strange Tidings weighed heavily in the air and there was no time for delay Gathering sparse provisions and weapons Gan and his Ward abdell departed through a little used Side passage long before the sun rose Southward they traveled mostly in silence through the early morning night Goran answered no questions I scanning the moonlit Road wearily abdil noted that Goran was carrying the heavy burden of concern on his weary face abdil had never seen such worry on the normally thoughtful and measured Mage after two days of travel South Goran finally spoke of their hastily planned exit from the only home abdell had ever known the young Ward was told that if danger arose or if they were separated for any reason he must flee South to the friendly arm in and present a letter to guan's trusted allies khed and Jahira more he would not say other than to warn abdell not to return to Candle keep or deviate from this directive unease gnawed at abdell both a mixture of fear excitement and worry but he knew gind to have his best interest at heart and nodded in solemn agreement as the sun hid behind the Horizon on the evening of the second day treachery fell upon them a towering figure encased in spiked black plate armor emerged from the darkness to block their path this ominous figure flanked by a group of four shadowy Silhouettes in black leather and wielding long daggers that glistened in the Moonlight do not be a fool gor iron hand over the child or perish with him he time Among The Mortals is at an end the righteous and just will never yield to your evil deathbringer Goran immediately turned and shouted for abdell to flee into the forest abdell paused wanting to stay in fight but gion held upon him a grave look that gave abdell chills telling him there were dire Omens unrealized so reluctantly abdell turned and ran just as The Clash of Steel and Magic rang out behind him two of the bladed assassins attemp attempt to give Chase but were cut down by powerful Magic from gion dashing at full speed through the underbrush branches lashing his face abdell heard gine cry out spell after spell while the armored figure roared in both pain and rage abdell knew his adopted father as an accomplished Mage in his own right but he was also outnumbered abdell fought back the desire to turn back tears not of fear but shame and loss now streaming in his eyes eventually the sounds of combat grew fainter and abdell stumbled up a well- covered and forested Hill reaching the top abdell turned just in time to see a blinding flash like that of lightning strike at the sight of the battle then all went deadly silent abdell hesitated a few moments both taking in all that just occurred while contemplating his next move the dark armored Warrior indicated that he was the intended Target not gorion knowing his life now in danger Gan would not want him returning to the scene but he also knew he must slowly and silently using every skill he had learned from his training ABDO crept back towards the sight of this abor treachery abdell saw no sign of the hulking and ominous leader but sadly did find gorion lying dead in a pool of blood amidst the four corpses of flanked Assassins gion fell but gave them his Fury fighting back grief and More Tears abdell felt a rage and Inner Strength well inside him he swore to avenge this kind man who owed him nothing but raised and cared for him the closest thing he had ever known to a real father Abdel said his final goodbyes and despite the obvious danger and sticking around prepared to give his mentor a proper burial before continuing South as directed moments later abdell was startled by a leaping figure from behind a tree his fear turned to relief as abdell saw it was his friend emilin what are you doing here it's not safe she explained in a mix of somber excitement and sadness that after their abrupt departure she grew suspicious and decided to follow she watched in horror as Gan was struck down by the dark armored evil and that she was determined to help abdell on his journey despite abdel's initial reluctance and insistence on her safety imoan refused to turn back stating flatly I will not abandon my closest friend in such a time of tragedy and danger I will see that gorion is Avenged and ensure that you don't do anything stupid abdell had no argument and despite his concern for her was glad he was not alone he smiled and nodded in agreement after burying the Beloved G and saying their prayers for his peaceful afterlife together they would search for answers and retribution Adell quickly learned that on the road ahead he would find many dangers as they traveled south down the coastway road not far from the walled Hamlet known as The Friendly arm the young Ward was suddenly struck with a blinding pain as a series of Arcane missiles erupted from the hands of a black robed mage who set upon them without a word but abdell would not flee from this fight wincing from the pain only momentarily Abdel felt Destro strange surge of power and confidence rise from his very soul and with the assistance of Emo's bow and his own deafly wielded blade they dispatched the wouldbe Assassin a check of the Mage assassin's belongings quickly confirmed that there was indeed a price on abdel's head as he read aloud the Bounty notice be it known to those of evil intent that a bounty has been placed upon the head of Abdel Adrien foster child of the sage gorion last seen in the area of candle keep this person is to be killed in quick order those returning with proof of the deed shall receive no less than 200 coins of gold as always any that reveal these plans to the forces of law shall join the Target in their Grim fate abdil also found several magical Scrolls that might come in handy down the line while abdell was always fond of using a blade Gran had taught him some basics in the Arcane Arts regardless they would need to remain ever cautious moving forward arriving at the friendly arm in abdell and Eman met Khaled and Jahira just as instructed handing them the note gine had provided the halfelf warrior and Druid were saddened and sympathetic upon hearing of goran's demise but could explain little of his reasons for the sudden flight from candle keep however they spoke very highly of gine reminiscing over their shared ideals and time spent together as members of the Harpers an organization dedicated to the balancing of Nature and defending of the innocent from forces of evil all across fyon his was a terrible loss and they too wanted answers having none at the moment however the pair suggested that abdell and emo and travel with them they were headed to investigate the nashkel iron mines on the Northern slopes of the cloud Peaks where rumors of strange troubles brooded the married half elf couple explained that a grave iron crisis had spread across the realm with ore shipments being hijacked All Along The Sword coast and that a strange magic curse had been laid upon the iron exports of the nashkel mines rendering the ore rittle and useless further the crisis had started to cause finger pointing and saber rattling among the Rival city states of almond balder's gate each accusing the other of ill intent and threatening of War khed and Jahira thought that perhaps Clues to gan's death might surface along the way and besides there would be safety in numbers as the half Els promised to do all they could to protect both abdell and emn accepting of their offer of companionship this new four-person adventuring team set out on the road to nashal the journey was long and fraught with perils as yet another group of Assassins attempted to waylay the group one evening as they camped again abdell surged with a mix of grief and rage that he could not Place engaging the nefarious attackers he fought with a level of skill that even surprised himself as he moved with a veteran's Poise in battle his sword sliced through foes as though Guided by Fate's hand while he did not understand The Well of Might from which he drew such ferocity he was glad to see it serve him well protecting emn and his new friends as the party arrived in Nash kill it became clear something malign had befallen the Iron Mine the mayor a man named Baron Gaskill spoke of workers gone missing then turning up Torn limb from limb and what little or extracted being cursed or tainted the mayor even offered a reward to the young adventurers should they wish to investigate the mindes accepting the group of four took to the task of descending the dark tunnels to investigate whatever villain was responsible for such wickedness it did not take long before they uncovered the source of malice packs of cabals sabotaging the mindor with some dark Alchemy and slaughtering miners with impunity but to what in was not yet clear steel rang and spells blazed as the young wouldbe Heroes flash with the Savage humanoids in the cramped and malodorous tunnels of this deep mine the cabals fought in packs like cornered Rats outnumbering the group but abdell fighting side by side with khed carved through the vile Vermin with uncanny Grace while emn showed Steady Aim with arrow strikes and the timely disarming of traps meanwhile Jahira proved quite Adept with her staff and her dtic magic healed any wounds the party suffered mowing through the waves of cabals They At Last had reached a cave entrance at the base of the mine some four levels below the surface stepping into the rocky chamber the party meets the foul Mah the half orc cleric quickly addressed the group in a tone dripping of paranoid and initially misunderstanding the group's purpose here did that fat arrogant ogre tasok dispatch you here for my head while my traitorous Cobalts just let you pass this is completely unnecessary by sirich I tell you not a measure of War leaves these Minds unspoiled as brittle as an old Wizard's bones and yet you are here to execute me the clerk points to a chest and informs the party that the documentation will prove he has done as ordered the perplexed look on the group's face as they begin discussing their next move in dealing with this situation must have revealed the mistaken identification as the cleric quickly summoned six skeletons into his service the summoned minions did as instructed but in mere minutes it was clear to Mah that he had no chance against abell's trans-like Onslaught and the skill of his comrades as the final skeleton crumbled into a pile of bones Mah attempted to plead for his repugnant life but no more than three words escaped his lips before the half orc's head was heun from his shoulders with a single clean stroke from abdel's Blade the Ferocious Haze that consumed abdell in battle was both impressive and ominous searching Mah's chamber and belongings the group finds several items to assist them in their Journeys that lie ahead including an honorary ring of soon for zahira and some improved armor for khed additionally they found an impious Unholy symbol revealing Mah was an evil acolyte of cyric the god of Lies trickery and deceit and most importantly found several documents among them proof the cleric was in the employ of a shady mercenary company called the black Talons run by an ogre Bandit Lord named tazok while the notes failed to mention the location of tazok they do tell of Mah's Handler through which all communication is handled a mage named tranzig who is staying in barag at the Feld Post Inn leaving the mine on their way to baragas to find this transic the party stops to inform the mayor that Mah has been eliminated and the remaining cabals have fled or been vanquished handing Baron the cleric's Unholy symbol as proof the mayor and the town are very appreciative hailing the party as heroic the mayor hands the party a reward of 900 gold coins as word spreads of this fledging heroic group their encounter with the Cowardly Mage transan bagos proved uneventful but useful enough as the party learns that hazo mercenary company is located in a bandit Camp deep in the wood of the sharp teeth and that tazik tent will be the one that is clearly the largest more dark Powers at work behind the scenes but still more questions remain venturing deep into the vast and expansive for for several hours the group finally locates the sprawling Bandit Camp Just Before Sunset and identifies the large tit transic indicated would be tazac with their recent Victorious battles and improved gear the group embodies a growing confidence in their ability to fight any villainy across the realm with no delay Abdel leads the group forward in the Twilight of dusk his blade cutting down the only two guards that noticed their otherwise silent approach their timing however was anything but fortunate as they entered the large dimly lit mercenary tent the flickering torches cast Eerie Shadows across the faces of five menacing Bandit leaders all seated within as well as an imprisoned Elven male in a large cage near the rear of the tent the group's presence immediately drew the attention of this malevolent group knowing stealth was not an option Abdel wasted no time and pointing at the massive ogre he presumed to be the banded Lord tazok are you tazok abdil demanded with unwavering confidence grinning the massive ogre nodded slowly his affirmation as he stood drawing forth a massive two-handed sword with a bone chilling scrape he glanced at his henchman then back at abdell well well would you look at that boys who needs to offer a bounty when the target will just come right to your front door I took you for a bit of a coward to to be honest but maybe you're stupid too either way your death saves me a bit of coin bring me his head boys the bandits Rose quickly to meet The Interlopers weapons drawn as they Advanced upon the party khed quickly moved to engage raymon the Black Talon mercenary in Fierce one-on-one combat displaying his courage and an improving self-confidence emn moved rogu likee to position herself St strategically and skillfully using the environment to her Advantage as she Drew her bow to rein arrows upon the Mage known as Vin in an attempt to distract his spell casting from a distance even the imprisoned elf tried to assist mocking vined and throwing small stones from inside his cage paying for his audacity as the Mage enveloped him in AR Ray of foul green energy choking the elf nonetheless the distraction proved costly as emn landed an arrow deep into the Mages turned back mortally wounding and dropping the enemy to the floor Jahira chanted ancient incantations summoning the power of nature to cast spells upon a gruesome null by the name of brik while also healing her friends as needed abdell charged into the Hobgoblin known as hacked attempting to close the distance before the elite mercenary could fire arrows upon jira or emo from a truly Savage looking bow glowing of some powerful Arc Magics as the battle intensified abdell entered his mysterious trans-like state once again with Supernatural levels of agility battle prowess and combat tactics he became a whirlwind of death upon his enemies ha was the first to fall and it was clear that the tides of battle were in their favor tazac the massive ogre Bandit Lord roared in frustration and perhaps surprise as he saw his henchmen Begin to Fall overwhelmed Med by the group's combat skills and timely magic still the overconfident ogre charged at abdell with a wide Arc of his great sword aiming to deliver a limb severing blow however abdel's speed and finesse were unmatched he dodged parried encountered with Precision frustrating tazok every powerful move as the last of tazok henchmen fell and the numbers against the remaining but still deadly ogre quickly turned into four onone the party seized the upper hand tazac was a mighty ogre Lord that none present could expect to defeat alone but the culmination of abdell and khaled's cutting strikes jaha's spells and Emo's arrows were quickly wearing down the massive ogre despite his heavy plated protection and magical armaments as this realization fell upon tazik that he might actually be in grave danger of his own death the banded Lord began looking for an Escape Route pulling a ring from his pocket and placing it upon his finger the Towering ogre instantly vanished from sight leaving abdell and his friends bewildered abdell tried to charge his last known position but all he found was empty air moments later a crash clamor and a deep laugh reverberated as a massive ogr sized tear appeared at the back of the tent as the Unseen tazok retreated from the fight invisible Into the Now nighttime air as the fight ended and abdell emerged from his combat trance he had an unsettling feeling as if a presence had taken notice of his actions watching though he knew not the origin as the adrenaline of battle began to subside the companions take notice of the imprisoned Elven male still suffering from the effects of a poisonous Ray cast upon Him emo explained how he had assisted her as Jahira healed his sickness the elf introduced himself as inder Sai a self-proclaimed spy who like abdell and his friends had been investigating the iron crisis and attract Clues to this Bandit Camp before being captured by tazok inder thanked the group for freeing him and informed the party that tazok had stolen and used his own possession a sand thief's ring to turn invisible and make his Escape he suspects that the banded Lord would be headed to the cloakwood forest where it was rumored a hidden min exists that likely held vast quantities of the stolen and untainted iron ore causing the realm crisis in addition inder revealed a well-hidden secret compartment belonging to tazok quickly warning that it was likely trapped emlin and aspiring thief and becoming quite handy at disarming traps had no trouble with tazok secret stash inside they found more magically imbued treasure to further Empower their fortunes including gauntlets of Mastery for abdell a magic shield and sword for khed and several potions and Scrolls to further their magical abilities as now three of the four comrades had access to Arcane spells that would certainly come in handy khed however preferred leaving the magic to his wife Jahira emn took a fancy to the deadly looking bow that the elite hobgoblin had held later confirming it to be a most powerful bow of Marksmanship once again they also found documents critical to this unfolding mystery conf affirming that the mercenaries were in the employ of a shady Merchant organization known as the iron throne with obscure references to someone named sovok the notes also confirmed that tazok was taking orders from a mage named davorn who runs the cloakwood Mine The Elven spy Ender retrieved his own gear again thanked the party for rescuing him wished them well and departed with a bow with this new found information and gear this once n group group of wouldbe Heroes were not only gaining confidence and new skills and abilities but the realm was taking notice they were getting closer to the source of this villainy as they continued to follow the breadcrumbs now taking them deep into the heart of the cloakwood forest as they traveled abdell looked in contemplation among his friends realizing now more than ever they had both a Destiny and an obligation making their way into the cloakwood forest two days later the group is approached by a well-armed band as they make Camp not assassins per se instead an arrogant lot consisting of two fighters and two Mages led by a man named jasus likely tipped off by the retreating tazac but also confirming they must be moving in the right direction to find this hidden mind each group draws their weapons as drus a human fighter wielding a shiny blade addresses the group as his own comrades spread out preparing for combat that I see the tales of your Renown have not been exaggerated word travels fast when aspiring Heroes begin to cast Shadows long enough to catch the eye of the underworld leaving bodies in their wake I told tazok those fools chasing the bounty on your head were mere rabble so the company hired professionals to get the job done we are those professionals the great Tempest that follows the calm the elite among scavengers you may have carved a name for yourselves in Whispers but we are here to silence you forever prepare yourself ward of gorion for your journey reaches its Twilight abdell now emerging as the deao leader of this group of Heroes steps forward with an air of confidence as his comrades make their own preparations yes another group that tell us they are the great ones I have simply lost count of how many Elite mercenaries assassins and bandits have said the same thing to us right before meeting their own unfortunate end maybe it's some right of passage in this underworld of yours underestimating us seems to be a recurring and fatal error but hey if you're aiming to be another cautionary tale who am I to stop you and my name is abdell Adrien a name you would not soon forget were you to live past this night despite abell's confident retort the clash between abdel's heroic group and the formidable band was a true challenge of the group's growing abilities drus the band's confident and skilled leader LED his well-armed men into battle with unwavering determination the battlefield was a chaotic frenzy of spell steel and strategy durus adorned in steel chain mail and Boots of speed was able to match abdill's own alacrity As He barked combat orders to his henchmen emn with her Nimble fingers and Keen Eye took aim at the Mage kisis with her new bow sending an arrow flying TR the arrow found its Mark but not before a fireball erupted knocking both jira and emilin to the ground still kisis fell his spells forever silenced meanwhile khed engaged the plate wearing tank of the attacking band a man named gin Thorne proving to be the toughest of the enemy band and a formidable adversary delivering powerful blows khed found himself on the brink of defeat but just as it seemed khed might fall his wife J Rose from her injuries and chanted the proper healing incantations her magic mending his wounds to keep him in the fight abdell took note that Jiro and imoan had taken damage and that Jahira in particular was struggling amid her own injuries to cast spells abdell using his own Newfound Arcane abilities First cast blindness upon gin Thorne before resuming his battle with dracus as the battle raged on dracus became frustrated by abdill's patient and strong defense in a moment of vulnerability abdil seized opportunity with a Swift and calculated strike he brought jassas to his knees ending his reign of leadership becoming a regular sight abdell having killed dris moved with Incredible finesse to assist Khaled his combat prowess shining in the midst of chaos he too engaged gin Thorne staggered and recovering from his blindness and together he and khed managed to drop the bwork of a man once and for all with the Enemy band crumbling rizan wearing the injuries of emin's arrows and the sole remaining member of the group attempted to retreat but found himself surrounded realizing he had no way out he spoke through gritted teeth do your worst W of gorun but you'll get nothing from me abdell with his blade tip pressed against the mage's soft robes leaned in close and whispered unknown words into the mage's ear resd Dan's eyes widened in fear and he relented revealing the location and access to the secret cloak wood mine the very engine of the iron crisis okay okay the only way in or out is through an obscure and plain looking Storehouse next to the barracks inside you'll find a hidden lift that will take you down into the mine shaft with that Vital Information obtain resan was left alive but morally wounded to succumb to his wounds or whatever fate had destined for him emn removing the magical boots of speed from jasus also found another note adding yet more clues to this sprawling realm wide riddle in the name of real tar anev who hired jasus and appears to be at the top of the Iron Throne organization the battle had been one of the toughest abdos group had faced thus far but with determination strategy and a bit of look they had merged Victorious One Step Closer to unraveling the Mysteries that lay before them abdell and Company continued their March forward eventually locating the hidden entrance to the mine just as resen had revealed they cautiously descend taking note that the working miners are human men enslaved by whatever evil is in charge they freed these men as they proceeded downward with the same name being mentioned over and over a hated and Sinister Mage named DOR any initial hopes abdil had of a silent path down to the base of the mine were shattered when a group of nine goblin-like creatures patrolling the miners discover and attack the party surely alerting those Beyond of their arrival khed confirmed these were known as the tazy as they engaged the vile creatures but they offered Little Resistance to this group growing of prowess and Renown as they reach the base of operation at the M's bottom they enter a darkened chamber where they are met with a terrifying sight realizing they have entered a shrine to something truly evil the walls are adorned with gruesome tapestries depicting acts of violence and murder dominated by Blood Red Hues as Sinister Candles cast Eerie flickering Shadows that dance across the room's slick Stone Surfaces at the center of the room stands a chilling altar dedicated to ball this a chamber of Horrors that makes Mah's Unholy Shrine in nashal seem positively Pious is adorned with grotesque offerings a collection of severed Limbs and organs preserved in a gruesome display of Devotion to the god of murder the air is heavy with the accurate scent of incense mingling with the metallic Tang of dried blood dark symbols and runes etched upon the floor seem to Wy and pulse with malevolent energy they bear witness to the vile rituals that have taken place here in the name of ball the room's unsettling on Beyond shakes the young Heroes as their eyes adjust to the robed figure standing at the altar before them when the name of ball the Intrepid adventurers have found their way to my Lair after all why have you come Vengeance for an old sage perhaps you seek to righteously punish me for my affront to your morality it matters little for you will do neither before you die a horrible death in the name of the Lord of murder perhaps I should introduce myself I am davorn I would ask your companions their names but I care little to become acquainted with the dead abdell begins to charge forward but in an instant the Mage vanishes does everyone have a ring of invisibility but me abdell thought to himself khed a veteran of Battle Tactics scanned the room informing the group that the Mage had used some form of teleport perhaps the mention door this teleportation was making it nearly impossible for abdell or lead to land their blades upon the elusive Mage but davorn's cunning tactics didn't end there first using a protection spell that repelled emo and zeros then employing Mirror Image creating multiple illusionary duplicates of himself forcing the heroes to waste precious attacks on Illusions while the true davorn plotted his next move further bewildering the brave party summoning dark Forces davorn then called forth two battle Horrors Evil animated suits of BL armor each a formidable adversary in its own right the metallic Giants Advanced upon the party clashing with abdell and khed their massive fists striking with bone crushing Force as if this wasn't enough davorn continued to hurl spells with deadly Precision Fireballs erupted in the chamber searing the air and scorching the very ground beneath the adventurer's feet while lightning bolts cracked through the air arcing towards their targets with uncanny accuracy the battle was fierce and Relentless once again abdell imoan Jahira and khed all found themselves pushed to their limits wounds piled up and it seemed as though Victory might slip through their grasp Jahira casting healing spells upon her comrades as quickly as she could speak the incantations was growing weak but in the face of Despair the group's resilience and whatever unknown force was driving abdell showed their true value while jiro's druidic magic mended their wounds Emo's quick brief has allowed her to distract the mage's concentration as khed coordinated their attacks in order to finally Corner the Mage in a climactic culmination of this heated battle emwin would later swear she saw abdel's eyes begin to Glow as he once again entered his trans-like state but this time it was different abdell was fully consumed and moved with Supernatural speed and finesse reaching the El laus Mage amid his duplicitous images his mighty blade striking true and Landing a decisive blow that sent the evil Mage reeling a shock revealed in his fearful eyes before the Mage had even a moment to recover or consider his next action abdell struck again in a fluid dance-like Rhythm plunging his blade deep into the neck of the Unholy Necromancer davorn the powerfully evil Mage and disciple to the god of murder ball fell against his own profane altar bloody and utterly vanquished his form becoming just another gruesome trophy displ play upon his grotesque Shrine as the group took a moment to recover and reflect having survived the truest test of their courage and skill yet abdell searched the room feverishly for Clues among davorn's possessions abdell found an Arcane key and three letters providing ample Clues on how to proceed forward the first letter described the villainous chain of command at work with the black Talons mercenary company being run by the Bandit Lord tazok the the ogre himself reported to the now dearly departed davorn who in turn answers directly to a member of the Iron Throne real tar anev the note further describes an unmarked former Noble estate that now serves as the iron Thrones hidden headquarters in balder's Gate the second letter again mentions sovok named as being a member of the Iron Throne placed in command of the region and the final third letter heavily EMP ating the Iron Throne as orchestrating the iron crisis in full by creating iron shortages tainting exports and stockpiling their own supplies as well as creating rumors to deflect their own culpability thus implicating another mercenary company the zentar rim as the source of the conspiracy having now eliminated the immediate threats of Mah and davorn and with the escaped tazac operation exposed abdell and his loyal companions set out for balder gate seeking the root of the iron thron's Sinister macktion but not before locating an enslaved minor named R to help free and evacuate all of the miners once evacuated the Arcane key found on davorn is used to flood the mine further crippling the Iron Throne the great city of balder's gate was ripe with unease upon their arrival plagued by Iron shortages and Rising crime the Iron Throne had embedded itself into every level of society common folks and Nobles alike seemed inth to their influence gaining audience with the Flaming fist the group is introduced to a man named herbal duopa better known to most as scar a Gruff captain of the mercenary policing force of balder's gate scar has heard the reports of the group's activities and supports abdel's suspicions after a assisting scar investigate the seven sons Trading Company and learning that doppelgangers are present in the city abdell and his crew gain an audience with Duke Elton of the city's ruling Elite and member of the famed Council of four abdell relays his discoveries of the iron throne's broad Ambitions to profit from conflict spreading chaos to net influence and perhaps more unknown in Sinister intents looking at what circumstantial evidence the party has the Duke agrees that something a foul was a foot but states that more evidence is needed that night with the unofficial blessing of both Scar and Duke Elton abellan imoan infiltrated the iron thron's local headquarters following the information found in davorn's notes the pair slipped silent and unseen and reaching the inner offices silently ransacking the place for information emn finds evidence that sbok is in fact the son of real tar anev and that they are scheming to depose of the city's Council in order to install cavok as ruler of balder's gate continuing their search the pair finds notes confirming an upcoming secret Gathering scheduled within candle keep's walls to be attended by cavok and key Iron Throne leaders the next morning the group shared their findings with Duke Elton who was now fully convinced of the Sinister plot but still required solid proof of sok's complicity he agreed that the promising group of Heroes should continue their search in candlekeep and offered to teleport them near The Fortress archive abdell and imoan realized that a return home was ahead but under far different circumstances abdell knowing all too well of both the magical wards that protected the venerable Fortress of knowledge as well as their strict rules on Entry was at a loss on how to gain access to his childhood home luckily Duke Elton had the answer in the form of a rare tone he possessed called the history of the nether Scrolls a book of ancient undeciphered text that according to candle's own rules of Entry would surely grant them passage the thought of returning to his childhood sanctuary and all the memories it would ignite sparked abell's nerves a mixture of excitement and ominous dread washed over him for reasons he could not quite Place nonetheless the die was set and abdil knew he must return upon arrival and with the offering of Duke elton's rare Tome to The Keeper of the portal Abdel once again graced the halls of the greatest knowledge archive in all fyon inside abdell senses that while much is familiar something also seems a Miss in his childhood home emo and too has a similar strange feeling suggesting though that a lot has happened to this year regardless abdell warns the group to be mindful and alert arriving well before the scheduled start of this cobt meeting each member of the group had some personal time to pursue other objectives while emo and went to catch up with old friends chahira took the time to meditate with khed and toe as those two were near Inseparable abdell consumed with questions that still lacked answers regarding gan's death his Heritage and the many Clues found involving the Dead God ball decided to visit the archives on his way to The Great Library abdell is met by his old tutor a candle keep monk named py that abdell was very fond of pleased to see abdell yet saddened of course by the loss of gorion pedo gives abdell a look almost as if he is worried others might be listening and then speaks abdell oh my boy I Pine for the days when you and Gan still called candle keeper home you always brought a bit of energy to these walls uh can't really talk now I shall have to speak with you later at length but for now you must rest yes you should definitely head to Goron's old room it is just as it ever was and abdell be sure to have a good look around won't you after the knowing glance from his old tutor Abdel gives p a warm farewell and proceeds down the South Corridor to his adoptive father's old chamber abdell fights back the flood of emotion as he enters gan's quarters have a look around pyo said remembering finally his 10 plus years here Abdel smiled warmly as he recalled a few secret areas in goran's room all the sneaking and spying with emo and his children finally paying off it was there he found his adoptive father's stash of ancient Scrolls and among them lying on top was a lengthy note abdell my son if you are reading this I have met my untimely death I would tell you not to grieve for me but in truth I feel much better thinking that you would there are things I must tell you in this letter that I might have already shared however if my death came too soon then I would have never been given the chance so I write this hoping it finds its way to your hands as you know I am not your biological father for that distinction lies with another please know I kept this truth from you for the noblest of reasons in My Hope of keeping you safe from harm and giving you a normal childhood knowing your adulthood would be anything but abdell you are The Offspring of the diety and divine evil named bull this note contains all I know in an era known to history as the time of troubles the gods were made to walk among fun in the their own mortal shells ball had been forewarned of the death that awaited him during this time of his own vulnerability for his own Sinister and selfish reasons ball sought mortal women of every race across the realm in order to procreate a multitude of his progeny your mother Aliana was one of those women and as you know she died in childbirth what you may not know is that Aliana and I had been in love at one time before before she had fallen to evil after her encounter with this evil Divine your mother became a priestess who served at the Temple of ball in the forest of worms I on the other hand served with the good and just Harpers while I could not abide by her evil ways I always loved her and to this very day chose to believe she had been corrupted into her choices after her death I had the absolute obligation to shield and protect you from that path to raise you as my own I have always thought of you as my child and I hope you still think of me as your father if you make use of our library you will find that our founder Alondo the wise has many prophecies concerning the coming of the spawn of ball but know this my dear boy you are special the blood of the Gods runs through your veins son there are many who will want to use or destroy you for their own evil purposes one of them is a man who calls himself sarok I suspect he is like you a seed and spawn of ball he has studied here at candlekeep and thus knows a great deal about your history and who you are I fear your life is in danger to sarok and any that follow him be righteous my son do not fall to evil Your Divine mandate is not set so choose your own path for both greatness and dangers lie ahead for you your father gorion on his way back to the group while reeling from these Revelations a stranger named Kos approached he claimed gine had entrusted him with a ring to pass on to abdell after his death abdell still lost in goran's words absently took the ring from The Stranger and began flipping it about childlike in his hand emotions still flooding his mind as he contemplated all that had transpired this year while doing so he noticed almost beused that the ring actually had the stranger's name on the inside coveros he must be mistaken abdell was just about to politely inform the stranger of his mistake when now perhaps it was an unseen Force guiding him or maybe it was the mere coincidence of his mundane Act of playful flips that caused the ring to fall from his hand and on to the ground at the exact moment that the clo stranger lunged at abdell with a ghostly blade of sinister power the lethal strike missing abdell just as his friends rushed toward the mysterious man the cloaked figure missing his opportunity simply grinned and just before Vanishing by some powerful magic said to abdell soon brother a confused abdell his head spinning from the calamitous events of just the past hours bent over to grab the stranger's ring it was at that very moment when every piece snapped into place the note the ring the name hos written on the inside now staring back at him backwards reading saravak saravak soon brother the prophecy until but one remains abdell turned to his friends but before he could utter a word alarms blared in Candle keep guards and protector monks quickly surrounded the four friends rant Keeper of the tomes and an arrogant wizard who abdell often called the old Buzzard walked up up to the accosted friends informing them that the Iron Throne delegation was just found murdered abdell and his companions were arrested and imprisoned at the keep's barracks oant formerly charging abdell with murder and stating they would be transferred to balder's gate in the morning where they would be tried and executed emerging to his senses abdil knew they must get to balder's gate to see Scar and Duke Elton but not at the end of a rope but first they had to escape these Barracks hours later the sage te torill a longtime friend of gorion arrived late in the evening after Gathering news out of balder's gate that abdell and his companions were to be hanged the sage believing in abdel's innocence offers to help the hero's Escape candle keep and warns that they are wanted so take caution teel's magic will free the group from their cells but magic Wards prevent teleportation to outside of the keep however the Mage was able B to portal the heroes to the lower catacombs where they can exit the keep to the east in these dungeon passages abdell and his friends were beset upon by the same doppelgangers that they encountered in Boulder's Gate taking on familiar faces such as elster and even gorion leaving them to wonder who in the keep was real and who was not with no time to do anything but make haste to balder's gate they regrouped outside the keep free from its strong magical wards abdell considered the prophecy's meaning teil gave no clues but implored abdell to stop cavok by any means the Mage wished them luck as he proceeds to teleport the heroes just outside of balder's gate the Brave Young Heroes now wanted for murders they did not commit arrive in balder's Gate disguised and hooded cloaks to avoid unwanted eyes knowing that they were now wanted the heroes took no chances seeking quiet investigation and information gathering before making their moves Milling around the shadowed corners of various taverns and quiet investigation on the city streets it was not long before they secured a trusted lay of the land khed and jira's reputation as Harpers paying off as they find a fellow Harper named delir in front of the renowned wizard shop known as sorceress Sundries the the shares the grave news that had transpired in the city since their last visit and answers all of their questions through this interaction they learn that Scar the contact and commander of the Flaming fist has been killed and that a corrupt officer named Angelo dosen a puppet to the Iron Throne has been installed as the head of the organization further delir informs the party that Duke Elton has taken deathly ill he shares the Insidious rumors swirling around the Duke's personal healer Rashad that the group might want to investigate unfortunately that means the Flaming fist headquarters will need to be infiltrated abdell decides the best course of action would be to attempt to reach Elton by himself so as to not attract any unwanted attention delir and abdel's friends are instructed to wait at the three old kegs for his return abdell is able to reach the upstairs of the Flaming fist headquarters without alarm where he is spot Ed by a flaming fist officer as abdell prepares to silence the man the officer first addresses abdell with a look of clear recognition lower your weapon I am no threat to you my name is Kent I remember you from when you worked for Scar and Duke Elton well since you've been gone I fear corruption has taken over the city elton's taken very ill he's resting in the room beside us but I have suspicions about his healer Rashad he keeps saying that there's nothing to be done but I know know better and he's no healer from what I've seen anyhow it don't matter I've decided to leave the Flaming fist there's a lot of corruption at play and I don't want to lose my life over whatever power struggle is going on around here abdell nods thanking Kint for the information and ask him to wait while he checks on Elton the large chamber of Duke Elton was dimly lit and a heavy air of illness hung over the room entering cautiously concern etched on abdell face as he looked upon the Gravely illed Duke even from a distance Duke elton's personal healer Rashad unaware of abdel's Entry was hunched over the Duke and seemed to have just covertly placed a few drops of liquid from a small vial upon the Duke's sleeping lips suspicion and rage gnawed at abdell as he watched Rashad's actions the once formidable leader now lay weak and frail his labored breathing evidence of his deteriorating condition abdella Dred addresses Rashad sternly asking the nature of the vial his voice cutting through the Silence of the chamber startled Rashad turns to face abdell his expression a mixture of surprise and guilt trying to maintain his composure he replies that he was merely administering a tonic to Aid in the Duke's recovery telling abdell that the Duke now requires rest and healing in an attempt to exit the room but abdel's instincts mirror that of kin something was wrong and he pressed further demanding to see the vial the facade crumbling as he realized he was caught without a word Rashad transformed before abell's eye is revealing his true form a greater doppelganger the shape-shifting creature known for its deception in an instant the doppelganger lunged at abdell its claws extended and eyes filled with malice the battle that ensued was fierce but abdell was well prepared with a final well-placed strike the doppelganger fell crumbling to the ground in death abdell turned his attention to Duke Elton who was now awake and very weak but alive the Duke managed a faint smile and thanked abdell for saving his life Elon knew he was not safe in his current location even with Rashad dead weak and unable to move on his own he confided in abdell that the only place he could recover was at the harbor Masters who was both an ally and could provide protection while he healed abdell nodded determined to get the Duke to safety bringing Kent into the ch Amber he informed Elton that kin's assistance helped saved him with the mercenaries help they quietly and carefully moved the week and Duke onto a covered cart in the rear of the building doing their best to avoid the prying eyes of the Flaming fist guards who patrolled the area they navigated the Lesser walked Paths of balder's gate to arrive at the harbor Master's location abdell himself surprised they reached the harbor Master's Sanctuary unscathed Duke gon now in the harbor Master's hair expressed his gratitude once again to abdell with a trembling hand he handed over a note further shedding light on the forces at play in balder's Gate elton's final words before passing out were save lla and belt quickly returning to the three old kegs abdell shared the information contained in the note Elton had passed it was written by sovok to someone named Kisa and it was the last of the pieces to fall into Place confirming that grand duchess Lila Janet and Grand Duke belt were to be killed by two assassins Kristen and slly after which cavok would be the sole ruler of balder's gate followed by a declaration of war on am taking this information with all that he had learned about his own Heritage abdil knew that Guided by the prophecy saravak would use the chaos and bloodshed of that war to ascend to godhood The Rebirth of the god of murder abdel's mind raced with the implication acting with urgency to stop these assassinations the group sought access to the deep dark underground of balder's gate delir wishing to assist informs the party he knows a way Guided by delir they navigate through the twisted and narrow streets seeking the hidden catacombs known as the undercellar Del's knowledge of the city's hidden passages proved invaluable as he led the way their Journey brought them to a secluded Shrine dedicated to the god of suffering ill Mater in the dim light of the early evening Del there revealed a concealed passage that led deeper into the city's underbelly the air grew damp and oppressive as they descended the very atmosphere echoing the Grim nature of their mission several hours into their exploration of the city's hidden murky depths abdil knew they were close in this cat and mouse game feeling several times the Assassins were near only to slip away then in a dimly lit Corridor they en countered Sly but one of the Assassins they sought abdill's instincts told him that something was a Miss for Kristen sly's spouse and partner in crime was conspicuously absent Sly attacked first as the battle began with a flurry of Steel and spells unseen until she struck with deadly Precision Kristen's dagger aimed at the unsuspecting deler with a Swift and brutal backstab the Assassin was revealed just as delir fell his life extinguished in an instant the party fought valiantly the loss of delir weighing heavily on their hearts they managed to silence the Assassins but the battle had taken its toll as they searched the lifeless body of slye Eman discovered a crumpled piece of parchment there was an invitation adorned with the ominous seal of sraak the contents revealed his coronation was imminent amidst The Towering spires of balder's gate the air was thick with tension as the Duke Hall palace's Grand doors creaked open inside a sea of the city's most prestigious nobles were congregated their Whispers echoing through the grand hall with the coronation of cavok just moments away the fate of the city hung in the balance saravak the soon to be head of the Council of four took to the podium his voice dripping with lies and deceit he wo his tales of the Zim's treachery painting them as The Architects of the iron crisis and urging for a preemptive strike against al but amidst the throng of noblemen the determined figure emerged abdell armed with a mountain of irrefutable evidence challenged the proceedings a man wholly transformed since the day he fled candle keep his form now stood strong and heroic his voice booming loud like thunder as he unveiled the dark tapestry of sovok schemes the manufactured iron crisis plots of war the coldblooded murder of gorion Scar and even his own father real tar the Sinister attempts on each Duke and Duchess on the Council of four and of course the prophecy Duke belt sensing the gravity of these Revelations agreed to review the evidence sarok protested mightily but his laments were made in vain the accusations would be heard and reviewed as sok's plan began to unravel his cloak of lies and charm dropped making his Ambitions chillingly clear the very floor seemed to tremble beneath as the gathered Nobles in a horrifying Revelation transformed into greater doppelgangers pandemonium erupting as cavok and his malevolent Mentor winsky perorate vanished in an Arcane torrent and abdell knew of only one place they would go with a Well Spring of Rage building within him abdell left his heroic friends to protect the Dukes and Vanquish the doppelgangers as he pursued sovok under the streets Destiny would decide two Fates this day the tunnels under balder's gate were ancient and mazike but abdell could feel the dark energy pulsing within him like a beacon drawing him towards the evil radiating from cavok rounding a corner and in full stride abdell nearly collided into tazok the banded ogre leader tazok roared in Rage looking for his revenge and began to unath his great sword but the fully consumed abdell barely acknowledging the ogre's presence leapt into the air to silence and sliced the OG's throat mid Roar tazac barely had time to realize his own end as his thick neck was nearly severed from his body the ogre's head falling to the side as his body went limp abdell did not even look back as he charged forward into sok's underground Temple for the third time now abdell made his way into to an Unholy and profane Temple of pure wickedness at the far end loomed saravak before a statue of the corpse Lord ball himself sarbach roared with a knowing look and drawing a massive black sword glowing with some dark power the black spikes of his armored and ominous form now in full display reminding abdell of the night he first encountered and fled sraak the night his father died he would not f this night abdell now knew sovok had manipulated events all along to go and prepare abdell for this very moment an orchestrated end when one would defeat the other an inch closer to inheriting their father's dread Legacy in this dimly lit Ancient Temple of evil The Clash of two Destinies began abdell hurled bolts of magic towards cavok seeking to weaken the advancing Hulk yet to his dismay cbok Shrugged off an Arcane Onslaught that seemed to have little or no effect his dark armor shivering with an Unholy resilience with a powerful Advance sovok closed the Gap his great sword swinging like a juggernaut in wide Furious arcs abdell barely had time to react he parried sok's Mighty blows but the sheer force behind each strike sent Tremors of pain through his body after AG izing minutes of struggle back and forth sok's powerful blows began to wear down the smaller opponent truly surprised by his strength a glancing Blow from sok's great sword finally managed to break abdo's weary defenses staggering the now injured hero in that moment of desperation the divine power of His ancient Legacy coursing through abdel's veins surged forth his eyes glazed over as he entered the now familiar trans-like State tap into the reservoir of power within him this newfound energy revitalized his abilities lending an otherworldly swiftness and strength to his strikes now on even footing it seemed as sok's Onslaught came time seemed too slow for abdell instead of resisting directly abdell parried lightly and gave ground turning his brother's rage and power against him within minutes saravak was winded cursing abdel's defensive tactics as cowardice the tides of battle beginning to turn with each swing of his blade abdel's attacks now wore down cavok he noticed that with every cut into sok's blackened armor a strange ethereal gold Essence mixed with the dripping blood from his wounds it was a mysterious dark power that both terrified abdell yet also felt familiar finally in a climactic moment sovok his strength waning knocked abdell to the temple floor once again seizing upon this opportunity saravak raised his mighty sword to deliver the finishing blow but abdell now empowered by his own destiny struck with Supernatural quickness in the blink of an eye Abdel ran his sword through the black heart of saravak with a gasp of disbelief cavok sank to his knees crimson lifeblood and ethereal Essence gushing down his blackened armor the malevolent ball spawn looked on in disbelief this was not the Fate he had envisioned for himself abdell exhausted looked down upon his Fallen half brother contemplating the possibility that he was now the last of the ball spawn but as sok's lifeless form crumpled to the cold Temple floor abdel's Vision began to dim the Shadows deepening around his periphery abdell caught in a fug like trance found found himself a drift in an ethereal realm his senses overwhelmed by the echoing Whispers of eon's past there he followed srao Essence the swirling melstrom of the Divine and the dark escaping from Caro's corporeal form abdel's Vision followed its Journey Through the shimmering veils of reality arriving at an all inspiring Temple this sanctum vast and circular Rose to dizzying Heights its walls were lined with countless statues of the Dead God ball each meticulously crafted and each eerily identical standing Sentinel in silent anticipation of a dark Resurrection a rebirth drawn irresistibly to one Statue sok's Essence collided with it causing the monolith to crack and crumble but as it shattered the magnitude of what remained became hauntingly clear to abdell an endless expanse of identical statues un touched yet waiting a chilling realization hinting that abdell may not be the last of the ball spawn and that countless others might yet tread the paths of the Mortal realm each bearing the Dark Legacy of the god of murder moments later his conscious restored he knew now his dark Heritage and he trembled at the latent power that seeed within and guided his actions this past year a power he had been able to control but for how long what Sinister intentions lie ahead a dark path a path he was compelled perhaps destined to walk but towards what end he could not guess by fate or destiny he had proven worthy of inheriting his accursed father's mantle and with the friendship and love of his friends he was determined to refute the ancient prophecy his Destiny the child of ball had just taken the first step into the long dark and that concludes the story and my own personal experiences with balers Gate 1 a truly groundbreaking game its ripple effect impacting both video and tabletop gaming for years to come if you'd like to see more of these long form stories across all of the Forgotten Realms and even the Outer Planes please let me know and if you're new to the channel and like what you saw maybe consider liking and subscribing and if you're a regular round here and you haven't yet subed why not maybe tell me where I can improve Pro to earn that sub thanks for listening and until next time remember the only limitation at your table is your imagination

Channel: Riches and Liches

Views: 227,769

Keywords: dnd, dungeons and dragons, d&d, lore, fantasy, table top rpg, rpg, role playing, lich, undead, evil, games, homebrew, dungeon master, adventure, dragons, tabletop, critical role, 5e, gaming, forgotten realms, dnd lore, magic, spells, curse, devil, hell, fiend, nine hells, pit fiend, asmodeus, origin, d&d lore, death knight, dungeons, dnd stories, stories, fantasy lore, 2e, 3e, 4e, rpg lore, tales, lore stories, baldur's gate, bg3, baldurs gate, balder, video games, sword coast, bhaal, bane, baldur's gate 3

Id: LCcma-WqyFg

Length: 70min 33sec (4233 seconds)

Published: Tue Nov 07 2023