Baldur’s Gate 3 Open World

She then either teases or comforts the player character based on their response before dismissing herself to ensure no one tampers with the drinks. Minsc

Minsc can first be found in The Counting House, where he has been tadpole-converted by the Absolute into a True Soul and criminal gang-leader known as the Stone Lord. He can be found again in the Abandoned Cistern; knocking him out in the ensuing fight allows him to be freed from his brainwashing. After spending nearly a century Petrified Petrified together, Minsc and his beloved hamster sidekick Boo Boo have finally been revived, and they seek a life of "butt-kicking" evil-doers to serve as a force of goodness, justice, and glory. Minsc is also the only character with access to the spell Find Familiar: Boo Find Familiar: Boo. Though voiced by Matthew Mercer, Minsc was motion-captured by other actors, Neil Newbon amongst them. “

If there is one thing Minsc hates more than beasts with bad breath - It is those who are tricksome with the truth! And turnips. But you are no turnip. Let that be of comfort, in your final moments. „

— Minsc, threatening Rakath Glitterbeard

Starting class

When first encountered, Minsc is a level 12 Ranger with the following Ability Scores: 20 STR, 15 DEX, 15 CON, 6 INT, 8 WIS, 9 CHA. If recruited he reverts to a level 1 Ranger with the standard ability scores for that Class. His default subclass is Hunter. Minsc has the Folk Hero background. Personal quest

Minsc does not have a personal quest, but he is directly tied to two others. First, he is the unwilling antagonist ofJaheira's Jaheira's companion quest The High {{user}}per⁠The High {{user}}per, and completing this quest allows him to join the party. Second, his ending in the Epilogue is determined by the outcome of Aid the Underduke⁠Aid the Underduke, namely a conversation with Nine-Fingers Keene Nine-Fingers Keene afterward. Recruitment

Minsc can be recruited during Act Three if Jaheira joined the party in Act Two. Progressing The High {{user}}per leads to a fight with Minsc in the Lower City Sewers. To be recruited, he must be knocked-out knocked-out on the final blow, otherwise Minsc dies dies without the possibility of being revived and Jaheira permanently leaves the party. The Emperor The Emperor argues the Rashemi is too stupid to be of use but can be persuaded to extend the mind shield of the Mysterious Artefact in order to free Minsc from the Absolute's influence:

[HISTORY] His chaos saved the city before. We need him. (DC 15)

[INTIMIDATION] You will do as I command, or I will find a way without you. (DC 15)

If Jaheira is dead, has not been recruited, or has left the party, the Emperor mentions he is "too far gone" and Minsc becomes hostile again with 1 hit point. After killing Minsc in this way, when spoken to, party members behave as though Jaheira had just left, even if she has never been with the party since Moonrise Towers. Approaching Minsc with the player character elsewhere and only Jaheira in the party may cause odd behaviour, possibly preventing him from being recruited. Leaving the party

Minsc's recruitment is tied to Jaheira Jaheira and anything that causes her to leave will take Minsc along with her. This includes sacrificing her to Sarevok Sarevok, killing her children or accepting Bhaal's Bhaal's blessing as the Dark Urge Dark Urge (or intimidating her to leave if they obtained the Slayer Form beforehand). Minsc is not the brightest, but he is brave and loyal - and has the cutest familiar: Boo Boo.[2]

Minsc is a towering, muscle-bound man; his clean-shaven scalp bears a vivid purple crescent that sweeps over his right brow and cheek, and his steel-gray eyes rest beneath heavy brows. Old nicks crisscross his broad arms like a map of hard-won battles. Plain silver-looped earrings, weather-stained studded leather beneath a scarlet sash, and a well-worn longsword slung across his back all underscore his Rashemi Rashemi origins. Perched on his left shoulder sits a tiny brown hamster, whiskers twitching, the only soft edge to his otherwise imposing frame. Personality

Minsc is a skilled warrior who is otherwise blissfully bereft of the burdens of Intellect. He believes his friend Boo is actually a miniature giant space hamster miniature giant space hamster and that he is the only one who can talk to him. He views the world in absolutes (no pun intended): if there is evil then it should be defeated. Despite her constant nagging, Minsc sees Jaheira as a dear friend and is very protective of her, going so far as to call her his honorary Wychlaran Wychlaran upon their reunion in Act Three. He intensely dislikes Viconia DeVir Viconia DeVir and Sarevok Anchev Sarevok Anchev because of his history with the latter and because they are evil. Minsc is a Rashemaar berserker from a matriarchal nation of Rashemen. As a young man, he went on a dajemma - a coming-of-age tradition for Rashemi men to travel the world accompanying his Wychlaran - a young witch Dynaheir Dynaheir. The Iron Crisis

In their travels, they became separated and Dynaheir was snatched by gnolls. With the help of Gorion's Ward Gorion's Ward (the protagonist of the previous Baldur's Gate games) Minsc freed her and they travelled together, along with Imoen Imoen, Jaheira and Khalid. They resolved the Iron Crisis Iron Crisis and defeated the culprit - Sarevok Anchev Sarevok Anchev. Shadows of Amn

Sometime after Sarevok's defeat, the group parted ways for a while until they once again joined up alongside their friends: Gorion's Ward, Imoen, Jaheira and Khalid. At some point in their travels, they were captured in a forest by Shadow Thieves Shadow Thieves and imprisoned in a dungeon beneath the city of Athkatla Athkatla in Amn. Minsc, Jaheira and Imoen survived, but Dynaheir and Khalid were killed. Their captor was Jon Irenicus Jon Irenicus - an elven wizard who wanted to steal the Bhaalspawn essence for himself. Minsc eventually helped Gorion's Ward to defeat him. Petrified for a century

Minsc's petrified statue

Combat in front of the statue

Awaken, my Minsc

At some point in their travels, Minsc and Boo were ambushed by an unknown individual, petrified, and left in the middle of marketplace in the Upper City of Baldur's Gate. For a long time, Baldurians (including Jaheira) believed it was a statue, commissioned by a merchant to commemorate the city's renowned heroes. It became a popular landmark under the title "Beloved Ranger". 80 years later, a wild mage named Delina Delina tried to defend herself against a gargoyle and accidentally struck the statue with a wild magic surge wild magic surge. The surge dispelled the petrification, and Minsc and Boo returned to life, unaware of the passing of time. They joined forces and travelled together for a time. Approximately 10 years later, Minsc reunited with Jaheira. Together, they worked to uncover the mysterious Cult of the Absolute and were the first to reveal information about this threat. Unfortunately, Minsc's impulsive eagerness to fight resulted in his capture by the cultists and Jaheira, realising that they were severely unprepared and unarmed against this cult, decided to leave him in order to share news about this growing threat. Captured by the cult, Minsc was infected with a Tadpole and brainwashed into following a Doppelganger Doppelganger imitating Jaheira Jaheira. Under the tadpole's influence, he became a feared murderer under the moniker "Stone Lord". Minsc was also separated from Boo as the tadpole suppressed his memory of the hamster. Their latest crime is robbing the Counting House. Act Three

During Act Three, should the party arrive at the Counting House and delve into the vaults, they encounter Minsc accompanied by a doppelganger imitating Jaheira, with Minsc revealing himself by tearing his way out of the maw of a Mimic. When encountering Minsc in the Counting House he immediately leaves the building. Orin the red

Orin the Red is the Chosen of Bhaal Bhaal and one of the leaders of the enigmatic Cult of the Absolute and serves as one of the main antagonists in Baldur's Gate 3. A daughter of Bhaalspawns and a devout practitioner in the arts of murder and pain, Orin has painted the streets red in her father's name for many years. Yet to be caught thanks to her shapeshifting abilities, she now prepares to make out of Baldur's Gate the biggest bloody offering to her father yet. Background

Hinted at first through notes, Orin is properly introduced at the end of Act Two as one of the three conspirators of the cult, along with Ketheric Thorm Ketheric Thorm and Enver Gortash Enver Gortash. Through cunning and murderous devotion, she and her allies have established a solid Bhaalist foothold in the city of Baldur's Gate. Now, empowered by a Netherstone and with the cult's plans in motion, she intends to paint the city crimson with blood in a mighty offering to Bhaal. Gameplay

Orin is a level 12 Changeling Changeling boss and one of the main antagonists in the game. First mentioned in Act One, she is introduced in Act Two, and properly encountered and fought in Act Three. Fighting her is required in order to obtain her Netherstone and proceed with the story. In combat, she uses her deadly powers given by Bhaal himself to deal large amounts of damage quickly while being supported by her cultists. Her encounter can go differently depending on the choices made by the party and whether or not the player character is the Dark Urge Dark Urge. A truce with her and her Bhaalists can be brokered if the party agrees to slay Gortash first. She can trick the party with her disguises and will kidnap someone important to the player character. Appearance

Orin has pale blue-grey skin with swirling, smoke-like plumes of red undulating across it. The iris and pupils of her eyes are a soft milky white, almost melding with the sclera, contoured by dark eyeliner, giving her an intimidating look. Her straw-colored, braided hair falls to the backs of her knees in a fastening reminiscent of a flail. Her form-fitting armour is bright blood-red, rigid, and rough like chitin. She adorns her head with an ornate silver tiara with a centrepiece in the form of a person supplicant, a single crimson gem adding some colour. Personality

Orin is cruel and sadistic, but artistic and creative in her own twisted way.[1] Her demeanour is immature and almost childish; Orin easily loses her composure when things do not go her way, enacts small rebellions against the authority figures in her life, and enjoys toying with her victims.[2] She derives sadistic pleasure from taunting her victims with the gory details of her deeds. When she impersonates another character with her shapeshifting abilities, she is initially able to convincingly mimic their personality. Her true nature tends to break through the mimicry, however, as she is often unable to contain her bloodlust, resulting in her becoming more openly violent and sadistic, invoking threats and fantasies of extreme violence and grotesque brutality before shifting back into her base appearance. Her deranged devotion to Bhaal Bhaal hides her true desire for acceptance and belonging as she constantly seeks validation and approval from him. Though uncommon, she extends admiration to those she respects, such as her grandfather Sarevok. Her confident and vicious demeanour shatters, however, when confronted with the truth of her origins, and she displays genuine fear when forced by Bhaal to become his tool instead of doing so willingly. Bhaalist upbringing

Raised believing that Sarevok was merely her doting grandfather, Orin was, in truth, born of an incestuous relationship between Sarevok Anchev Sarevok Anchev and his daughter Helena Anchev Helena Anchev, intended to be the perfect offering to the Dread Lord.[3] Though he routinely mistreated and abused them, both Helena and Orin worshipped and loved Sarevok, enduring the hardships of growing up as Bhaalists. Orin received the bloody teachings of Bhaal, in time becoming the youngest Unholy Assassin to follow the steps of the God of Murder. Such were her gifts in killing that she was anointed Bhaal's Chosen. When Orin was still a child, Sarevok, knowing Helena desired to be Bhaal's Chosen, ordered his daughter to kill Orin as an offering to Bhaal.[4] Helena attacked Orin, but she was overcome by her daughter, who ultimately cut her down. Bhaal deemed the young changeling exceptional and ordered Sarevok to look after her henceforth.[5][1] Orin served Bhaal directly under the Dark Urge as their second in command, though the two were often at odds about the correct way of making offerings to Bhaal. Orin believed that the Dark Urge butchered their victims without consideration, and what their father truly wanted was beauty and thoughtfulness in a kill.[6] The Dark Urge, on the other hand, understood that Bhaal cared only for the quantity of murder performed, nothing more.[1]

Yearning for respect and status, but dismissed and looked down upon by Bhaal and Sarevok alike, Orin brooded as she waited for an opportunity to become her father's favourite.[7]

Orin's betrayal

The Urge joined forces with Bane's Bane's Chosen Enver Gortash Enver Gortash, and together, they formulated a plan to steal the Crown of Karsus Crown of Karsus, an ancient, arcane object of immense power, and subjugate an Elder Brain with it in order to create a soulless army to destroy the world with.[8] After recruiting Ketheric Thorm Ketheric Thorm, Myrkul's Myrkul's Chosen, Orin joined the three in the raid to plant the Crown on the brain beneath Moonrise Towers. It was during this time that Orin saw her opportunity and struck, driving a dagger through the Urge's skull and planting an Illithid tadpole in them.[9][10] With her former rival left to die with a tadpole devouring their brain, Orin took the Dark Urge's place as Bhaal's Chosen and the third member of the conspirators.[11] Orin would prove undisciplined in her role, however, as her bloodlust could not be contained, and she rapidly grew to be disliked by the other two, who saw her as little more than a necessary nuisance for their plan.[12] At some point between the betrayal and the events of the game, Ketheric and Orin tricked Minthara Minthara into a trap where Orin murdered her allies and captured her. She then used a tadpole to convert Minthara into a True Soul. The dying Dark Urge was found by Kressa Bonedaughter Kressa Bonedaughter, saved from death, and held captive in the Mind Flayer Colony for some time as she experimented on them,[13] until they were shipped away onto a Nautiloid.[14] If the Dark Urge is chosen as Origin, they later awaken during the Prologue. If the Dark Urge is not chosen as Origin, their corpse will be found in Orin's chamber during Act Three, tortured to death by their sister.[15] Orin uses her shapeshifting abilities to harass the party twice, using one of the disguises listed below. Following the second transformation, all further interactions with the characters below are genuine. Meeting one of Orin's impersonations for the first time as the Dark Urge Dark Urge grants the Personal Relations⁠Personal Relations inspiration. Orin can only be in one place at a time: if a disguised Orin stays in the visual range of a party member, she cannot take the appearance of other characters elsewhere and thus is effectively pinned in place. This way, it is possible to talk to the other genuine characters without triggering Orin's apparitions. These characters, with the exception of the dying Stone Lord thug, can also be 'saved' by not speaking to them until reaching Gortash at Wyrm's Rock. Once Gortash informs the party that Orin has compromised their camp by shapeshifting into one of their companions, she only impersonates the dying Stone Lord thug. Lastly, it is possible to identify when a character is actually Orin as they are then level 12, though without the large amount of hit points that would be expected from that level. When examined, these characters can be observed to have Orin's passives (e.g. Immutable Form), giving away their true identity. If attacked straight away, Orin transforms and disappears without her usual threats, but still taunts the party. Kethric Thorm

General Ketheric Thorm[5] is an Undead with elven ancestry and appearance,[1] the Chosen of Myrkul Myrkul, and one of the leaders of the enigmatic Cult of the Absolute. He serves as one of the main antagonists in Baldur's Gate 3. Once the governor of Reithwin Town, personal tragedy, loss and grief drove him down the path of darkness and violence, the eventual result of which was his defeat in battle a century ago by the combined forces of the {{user}}pers and druids of the Emerald Grove. Now, risen from the grave to lead the Absolute's forces as their general, he seeks to destroy Baldur's Gate, spread the cult of the Absolute, and have his daughter Isobel Isobel with him once again. Background

Risen from the grave a hundred years after the events that led to his downfall, Ketheric Thorm serves as the main antagonist of Act Two of the game, after being introduced during Act One through dialogue and in-game notes first. As the party members search for ways to cure their tadpole situation, many clues point towards Moonrise Towers and Ketheric himself and the party eventually must bring him down in order to rid the Shadow-Cursed Lands from its curse. By exploring Moonrise Towers, through subsequent battle with him, and later exploring the Illithid colony under the stronghold, an elaborate conspiracy behind the tadpoles in the party members's heads is unveiled. Ketheric's alliance with Enver Gortash Enver Gortash and Orin the Red Orin the Red is also exposed, along with his plans to secure all three Netherstones for himself.[6] Also, during the fight against him it is revealed that it was Myrkul Myrkul who brought Ketheric back from the dead. Gameplay

Ketheric Thorm is a level 11 Undead boss who retains some features of his past life, and is one of the main antagonists in the game. He can be found throughout Act Two, while being referenced through dialogue and notes in Act One. Fighting him is required in order to obtain his Netherstone and proceed with the story. In combat, he is most similar to an Oathbreaker paladin,[7] able to cast a form of Smite with his attacks, as well as having access to Aura spells and able to raise Undead minions. Despite his status as a boss, Ketheric can still be disarmed, knocked prone or affected by other types of weapon abilities. True to his skill as a general, Ketheric commands his allies to focus their attacks on targets he deems especially troublesome via Deadly Orders. The outcome of the quests relating to the Nightsong Nightsong, as well as dialogue checks, can influence the encounters with him. Appearance

Ketheric has a severe, weathered look - his face marked by age and a permanent scowl. He wears a plain circlet adorned with the skull of Myrkul, and a richly detailed suit of armor which clearly identifies him as the Chosen of the Lord of Bones. His Netherstone rests securely in an ornate golden cage on his chest armour. Ketheric's straight gray hair is tucked neatly behind his slightly pointed ears. A thick, full beard connects to his hair, which suggests he has only partly elven ancestry (according to the Forgotten Realms lore elves, unlike half-elves, cannot grow facial hair).[8]

Despite this, in the first vision imposed upon the party by the Absolute Absolute near the Goblin Camp, the Narrator calls him "a mighty elf" among the Chosen Three. The Elder Rothé Elder Rothé in Grymforge, if spoken to via Speak with Animals Speak with Animals, also describes him in the same words. Companions' comments on murals surrounding Isobel's grave inside the Thorm Mausoleum (where the key points of Ketheric's story are depicted), too, refer to him as an elf. Presumably, Ketheric was first planned to be an Elf but was later changed to half-elf, and the (likely) erroneous mentionings as an elf are oversights by the developers.[9]

Personality

Though best described as a man tormented and utterly transformed by grief[10], his daughter Isobel Isobel speaks of a loving, doting father while she was growing up, one who had the admiration of his subjects for being just and fair, full of love for his wife who he adored more than anyone else. Tragedy, however, would turn him into a bitter, wrathful man, willing to cleanse Reithwin from any Selûnites to spite the Moonmaiden Moonmaiden for abandoning him. Whatever the man he once was, the Ketheric the party encounters is a callous one, evident by his dismissal of Minthara Minthara and the goblins, ordering their torture and execution for failing him. Though courteous when needed, he will quickly condemn the party to death should they defy his orders. Above all, however, he is ruthless and relentless [11] in his pursuits, willing to burn the entire world just to be reunited with his daughter.[12]

Though his loss and anguish moved him to change his patron god twice in search of relief, he proved to be an ardent believer of each while serving them: for Selûne, he built Moonrise Towers in her honour, for Shar Shar, he built a grand temple under town in her name and for Myrkul Myrkul, he amassed a great army ready to raze Baldur's Gate to the ground. Through it all, he kept a note from Isobel close to him, showing that deep down a small part of him still remembers the man he once was. Governor of Reithwin

A devout worshipper of Selûne Selûne, Thorm lived with his wife Melodia Melodia and daughter Isobel Isobel near the town of Reithwin as governor of the region. Such was his devotion to the Moonmaiden that he would commission a local mason, Morfred Morfred, to construct a grand bastion in her honour: Moonrise Towers. Yet disaster struck the Thorm family when Melodia passed away, leaving Ketheric to raise their daughter alone.[13] With a child in his care, Ketheric persevered, and though doubts plagued his mind, he kept the Selûnite ways. As Isobel grew older, their happy years had a sour note: he disapproved of a budding relationship between his daughter and an immortal Aasimar visiting the town, Dame Aylin Dame Aylin, daughter of Selûne. The conflict would be cut short, however, as tragedy would befall Ketheric once more, and his daughter Isobel passed away.[14]

Conversion to Shar

Grief-stricken and unable to cope with his loss, Ketheric Thorm renounced the worship of the Moonmaiden Moonmaiden and turned to Shar Shar, the Lady of Loss.[15][16]

Moonrise Towers, once a bastion of Light, turned into a symbol of darkness and grief; Thorm systematically erased all Selûnite trace of the town, forcing all believers of the Moonmaiden to convert to Shar, flee, or die.[17] Those who remained devout to Selûne did so in secret, arranging a fledgling resistance⁠fledgling resistance even as Sharran spies began to infiltrate their gathering places.[18]

In Ketheric's downward spiral into darkness, Shar compelled him to build an army of Dark Justiciars beneath his home town in order to cleanse the world of Light. Ketheric lured Isobel's lover, Aylin, whom he had once quarreled with under Selûne, and trapped her in a prison. He had the immortal demigod serve as a perpetual sacrifice for Dark Justiciar initiates – a design of his closest confidante, the necromancer Balthazar Balthazar.[19][20]

As terror gripped the town he had previously served so faithfully, the {{user}}pers, a loose organization that roots out villainy, saw that Ketheric had committed "Murder, Slavery, and Desecration of Temples Most Holy." They began to seek an alliance to end his reign.[21]

Reithwin soon became the site of a wintertime battle between Ketheric's army and the combined forces of the {{user}}pers and druids of the Emerald Enclave Emerald Enclave.[22] Ketheric's Justiciars repelled the combined forces, and the {{user}}pers unsuccessfully attempted surrender. [23] All the while a devil's bargain was struck with Raphael Raphael beneath the town by the Selûnite-in-secret Morfred Morfred as well as Yurgir Yurgir and his merregons; they then worked to annihilate Ketheric's Dark Justiciar army. In the end, the Sharran army was defeated, virtually all Dark Justiciars were slain⁠virtually all Dark Justiciars were slain, and finally Ketheric himself perished [24]. And yet, before the final blow was struck and his defeat was sealed, he unleashed a Shadow Curse upon the land - a curse that would persist long after his demise, afflicting all battle survivors and any remaining inhabitants who did not flee. His body was later buried in the Thorm Mausoleum. Chosen of Myrkul

“

I'll tell you a story, True Soul. About a man who sold himself piece by piece. „

— Ketheric Thorm

More than a hundred years later, Thorm would be brought back from the dead by Myrkul Myrkul as General Ketheric Thorm. The God of Death tasked the general to form an alliance with the apostles of the other two of the Dead Three and bring death to the world, offering in payment the resurrection of Ketheric's daughter Isobel. After reviving his daughter with help of Balthazar, Ketheric's plan at a family reunion failed: when the revived Isobel saw his broken visage, she fled into the darkness, protected by her goddess Selûne. The town had been ravaged by Ketheric's death rattle, the Shadow Curse. Looming over the town for a century, all within had either died outright from it or been twisted into horrific monsters. Undeterred, empowered by Myrkul, and granted immortality by the Nightsong, Ketheric began amassing an army of followers of the Absolute in order to march to Baldur's Gate and sow destruction. Tasked with the recovery of the mysterious artifact, the only object capable of thwarting the Dead Three's plans, he ultimately fails and falls at the hands of the party.[25]

He is dead in this story line

Auntie Ethel: Auntie Ethel in Baldur's Gate 3 is a cruel green hag disguised as a kindly old woman who serves as a major boss across multiple acts. She offers dangerous bargains, holds tragic captives, and provides unique permanent stat rewards. Auntie Ethel[1] is a fussy trader of potions, lotions, quirks, and sundries who can be first encountered in The Hollow of the Emerald Grove. Later, she returns to her home at the Riverside Teahouse in the Sunlit Wetlands. Act One

In the Druid Grove

Auntie Ethel can first be found in The Hollow in the Emerald Grove, peddling "Potions and Lotions" to the Tiefling refugees. Upon first speaking, she quickly notices something is awry with the interacting party member and invites them to visit her at her home, the Riverside Teahouse. While in the Emerald Grove she also acts as a trader. Once the party reach the Sunlit Wetlands, Auntie Ethel moves from the Emerald Grove and appears in the Wetlands, and then eventually at the Teahouse. If a party member first[2] speaks with Pandirna Pandirna before Ethel, she tells them Auntie Ethel gave her a potion to make her "strong and brave as a bugbear," but left her paralyzed instead. Immediately following this interaction, Auntie Ethel leaves her shop in the Emerald Grove. If Ethel is attacked or successfully pickpocketed while in the Emerald Grove, she exclaims, "Blast it all! I'm going home." and leaves for the Riverside Teahouse. The same result occurs if a hiding hiding character is spotted by her. Auntie Ethel leaves the grove permanently once the conversation between her and Mayrina's Mayrina's brothers happens in the Sunlit Wetlands (see below). In the Sunlit Wetlands

When the party first enter the Sunlit Wetlands from the east, Johl Johl and his brother Demir Demir are arguing with Auntie Ethel, demanding she tell them where their sister Mayrina is, and accuse Ethel of having taken her. This starts Save Mayrina⁠Save Mayrina. The party can talk with the group to learn more: Mayrina has disappeared and the last person to see her was Ethel. Throughout the encounter, Demir pleads with her while she insists she is blameless, but "willing to help" them look for her. Eventually, the party can choose to take either side, or none at all. They can even walk right past, ignoring the trio altogether. If they side with Auntie Ethel, Demir and Johl accuse the party of working with her and attack. If they do not side with Ethel, she chastises them and disappears in a burst of magic. The party can then talk to the two brothers and attempt to convince them not to follow her into the swamp, which is futile. In the Riverside Teahouse

If the party enter the Teahouse, they observe Auntie Ethel forcing Mayrina Mayrina to eat. If the player character seeks Ethel's help to remove the tadpole⁠seeks Ethel's help to remove the tadpole, she states her price: they must give up an eye in exchange for her removing the Tadpole. If the player character accepts her bargain, she reverts to her hag form, asks them to choose which eye to surrender and begins the procedure to remove the tadpole, only to soon stop and (truthfully) declare it has been modified by ancient Netherese magic. Having already Paid the Price Paid the Price, she refuses to reverse it despite failing to cure the player character. Allowing Auntie Ethel to take an eye of the player character irrevocably changes the appearance of the chosen eye. It cannot be removed and its appearance does not change with the Magic Mirror. It is not possible to take this deal if Volo Volo has already replaced one of the player character's eyes or Wyll Wyll is chosen as origin. If the player character does not accept her bargain, and instead insists on saving Mayrina, then Ethel eventually reveals her true form and starts a fight, calling the redcaps redcaps from outside the teahouse to her side. During the fight Ethel first consumes a Potion of Invisibility, and then disappears through her fireplace in the teahouse. To save Mayrina the party must follow Ethel and infiltrate her lair in the Overgrown Tunnel.[3] In her lair, victims and thralls of the hag are found. Some of them can be freed, while others must usually be fought and are lost forever. Eventually Mayrina is seen in a cage in the Ancient Abode and can by saved by defeating Ethel. Alternatively it is possible to make a deal with Ethel, to acquire Auntie Ethel's Hair after which she disappears. Act Three

In the Blushing Mermaid

Auntie Ethel is part of the Help the Hag Survivors⁠Help the Hag Survivors, Avenge the Hag Survivors⁠Avenge the Hag Survivors, and Save Vanra⁠Save Vanra questlines whether the party accept her offer or kill her. She can be found posing as Captain Grisly Captain Grisly in The Blushing Mermaid in Lower City. Her lair is located under this tavern and can be infiltrated through the basement. Auntie Ethel does not appear in Act Three if she remained in her lair at the Sunlit Wetlands and did not abandon it. It is ultimately revealed that Ethel is functionally unkillable while her life force is invested in her magic mushrooms, which is how can survived being killed in Act One. If she is killed there, she is more hostile to the party, preventing them from demanding a counter-offer to leave her alone. However, this does not prevent her from being acquired as an Ally for Gather Your Allies⁠Gather Your Allies if Lora is killed and Auntie Ethel is left to her schemes. It is recommended to begin the quest Save Vanra⁠Save Vanra by speaking with Lora Lora prior to completing the Hag Survivors questlines and defeating the Hag. Failure to get this quest from Lora directly, even if Vanra Vanra is saved, locks the party out of its quest rewards. Killing Auntie Ethel in Act Three grants the following inspiration:

Estrangement of Ethel⁠Estrangement of Ethel (Urchin Urchin background)

Double-Tap⁠Double-Tap (Soldier Soldier background) - for killing her a second time

Re-tasting the Kill⁠Re-tasting the Kill (Haunted One Haunted One background)

Cazador Szarr

First, thou shalt not drink of the blood of thinking creatures. Second, thou shalt obey me in all things. Third, thou shalt not leave my side unless directed. Four, thou shalt know that thou art mine. „

— Cazador Szarr's four rules he enforces upon his Vampire Spawn, including Astarion

History

Cazador became a Vampire Lord in the year 1276, claiming the position of Master Vampire of Baldur's Gate from Vellioth the Martinet. Act One

While not making an appearance until Act Three, Cazador's influence is felt earlier. If Astarion Astarion is chosen as Origin, he experiences a dream sequence involving Cazador, where he recites four rules he enforces amongst his spawn. Astarion as a companion can also show the party the scars on his back, which are ultimately revealed to be part of an Infernal Pact. What this pact entails is unknown, but he assumes it is extremely important to Cazador. Act Two

While still not appearing in Act Two, Astarion can decipher the meaning of the pact with the help of Raphael Raphael. Cazador intends Astarion's scars be used as part of a ritual imparted to him by Mephistopheles. When performed, the recipient of the ritual becomes Vampire Ascendant Vampire Ascendant, a creature that retains all the power of a Vampire, but none of their weaknesses (e.g., sunlight) or thirst for blood. Act Three

Once in Baldur's Gate, the party can hunt down Cazador at Cazador's Palace and, if met, is in his Dungeon, where he reveals that the ritual requires not just seven of the known spawn he sired, but thousands of others. The 'meals' Astarion brought Cazador were not for him to feed on, but rather prepared and turned into spawn for use in his infernal ritual. Upon encountering Cazador, he typically reclaims Astarion, and tries to use him for the ritual. Should the party free Astarion and defeat Cazador, Astarion readies himself to take over the ritual, and absorb the power for himself – only for Cazador to reveal that if Astarion chooses to continue the ritual himself, he will simply be consumed by it; he has the marks of the pact on his back and as the ritual requires an exact amount of such marked souls, it will still take his as a result. Astarion and the rest of the party must then make an important choice. Letting Astarion finish the Ritual

Should the party assist Astarion in finishing the ritual, he connects to the player character's parasite and copies the scars on his back onto Cazador's own flesh, therefore fulfilling the requirements for the ritual, while allowing himself to remain alive. Astarion then consumes the essence of Cazador and the thousands of Vampire Spawn he sired, and successfully becomes the Vampire Ascendant. Convincing Astarion to kill Cazador and stop the Ritual

If the player character succeeds a Persuasion Persuasion or Insight Insight check, Astarion renounces the ritual for himself, and instead stabs Cazador to death, falling to his knees, and sobbing, finally free of Cazador's tyranny. If any Vampire Spawn who are present die during the fight, the Vampire Ascendent ritual cannot be conducted, and Astarion defaults to this option (see 'Breaking the ritual' below). Refusing to help Astarion

If the player character refuses to help Astarion without convincing him – or fails the skill checks and still refuses to help him – Astarion kills Cazador in the same sequence as above, but then destroys Cazador's Woe, leaving the Vampire Spawn to rot. After this, he permanently leaves the party, stating with venom that he hopes they "die screaming". Killing Cazador without Astarion in the party

If Astarion is not brought to the fight it is possible to stab Cazador while he is in his coffin[5]. Mentioning this to Astarion afterwards infuriates him but he does not leave the party for it unless the player character has negative approval of more than -40 with him. Interrupting the ritual

The party can choose to interrupt Astarion partway through the ritual. If they do, the player character throws Cazador's Rhapsody at Cazador, killing him and making the ritual impossible to complete. Astarion then destroys Cazador's staff and attacks the party, forcing them to kill him. Breaking the ritual

Killing one or more sacrificial Vampire Spawn during the fight with Cazador results in Astarion killing Cazador and staying with the party without complaint (even if he is in the fight and witnesses a Vampire Spawn dying). Astarion's remaining siblings then flee the scene, skipping their normal cutscene. Several characters, including the Gur party, then react as if Astarion voluntarily forfeited the ritual. No matter which choice the party decides on, Cazador ultimately dies. If Cazador is killed while ascended, party members with the Soldier background gain the Rudolph Van Richtover My Dead Body⁠Rudolph Van Richtover My Dead Body inspiration. Other characters. Cal(tielfing) Lia(teifling) Rowan(teifling)

Dame Aylin Asimir and Daughter of Selune

Isobel Daughter of Kethric Thorm

Arabella (child, tielfing)

Depending on the users response to the question who did you romance? It refers to which companion character they romanced in the story which will affect certain characters responses.