We thought we would break down in as few words as we could manage what happened leading up to Baldur’s Gate 3. Check it out below and let us know if there are any pieces you think we shouldn’t have left out!
Baldur’s Gate 1
You are on the Sword Coast in Faerun in Dale Reckoning year 1368. You were born and raised in Candlekeep by Gorion with your friend Imoen. Issues trouble the realms as they always do, and there are issues with the iron. You leave Candlekeep after an attempt on your life. After a second attempt on the road by the armored figure in the opening sequence Gorion sacrifices himself for you to live. You reconnect with Imoen on the road and in your travels find other companions. The canonized group is Imoen, Khalid (human fighter), Jaheira (half-elven druid, Minsc (a god among men Ranger) with his miniature space hamster Boo, and Dynaheir (human invoker.) You head throughout the area seeking to resolve the issues of the mines and uncover who is behind these issues. You end up flooding the mine, defeating several enemies and head to Baldur’s Gate proper.
You meet with the 2nd in command of the Flaming Fist, the city watch, on your way into town. You quickly become embroiled in the complexities of the city and tasked with seeking out more information on the Iron Throne, who have dark ties to assassinations and enemy states. The leaders of the Iron Throne are believed to be in Candlekeep and you teleport back to find that doppelgangers have taken over. This has all been masterminded by Sarevok the armored figure that killed Gorion. Eventually you escape, return to Baldur’s Gate, and find that the Flaming Fist is now being ran by someone under Sarevok’s rule.
It is here that you learn that Sarevok is your half brother and seeks godhood because you are both Baalspawn. Mortals born from the Lord of Murder while he walked the earth during the Time of Troubles where all gods were cast down to the mortal realms. The final battle is against Sarevok and the essence of Baal is sent back to its domain upon his defeat.
Baldur’s Gate: Siege of Dragonspear
The bridge game between BG1 and BG2 starts off just weeks after the first games as you are clearing out Sarevok’s followers. All of your own followers leave, except Imoen, as the belief is that you killed Sarevok to take his power. The story shifts to a crusade by someone known as the Shining Lady. You set out to stop her and during a battle near where Baal, your father, was killed you have a vision of his death and burn a symbol of Baal into the ground while doing so. After sneaking into Dragonspear Castle to learn more about the Shining Lady you discover that her second in command has planned to travel into the Nine Hells and release his true master into the material plane. The Shining Lady joins you in traveling to Avernus to stop this. After defeating your foes in the Nine Hells the Shining Lady stays behind to guard the portal and you return to Dragonspear Castle where you are racked by nightmares and framed for murder. You escape and meet up with Imoen in the woods.
Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn
You awaken in the dungeon of the mage Irenicus as he is doing experiments on you. You are saved by Imoen and can unlock the cage of Jaheir and Minsc as well. Both Khalid and Dynaheir have been killed. In the battle with Irenicus, he and Imoen use unsanctioned magic and are imprisoned. You will need 15,000 gold to free her, and have two options to do so. You have to decide between aligning with a vampire coven or a guild of shadow thieves to free Imoen. Either way will culminate in defeating the other and gaining access to the island where Imoen is being held. You learn that Imoen is also a child of Baal and that Irenicus wants to draw that power from both of you through a magical ritual. You eventually escape and end up in the Underdark where you end up befriending a silver dragon who transforms the party into drow so that they can hunt for her stolen eggs.
Upon completing this task, you return to the surface where it is time to get back both your and Imoen’s souls. You must ally yourself with the elves in the area and after defeated the vampire Bohdi, Imoen has her soul returned. The next stop is the elven world tree where Irenicus is drawing out its power. Once defeated his soul is sucked into the Nine Hells, but so is yours and your entire party’s souls. You can return after obtaining five tears of Baal. Once obtained it allows for a final battle with Irenicus for your soul.
Baldur’s Gate 2: Throne of Baal
You awaken after your battle with Irenicus in a pocket plane full of Baal spawn that are trying to kill each other to become the supreme Baal spawn. Sarevok is here and will join you for a piece of your soul. You must defeat the other Baal spawn that are wreaking havoc, and will be returned to the pocket plane once you have done so. This is where you find out that your guide thus far, Melissan, goes by Amelyssan the Blackhearted and is betraying you and Baal himself. She seeks to take his throne for herself leading to a battle where upon her defeat you are left to choose if you will release the parts of Baal you already have and have all essence of the Lord of Murder removed from the world or to absorb the rest and become a god.
Baldur’s Gate 3
We jump ahead to1492 DR for BG3. While this is over 100 years later, it is set shortly after the D&D table top adventure Descent into Avernus. In the module whole cities are being dragged into the Nine Hells itself and in BG3 a party has managed to save a city dragged into hell before starting the events of the new game.
Some notable NPCs you may find and why they are still alive: Jaheira is a half elf and can live close to 200 years, so she is older but still around. Volo was imprisoned in a spell around 1385 DR where he remained for 100 years. Minsc and Boo allowed themselves to be petrified as a statue in Baldur’s Gate until they were needed again. They were released via the wild magic of Delina in the comic Legends of Baldur’s Gate.
