Neverwinter Nights 2/Characters

The cast of Neverwinter Nights 2, Mask of the Betrayer, Storm of Zehir, and Mysteries of Westgate. Not related (mostly) to the characters of Neverwinter Nights.

The Kalach-Cha / Knight-Captain / Spirit Eater (Player Character)
""Know this name our enemies have draped upon you -- this Kalach-Cha -- its sound travels far, even reaching the ears of my people.""

- Zhjaeve, Resident Obi-wan

The player character of the first two installments of NWN2 is at the beginning of the story just a Farmboy/Farmgirl who is, for all intents and purposes, completely insignificant. The only unusual thing about your character is that regardless of what race your are, you're an orphan who was born during a climactic battle between the forces of Neverwinter and demons that destroyed in which their mother died. Your real father, unknown, the character is raised by a particularly grumpy half-wood elf, with whom you don't particularly get along. Sounds like the perfect setup for The Hero's Journey? You'd be right.

Shortly after the village festival that's part fair, part coming of age ritual, your swampy hometown is obliterated by a sudden attack out of nowhere by githyanki and duergar. While everyone is dumbstruck by the seeming randomness of it, your father knows a little something about what's going on and without informing you on all the details, tasks you with removing a single silver shard from the swamp and taking it to Neverwinter, where his half-brother -- who you've never heard of before -- lives. Along the way you encounter allies and enemies and eventually discover that you yourself are more intricately tied to the events going on in the Sword Coast than your adopted father let on.

Later on, in Mask of the Betrayer, after being knocked unconscious and dragged to Rashemen away from your friends and allies following the climactic Final Boss of the previous game, you discover yourself possessed of an ancient 40-year old curse that drives you towards eating other people's souls. Curing yourself or embracing the power of the "curse" is up to you.

Associated Tropes:
 * Abusive Parents: To a certain extent. Daeghun isn't implied to physically abuse you, but several characters call him out on emotional abuse and neglect. As it turns out, it's deeply related to how you came to be his foster child.
 * A God Am I:
 * The Call Knows Where You Live
 * The Casanova: As a background trait, though this has no in-game effect beyond a few comments in West Harbor and giving you a few skill bonuses.
 * Character Alignment: In-universe, it is a game based on Dungeons and Dragons after all. Any, although non-evil is at least implied for the original campaign given that the King of Shadows is canonically defeated by the time Mask of the Betrayer starts. But then again, it's not out of the realm of possibility that Evil Versus Evil resulted.
 * Deadpan Snarker: Optional, of course, given the medium, but this option certainly exists.
 * Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: A number of examples from the King of Shadows to Kelemvor's paragon, but the standout example has got to be the very casual, easy way in which you can in a truly epic example of both Ironic and Karmic Death.
 * Doom Magnet: In both the first and second games this is entirely justified. In the original campaign, . In Mask of the Betrayer,.
 * Fan Nickname: KC, which has the advantage of being an abbreviation for both titles by which characters frequently refer to you in the first campaign.
 * Genre Savvy
 * Hello, Insert Name Here
 * The Hero: You WILL save the realm, regardless of alignment. Motivation, attitude and collateral damage, however, are largely up to the player.
 * Karma Meter: Added bonus in that it's got two axes, incorporating both Good vs. Evil and Law vs. Chaos rather than just the former, as in traditional D&D. Fan consensus is that the former is implemented well in the original campaign but the latter is not, with some (but not perfect) improvement in Mask of the Betrayer.
 * Large Ham: A lot of the potential character voices seem to be channeling Brian Blessed. Even the female voices.
 * Luke, I Am Your Father: Surprisingly averted in spite of his mysterious identity (one character notes that your mother didn't want to talk about him) and the otherwise trope-heavy nature of the game.
 * Multiple Endings: Somewhat sloppily in the first game, with you either defeating the King of Shadows only to experience a or joining up with him to kill your former allies. In Mask of the Betrayer, most fans think this was done much better, though some still wish you could have.
 * The Reveal:.
 * Super-Powered Evil Side: The Spirit Eater mechanic if you're evil is meant to be this if various characters are to be believed, but unfortunately it ends up living to its name as a curse all too well, becoming Blessed with Suck. On the other hand, if you're good (in which case it's supposed to be bad), it ends up being Cursed with Awesome, since you can get most of the benefits while reducing the negative impact significantly.
 * In summation, the difference between indulging the hunger itself, or using it pragmatically is also the difference between Blessed with Suck and Cursed with Awesome. Hedonistic self-indulgence against practical restraint? Deep stuff.
 * The Un-Reveal: In Mask of the Betrayer it's pretty obvious early on that you've been cursed with something that requires you to eat souls, though you aren't told this in no uncertain terms until the end of the first act. More significant might be.

Bevil Starling
""We were risking life and limb for that? None of this make any sense.""

Bevil Starling is either your best friend or an implied crush, depending on which gender you are. Either way, he doesn't stick with you for long, serving as the obligatory Guest Star Party Member at the beginning of the game to help you run through the basics of how to play the game. For the most part, Bevil's an upstanding, if somewhat dense, young man with no particular interest in leaving the swampy home that you and he live in.

Later on,

Voiced by Jason Griffith.

Associated Tropes:
 * Guest Star Party Member: He follows you up until you leave West Harbor..
 * Old Friend: When you meet him again
 * Lawful Good: In-universe.
 * Took a Level In Badass
 * Unlucky Childhood Friend: It's implied if you're a woman by at least one character that Bevil has a crush on you (he's not a romance). However, for his part, he never really says anything to the effect.
 * Wide-Eyed Idealist: Largely how he sees the world beyond West Harbor.

Amie Fern
""Fool girl.""

- Tarmas' estimation of his apprentice Amie's role in the story

The other Guest Star Party Member at the beginning of the game, Amie is a wizard's apprentice, the only one in West Harbor (unless you choose a magic user as your base class). Considered a bit odd but pretty, Amie bonded with both you and Bevil early on and, if you're a woman, is your best friend and, if you're a man, is implied to have romantic feelings for you (particularly if you take the Lady Killer background trait).

Voiced by Stephanie D'Abruzzo.

Associated Tropes:
 * Chaotic Good: In-universe.
 * : Essentially her only real role in the story.
 * Unlucky Childhood Friend: Implied with a male KC. Not that anything comes of it.
 * Unlucky Childhood Friend: Implied with a male KC. Not that anything comes of it.

Khelgar Ironfist
""Some take pride in craftsmanship, or in hunting, or in haggling for the best price on a blade or other piece of steel. Me? Talking with my fists is my art form.""

- Khelgar Ironfist

The first potential party member you run into, Khelgar is a dwarven fighter originally encountered not far from West Harbor. After helping him out with a gang of roughnecks (by beating them all to death and/or unconsciousness) and the first wave of githyanki, Khelgar decides to tag along with you because you seem to attract fights everywhere you go, and he wants in.

Despite being more than a little thick-headed and stubborn, Khelgar is still incredibly loyal and has his own reasons for being off on an adventure with some random Chosen One from the swamps. Khelgar also aspires to be a monk, since the first people who ever beat him in a fight were a group of traveling monks.

Voiced by Adam Sietz.

Associated Tropes:
 * Badass: In Game. Attention all Noobs: THIS is how you build a tank.
 * Bald of Awesome
 * Bare-Fisted Monk: What he becomes if you complete his quests.
 * Blood Knight: He's probably the most fight-happy of your entire party, fitting for the first character you recruit.
 * Boisterous Bruiser: Post-Character Development
 * Character Development: All the party characters undergo this of course, but Khelgar's personal quest is tied up in it. In order to become a monk, Khelgar has to overcome three trials. They involve overcoming his Fantastic Racism, making good with his family, and developing a sense of justice. Passing all three trials and talking to the priest of Tyr changes his alignment to Lawful Good and resets his class to monk.
 * Fantastic Racism: He doesn't mean anything by it, but he takes umbrage with Elanee and Neeshka... because they're an elf and a tiefling respectively. You can help him realize that he's not giving them a fair chance.
 * Luke Nounverber
 * Lawful Good: In-universe, if you change his class.
 * Neutral Good: In-universe, his starting alignment.
 * Oh My Gods: His "swear" emote is "By Tyr's right buttock!"
 * Our Dwarves Are All the Same: With the exception of having an American accent instead of a Scottish brogue.
 * The Other Darrin: In Storm of Zehir.
 * Took a Level In Badass: He was always pretty badass, but Storm of Zehir shows that

Neeshka
""Someone who doesn't play the odds doesn't last too long in my experience. Well, except me.""

A Tiefling Rogue that the Captain and Khelgar encounter being threatened by a group of corrupt soldiers. After helping her fight them off, she agrees to tag along, mainly for the thrill of adventure.

Neeshka is fiery, feisty, and more than a little fun loving. She takes the Fantastic Racism she often gets in stride, barely letting it get to her. However, her fiendish blood makes her vulnerable to certain dark magics,

Voiced by Robyn Kramer.

Associated Tropes:
 * The Cameo:
 * Cute Monster Girl
 * Fan-Preferred Couple: Neeshka and a male Knight-Captain. Oddly for this trope, she was originally supposed to be a romance option, but that was Dummied Out.
 * Half-Human Hybrid: Tieflings are humans with an evil outsider (normally a devil or demon) as an ancestor. Neeshka is specifically one-quarter devil (Lawful Evil outsider).
 * Heroic Willpower:
 * I Have You Now, My Pretty:
 * True Neutral: in-universe.
 * The Woobie

Elanee
""I don't know. She's got pointy-ears but doesn't smell of the Lower Planes, so she's probably not a tiefling. And she's too tall to be a halfling -- and too thin. Plus, the hangs out with animals, so she's an elf.""

- Neeshka, asked to describe her companion.

A young elf that is part of the Mere of Dead Men's Druid Circle. She follows the Knight Captain during the early parts of his/her adventure, and ultimately reveals herself by helping the party fight off a group of Bladelings and Duergar. She then explains how the Mere has of late become corrupted and barren and that her Circle has been decimated, and believes that joining the Captain is her best bet to find out the cause of it.

Voiced by Ursulla Abbot.

Associated Tropes:
 * Clingy Jealous Girl: At times with a male PC.
 * May-December Romance: With a male PC.
 * Nature Hero: Duh, druid.
 * Neutral Good: In-universe.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old: She's an elf, after all.
 * Stalker with a Crush: Arguably.
 * Unfortunate Implications: Many people find her romance path to be...odd.
 * Unfortunate Implications: Many people find her romance path to be...odd.

Qara
""My problem is people keep telling me what to do, and I don't need to hear it anymore. I can handle myself. I know my powers, and I don't need somebody telling me how to use them.""

- Qara

A vain, arrogant sorceress that the party encounters picking a fight with two other mages. After resolving the situation one way or another, Qara accidentally burns part of the Sunken Flagon, and is forced to join the party by Duncan in order to pay off the damages.

Qara is self-obsessed, arrogant, and more than a little psychopathic. She genuinely believes that she is the most powerful magician in Faerûn, and expects everyone else to treat her as such. Her overinflated ego, along with her general disdain of wizards, causes her to frequently butt heads with Sand.

Voiced by Jenna Lamia.

Associated Tropes:
 * Black Magician Girl
 * Chaotic Neutral: In-universe.
 * Deadpan Snarker: She gets a few fantastic hits in on other characters.
 * Kill It with Fire: Her preferred method of problem solving.
 * Which can be annoying considering her pyrotechnics have a tendency to destroy loot chests.
 * It should also be noted her patron deity is Kossuth, the elemental deity of fire.
 * No Pronunciation Guide: Most characters pronounce it "kwar-uh", but some say "kar-uh".
 * Small Name, Big Ego
 * Sociopathic Hero
 * Spoiled Brat: Her father is the headmaster of the Neverwinter Academy. In fact, it's implied in cut content that one of the reason Sand hates her is that her father fired him.
 * Unskilled but Strong: As a Sorcerer, she naturally has incredible magical power but she refuses to use it for anything other than destructive purposes.
 * When All You Have Is a Hammer: Qara's preferred solution to her problems is to blast everything in sight. This works about as well as you'd expect, even having a hand in her being drafted into the party.

Grobnar Gnomehands
""'Kalach-cha'. 'Kalach-cha'. Well, it's not Gnomish, Elvish, Dwarvish, Orcish, Goblin, or Draconic -- well, unless the 'k' is silent, but that would make it "gizzard stone" or the equivalent.""

- Grobnar demonstrating a surprising command of language.

An... eccentric gnome bard the party encounters shortly after arriving in Neverwinter. He is a self proclaimed writer, mechanic, and general story teller. He decides to join the party because he believes they're on a grand adventure.

While not very good in combat and having an annoying personality, Grobnar actually is a mechanical genius, as he is the one who repairs the Construct and makes it functional.

Voiced by Andy Pang.

Associated Tropes:
 * Cloudcuckoolander: So very much.
 * Expy: He carries on the tradition of an annoying, diminutive Spoony Bard established by Deekin in the expansions to the original game.
 * Genius Ditz: Believe it or not, he is a mechanical genius, as well as several other types of genius, and is capable of some surprising feats of engineering if he's with the party at the appropriate moments.
 * Luke Nounverber
 * Neutral Good: In-universe.
 * Omniglot: Based on the instance where he tries to translate "kalach-cha", we can infer that he speaks at least six languages, not counting Common.
 * Our Gnomes Are Weirder: No shit.
 * Spoony Bard: Even by D&D bard standards, since his base stats are mediocre at best and his skillset leaves something to be desired.
 * Spoony Bard: Even by D&D bard standards, since his base stats are mediocre at best and his skillset leaves something to be desired.

Casavir
""His aura makes my skin itch!"

-- Neeshka, trying to talk the Knight-Captain out of letting Casavir join the party

"I do not have faith in a city or a nation, but the people within it.""

- Casavir

A Paladin who was formerly part of Neverwinter's paladin order, but left in frustration over the order's inability to help the commonfolk. Since then, he has taken it upon himself to protect the innocent, and has formed a tight knit band of mercenaries to help him in this. He first meets the party when they are investigating orc activity in the region, and offers his help in this. After the orcs are routed, he decides to stay with the party. He doesn't like Bishop very much.

Voiced by Paul Schoeffler.

Associated Tropes:
 * Drop the Hammer: Favors warhammers.
 * Gameplay and Story Segregation: Minor case with Neeshka's whining that she's allergic to him. She notably doesn't make the same complaint if the Knight-Captain is a paladin, too, and it has no effect on gameplay.
 * Knight in Shining Armor: What he appears as at first. Talking to him reveals he's more of a Knight in Sour Armor.
 * Lawful Good: In-universe. He's a Paladin.
 * The Paladin

Bishop
""If you aren't willing to kill for it, how important can it be?""

- Bishop

A sociopathic ranger that the party first meets in the Sunken Flagon. He is initially a typical, if very assholish patron, but after Shandra is kidnapped by Zeearie, Duncan convinces him to help the party track them down by calling upon an old deal they made. Reluctantly, Bishop agrees, and afterwards stays on with the party for his own reasons.

Bishop is an ... interesting look at what it means to be Chaotic Evil. He genuinely believes that the concept of civilization and culture is a total sham, and is convinced that everyone, even him, is just a rabid animal waiting to strike. He despises being ordered about, but will grudgingly admit he respects the Knight-Captain if your influence with him is high enough.

Voiced by Asa Seigel in the original campaign, and Dave Walsh.

Associated Tropes:
 * All Girls Want Bad Boys: He is immensely popular amongst the female fanbase.
 * Don't You Dare Pity Me!: One of his core principles. Bishop despises practically anyone who does not share this sentiment.
 * Chaotic Evil: In-universe. Type 3, to be specific.
 * Child Soldier: Implied to have been very young when conscripted into military.
 * Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: So very much. The developers intended for you to be able to help him with it, but, well...
 * Deadpan Snarker: Count yourself lucky to say anything in his presence without getting a sarcastic drawl in reply, usually followed by a quick, half-assed Hannibal Lecture aimed at just about anything in the immediate vicinity, and god help any companion who tries to intervene.
 * Did Not Do the Research: Unlike Zhjaeve, Bishop has no plausible excuse for taking the ranger class and not having a patron deity.
 * The one semi-plausible theory (that one of the gods, Malar perhaps, has chosen to grant him spells without direct worship) is Jossed by.
 * Draco in Leather Pants: See All Girls Want Bad Boys.
 * Even Evil Has Standards: As evil as he is, he openly hates Luskan.
 * Foreshadowing:
 * Freudian Excuse: Subverted. He does have one, but not even he considers it valid.
 * Jerkass: The most triumphant example in the game.
 * Jerk with a Heart of Gold: If you pinch real hard the remnants of his romantic dialogue can arguably come off as this, though "gold" may still be overstating it. The premise has spawned much Fanfiction.
 * Lack of Empathy
 * Perma Stubble
 * Psychotic Smirk: Though NWN2's facial animations are fairly limited, you can hear it in his voice every time he taunts the Player Character or makes lewd comments toward female Companions.
 * The Nicknamer: A very sarcastic and condescending example. If you're lucky he'll simply call you "Captain", as if its interchangeable with "Idiot".
 * The Other Darrin:
 * Social Darwinist
 * Token Evil Teammate

Sand
""A hedge wizard, somehow set up a shop in the Docks, but it's telling enough he can only run a business down here in the crack of Neverwinter. Got a dry wit, and he'll always rub you the wrong way, so his name's well-chosen.""

- innkeeper Duncan Farlong describing Sand

A skilled, but somewhat haughty elven wizard that runs a magic shop in Neverwinter. He first appears when the Knight Captain tries to learn the secret of the shards, but Sand is unable to give much help aside from pointing them in the direction of someone who can help them. Later on, when Garius' henchmen accuse the Captain of slaughtering the town of Ember, Sand is chosen as their assistant and lawyer. Once the Ember Trials are resolved, he decides to assist the Captain in their quest.

Voiced by Fred Berman.

Associated Tropes:
 * The Cameo: Makes an appearance at the Knight-Captain's wedding in some versions of the MotB epilogue.
 * Deadpan Snarker: In a game filled with these, Sand stands head and shoulders above the rest.
 * Lawful Neutral: In-universe.
 * Properly Paranoid: He believes Qara to be a potential threat. In dummied-out content, it's revealed that she really is holding back a majority of her power.
 * Squishy Wizard: Serious artillery (and less prone to destroying loot chests than Qara), but keep him away from anything sharp.
 * Also somewhat subverted by his School of Specialization. Transmutation specializes in buffs, and he can potentially armor himself well enough to compete with the group's tanks.

Shandra Jerro
""Well, if it had been the Captain doing it, the cat would be lost, the tree burned down, and the old lady would be traveling with us now.""

- Shandra remarking on the "adventures" of the Knight-Captain's self-appointed apprentices.

A simple farmgirl from just outside Highever, Shandra Jerro at first seems like just another NPC, until the githyanki abduct her to use her in the search for her grandfather's Haven. Having lost her farm thanks to getting caught up in the Knight-Captain's business, she joins up with the Knight-Captain's party as a fighter.

Voiced by Rachel York.

Associated Tropes:
 * Neutral Good: In-universe.
 * Sixth Ranger: While the maximum party size is normally four, she acts as a mandatory fifth party member in chapter II.
 * Took a Level In Badass: Literally. Starts out as a repeatedly Distressed Damsel, then turns into a shortsword-wielding Badass Normal.
 * Took a Level In Badass: Literally. Starts out as a repeatedly Distressed Damsel, then turns into a shortsword-wielding Badass Normal.

Zhjaeve
""Know that I am Zhjaeve, one who carries the knowing Circle of Zerthimon in mind and hand. Know that I aid the Kalach-Cha in shielding your community from the doom that comes.""

- Zhjaeve introduces herself

A githzerai cleric and zerth that was imprisoned in Crossroad Keep while it was under Garius' control. She is one of the only people who truly knows what is happening, and helps the Knight Captain learn about the King Shadows, its origins, and how it can be stopped.

It's commonly theorized that her lack of a patron deity indicates she's actually a psion, not a cleric. Or that since she's part of the Circle of Zerthimon, she worships the githzerai god-king.

Voiced by Lisa Emery.

Associated Tropes:
 * Lawful Neutral: In-universe.
 * Miss Exposition
 * The Obi-Wan
 * Pardon My Klingon: She uses "illithid" as a curse.
 * Stripperiffic: Borderline example since according to sourcebooks githzerai traditionally rely more on agility than armor anyway.
 * Verbal Tic: Know that like a certain other Githzerai, Zhjaeve puts emphasis on words relating to knowing and will.
 * Verbal Tic: Know that like a certain other Githzerai, Zhjaeve puts emphasis on words relating to knowing and will.

Ammon Jerro
""Ammon Jerro? Oh, he was a court wizard of Neverwinter decades ago.""

- Aldanon's woefully inadequate description of Jerro

A former court wizard of Neverwinter, Ammon Jerro first became aware of the King of Shadows twenty years before the story starts. He tried to warn people about the threat that it posed, but to no avail. Unwilling to let the threat grow unchecked, he vowed to stop the King of Shadows... no matter what.

Voiced by Murphy Guyer.

Associated Tropes:
 * Badass Grandpa
 * Deal with the Devil: Many.
 * He Who Fights Monsters: After realizing that no one took his warnings about the King of Shadows seriously, he decided to act on his own. In order to combat the horde of undead under the thrall of the King of Shadows, he turned to the infernal powers for an army of his own.
 * I Did What I Had to Do: If you confront Ammon Jerro about all the evil he's unleashed in his war against the Big Bad, he's wholly unrepentant unless you had high influence with Shandra, in which case you can give him a truly awesome Reason You Suck Speech.
 * My God, What Have I Done?: Takes a bit of doing, but you can make him realize his mistakes.
 * Neutral Evil: In-universe.
 * Power Tattoo: He got his while studying with the Red Wizards of Thay.

The Construct
""Oh my, this is a marvelously constructed... er... construct. To think of the enchantments that must have been inscribed on its core... fascinating!""

- Grobnar squeeing

A Blade Golem that was sent by Garius' followers to dispose of the party while they were investigating Githyanki activity in Neverwinter. The party manages to drive it off, severely damaging it in the process, and later come across it during the assault on Zeearie's lair. Grobnar, fascinated with the machine, convinces the Knight Captain to confiscate it in hopes of repairing it. Once Crossroad Keep is reclaimed from the Shadow Priests, and after a rather lengthy sidequest, Grobnar is able to repair the construct and make it better than ever.

Associated Tropes
 * Optional Party Member
 * Team Pet: Essentially.
 * True Neutral: In-universe. It's a barely sentient suit of armor. Can't exactly be anything else.

Lord Nasher Alagondar
A former adventurer and the ruler of the city-state of Neverwinter.

Voiced by Gregg Martin.

Associated Tropes:
 * Bald of Awesome: Has lost the remainder of his hair between games.
 * Big Good: Reprises his role as such from the original Neverwinter Nights.
 * The Good King: Though he's not actually a king, per se.
 * Idiot Ball: Minor case in Storm of Zehir. Making a member of the Neverwinter Nine? No problem. But putting him in charge of Crossroad Keep? Surely there were more politically adept candidates. The Knight-Captain's seneschal Kana, for instance, or maybe Sir Neville.
 * Khelgar himself notes that it was a bad idea in Storm.
 * Lawful Good: In-universe.
 * Reasonable Authority Figure
 * Retired Badass: Used to be a member of the Northern Four Adventuring Troupe before he became ruler of Neverwinter. The Troupe's history is detailed in the in-game book of the same name.
 * Royals Who Actually Do Something: In addition to laying various intrigues and magical preparations against invasion by Neverwinter's northern rival Luskan,.

The King of Shadows
An ancient being of pure magic and top contender for the title of Worst Threat the Sword Coast Has Ever Known.

His history can be found here.

Associated Tropes:
 * Beard of Evil / Fangs Are Evil: Depending on what you think the white vertical lines on the bottom half of his face are.
 * Big Bad
 * Black Magic:
 * Dark Is Evil
 * Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": The King's original name is lost to the ages.
 * Humanoid Abomination: Resembles a large man made of pure blackness.
 * Lawful Evil: In-universe.
 * Pure Magic Being
 * Pure Magic Being

Black Garius


The Dragon to the King of Shadows, he is a Luskan mage and the Master of the Fifth Tower.

Voiced by Chris Murney.


 * The Dragon
 * The Starscream: His plan was to harvest the King of Shadows' power for his own gain.
 * The Starscream: His plan was to harvest the King of Shadows' power for his own gain.
 * The Starscream: His plan was to harvest the King of Shadows' power for his own gain.

Safiya
""If you enjoy tense situations, my affiliation with the feared magocracy of Thay should prove endlessly amusing.""

- Safiya

A Red Wizard that appears to help the Knight Captain when he/she awakens in Rasheman, and the first party member gained. She claims to have been sent by her mother, the leader of a prominent Thayan academy, to help the Captain for unspecified reasons, but there may be ulterior motives to her task that not even she is aware of.

Voiced by Julianne Grossman.

Associated Tropes
 * Badass Bookworm
 * Bald Women: According to the sourcebooks, Mulan humans tend to be like that.
 * The Chick
 * Non-Human Sidekick: Her gargoyle familiar, Kaji.
 * Prestige Class: Notable as the first NWN2 party member to have one.
 * Power Tattoo: All Red Wizards have them.
 * Stereotype Flip: Unlike the majority of Red Wizards, Safiya is far more interested in learning and teaching than in accruing personal power.
 * True Neutral:

Gannayev-of-Dreams
Better known as Gann, this young hagspawn is a Rashemi Spirit Shaman that the Captain encounters while searching for allies against Okku. Abandoned by his parents at birth, the wild spirits of Rasheman raised him as their own. Interestingly and unusually, Gann is quite Bishonen, a trait he takes great pride in. As a Spirit Shaman, he is capable of walking in the realm of dreams, which can come in handy at various points in the game.

Voiced by Crispin Freeman.

Associated Tropes:
 * Bishonen
 * The Casanova
 * Chaotic Neutral: In-universe.
 * Dream Weaver
 * Ensemble Darkhorse
 * Estrogen Brigade Bait: A fact he is well aware of. In fact, when you first meet him, he says he's in the Mulsantir prison when first met for the crime of "being too handsome to look upon". He's actually there more or less voluntarily -- hiding from his numerous admirers.
 * Flat Earth Atheist: He acknowledges the presence of gods in the Realms, but refuses to devote himself to any of them. This causes some minor crises of faith in the later parts of the game, and one of the endings as well.
 * Half-Human Hybrid: Hagspawn are offspring of hags and human males.
 * Handsome Lech
 * Hey, It's That Voice!: Hey, Crispin Freeman.
 * Ladykiller in Love: Should the Knight-Captain pursue a relationship with him, he falls well and truly in love, going so far as to . Some of his endings also have him settling down with a girl you help during the main story.
 * The Lancer: Both in story and gameplay terms, as his preferred weapon is a spear.
 * My Species Doth Protest Too Much: 99% of hagspawn are ugly brutes. The reason he isn't is because.
 * Parental Abandonment
 * Power Perversion Potential: He's called "Gann of Dreams" for a reason. Given his Handsome Lech tendencies and there you go.
 * Raised by Wolves: Wolf spirits at that!

Kaelyn the Dove
A half-celestial cleric of Ilmater that the Captain recruits for the struggle against Okku. The party meets her in the Shadow Realm version of Mulsantir, attempting to discover secret information on Kelemvor and Akachi the Betrayer. In exchange for helping her obtain this information, she agrees to aide the Captain.

Voiced by Cat O'Connor.

Associated Tropes:
 * Combat Medic
 * Determinator
 * Dissonant Serenity: She never raises her voice, which can be a bit creepy depending on what she's talking about.
 * Fallen Angel:
 * Gameplay and Story Segregation: Kaelyn says she's a doomguide but has no levels in that class, nor does she have any of the prerequisites. Forgivable since doomguide wasn't added as a prestige class until Storm of Zehir.
 * Half-Human Hybrid: Human/angel.
 * Neutral Good: In-universe.
 * Pardon My Klingon: Averted. As a matter of fact, she doesn't know any profanity at all.
 * Single-Issue Wonk: Normally mild-mannered, but just mention the Wall of the Faithless, and she goes into...
 * Tranquil Fury
 * Winged Humanoid: Subverted in that her wings are nonfunctional (i.e. she can't fly).

Okku
""I am a god of bears... what is there not to understand? ... I jest, little one. You smell of distant lands... no doubt the spirits of Rashemen are a puzzle to you. In life, I was a bear of flesh and bone. In death, my bond with the land has called me back.""

- Okku, asked to describe himself

A powerful bear spirit that is the sole guardian of the Spirit Barrow. He first appears attempting to stop the Knight Captain and Safiya from escaping the Barrow. Although driven off, Okku soon afterwards amasses a spirit army outside Mulsantir, demanding that the Captain face him in combat. Despite the Captain's attempts at peace, Okku strangely insists that the Captain must die.

Voiced by Darryl Kurylo.

Associated Tropes:
 * Everything's Worse with Bears
 * Hero Antagonist:
 * Lawful Neutral: In-universe.
 * Proud Warrior Spirit Bear

One of Many
""Here is a soul so old, so broken and fragmented... it is not even worth devouring. One would gain more sustenance chomping at the air.""

- One of Many

A mysterious spirit entity actually made of many souls in a Hive Mind.

Associated Tropes:
 * The Brute: One of the souls is an orc known only as 'The Brute'.
 * The Cameo: Reappears in Storm of Zehir in a random encounter. Which makes one wonder what the canonical Spirit-Eater did in Rashemen.
 * Creepy Child: The soul leading the Hive Mind is a small boy.
 * Fighter, Mage, Thief: Its function changes depending on which soul is currently in control of the Many. It can be either a rogue, barbarian, or warlock.
 * Hive Mind
 * I Am Legion
 * Neutral Evil: In-universe.
 * Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
 * Speaking Simlish: Uses a strange Voice of the Dead that every living creature can understand.
 * Token Evil Teammate: Subverted in that recruiting it requires the Knight-Captain to consciously commit a severely evil act. Unless the KC then goes for a Heel Face Turn, of course...
 * What the Hell, Hero?: Kaelyn calls the player out for creating an abomination.
 * Your Soul Is Mine: Like the Captain, it can absorb souls, but instead of devouring them, it adds them to its Hive Mind.

Araman
A mysterious Red Wizard who usurped Safiya's mother as leader of the Acadamy of Shapers and Binders for unknown reasons. He seems to have a vendetta against the Knight-Captain.

Voiced by Fred Tatasciore.

Associated Tropes:
 * Bald of Evil
 * Big Bad:
 * Lawful Neutral: In-universe.
 * Power Tattoo: Again, Red Wizard.
 * Power Tattoo: Again, Red Wizard.
 * Power Tattoo: Again, Red Wizard.

The Slumbering Coven
A coven of Rashemi hags who gather dreams and ancient knowledge. While undeniably evil and depraved, most of the people of the nation grudgingly accept their presence due to their wealth of ancient knowledge. The Knight-Captain's party is directed to visit them as a source of information about the Spirit Eater curse, but the Coven, fearing that the Captain will lose control of the curse and devour them, betray the party and dump them in a prison under the lake.

Associated Tropes:
 * Complete Monster: will make you lose any sympathy you may have had for them.
 * Kick the Son of a Bitch:
 * Knowledge Broker
 * Necessarily Evil: How they view themselves.
 * Neutral Evil: In-universe.

The Faceless Man
The embodiment of the Spirit-Eater curse, dealing with the Faceless Man is the only way for the Spirit-Eater curse to be ended. Its origin is a mystery that drives much of the backstory, and discovering it provides the key to freeing the Knight-Captain.

Associated Tropes:
 * Big Bad
 * Chaotic Evil
 * Eldritch Abomination
 * Tragic Monster

Myrkul, the Lord of Bones


The former god of the dead, and creator of the Wall of the Faithless and Spirit-Eater curse.

Myrkul was a member of the Dead Three along with Bane and Bhaal, a trio of evil epic-level adventurers who, centuries ago, challenged the original god of the dead, Jergal, for rulership. Ironically Jergal had grown tired of his job and divvied up his portfolio voluntarily. Myrkul came away with death, Bane with tyranny, and Bhaal with murder, while Jergal chose to simply be the archivist of the dead.

Fast forward several hundred years (we'll skip Akachi's rebellion since it's described above), and the Dead Three get back together in 1358 DR (the Year of Shadows) to steal the Tablets of Fate from the Overgod Ao. An infuriated overgod casts the entire pantheon down to Toril, only allowing them back if the Tablets are recovered. During this period, Myrkul is killed by Mystra, and Bhaal is slain by Cyric. (Bane is killed by Torm, but gets better about ten years later.) As happens with all dead gods, Myrkul's corpse was set adrift in the Astral Plane, which holds the multiverse together.

Voiced by S Scott Bullock.

Associated Tropes:
 * : A fact he lampshades with surprising glee.
 * Deity of Human Origin
 * God Is Dead:
 * Jerkass God: Not as Jerkass as Cyric was during his brief tenure as god of the dead, but that's not saying much.
 * I Have Many Names: As befitting a god. The FRWiki has the full list.
 * Neutral Evil: In-universe.
 * Neutral Evil: In-universe.

Kelemvor, the Lord of the Dead


The Forgotten Realms' incumbent god of the dead, ruler of the Fugue Plane and unwilling administrator of the Wall of the Faithless.

His backstory is available in numerous sourcebooks, a novel series, and on the Forgotten Realms wiki.

Voiced by Rodger Bumpass.

Associated Tropes:
 * BFS: His favored weapon is a bastard sword called Fatal Touch.
 * Cool Mask
 * Deity of Human Origin: Kelemvor started out as the mercenary Kelemvor Lyonsbane, and replaced Cyric as god of the dead only six years before Mask of the Betrayer.
 * Don't Fear the Reaper: In stark contrast to his predecessors Myrkul and Cyric, Kelemvor and his worshipers work to ensure that the dead rest peacefully, and that the living understand that death is not to be feared.
 * This is at odds with the architecture of many of his temples, since most (including the one in Mulsantir) are repurposed temples to Myrkul.
 * I Have Many Names: Again, from being a god. His other titles include "Lord of the Crystal Spire" and the somewhat inaccurate "Judge of the Damned".
 * Lawful Neutral: In-universe.

The Main Party
An individual, or group of up to four adventurers, who sail on the ship The Vigilant from the Sword Coast to Samarach. Shipwrecked after a storm, the party must work quickly to arm themselves with whatever is at hand to defend against a mob of batiri enraged at a linguistic mistake made by the famous Volothamp Geddarm. After defending themselves, the survivors are captured by Samarachan soldiers, but fortunately are freed by Sa'Sani, the owner of the merchant who commissioned the vessel. She suspects the Vigilant was sabotaged, and hires the player to investigate.

Thus begins a lighthearted tale of adventure, discovery and merchant finance, set in both the familiar Sword Coast and the exotic Chultan penninsula.

Associated Tropes:
 * An Adventurer Is You: The entire point of the game. Or, half of it.
 * An Entrepreneur Is You: The other half.
 * Hero of Another Story: It is generally accepted that the PC's adventures here take place before or during the Knight-Captain's adventure in Mask of the Betrayer.

Volothamp Geddarm
Volothamp Geddarm, or Volo for short, is the most famous traveler in all the Realms, as well as a powerful wizard and the author of a number of travel guides to all the Realms. While some of his exploits are certainly exaggerated, if not outright fabrications, Volo is nevertheless VERY well traveled, and boasts a wide array of knowledge about, well, everything, even as he constantly thirsts for additional experiences and knowledge.

A fellow passenger aboard the Vigilant, after the ship was wrecked Volo attempted to negotiate with the batiri who came to investigate the wreckage. When negotiations inevitably failed, Volo bought the main party as much time to prepare for their attack as he could. After the battle, he is taken into custody with the survivors until freed by Sa'Sani. He stays in the merchant company's headquarters, presumably to stay near Sa'Sani, and hands out a few small sidequests in the first part of the game. Volo also asks that the player report to him about the locations the party visits to use as material for his next book.

Associated Tropes:
 * Chaotic Good: In-universe. Not mentioned in game, but according to the Forgotten Realms sourcebooks this is his alignment.
 * Gentleman Adventurer: Doesn't quite come across here, but Volo's character does take inspiration from Around the World In 80 Days.
 * Incredibly Lame Pun: "Fowl language", indeed...
 * The Munchausen: Exactly how many of Volo's claims as to his adventures is not known, but even with that taken into account he's had a fabulous career.

Sa'Sani
The owner of a fairly new merchant company, Sa'Sani is the one who hired the Vigilant, the ship that the player party sailed south on. When the ship is wrecked off the coast of Samarach, Sa'Sani decides to use the player party, indebted to her for saving them as they are, to investigate the odd circumstances and coincidences building up around her. Later,.

Associated Tropes:
 * The Atoner:
 * Good Feels Good:
 * Presumably her original alignment.
 * Reasonable Authority Figure: Sa'Sani makes a point of explaining her actions to the main party, and trusts them with a huge amount of discretionary powers in her company after seeing how capable they are.
 * Reasonable Authority Figure: Sa'Sani makes a point of explaining her actions to the main party, and trusts them with a huge amount of discretionary powers in her company after seeing how capable they are.
 * Reasonable Authority Figure: Sa'Sani makes a point of explaining her actions to the main party, and trusts them with a huge amount of discretionary powers in her company after seeing how capable they are.

Umoja
A Chultan druid with a deinonychus for his animal companion. Found in the Samargol market.

Associated Tropes:
 * Bilingual Bonus: "Umoja" means "unity" in Swahili.
 * Everything's Better with Dinosaurs
 * In Harmony with Nature: Being a druid, that's not surprising.
 * Large Ham
 * Mission From God: He was dispatched to reasonably civilized Samarach from his usual haunts in the Chultan jungle because his god Ubtao sensed a threat to Chult brewing.
 * Nature Hero
 * Neutral Good: In-universe.
 * Stereotype Flip: Large Ham instead of whining about balance.

Inshula sar Mashewe
A Tashalan ranger staying at in Samargol while her sister recuperates from wounds sustained in a hunting accident. You can hire her, or you can let her read tarot cards (possibly stacking the deck) which will convince her to join you for free.

Associated Tropes:
 * Bald Women
 * Bare Your Midriff / Stripperiffic: Lampshaded and Justified. Chult is a hot, humid tropical region, which makes her starting attire quite practical.
 * Blue Blood: She and her sister are scions of a rich Tashalan merchant clan that specializes in making and exporting fine wines.
 * Dual-Wielding: Oddly though, the devs used the two-weapon ranger build, but gave her a crossbow for her starting weapon.
 * True Neutral: In-universe.

Lastri Kassireh
A lightfoot halfling Swashbuckler, and captain of the ill-fated Vigilant. You can recruit her after rescuing her and her second mate from the batiri.

Associated Tropes:
 * Hobbits
 * The Napoleon: Especially evident in the prologue, during which you can hear her barking out orders to crewmen twice her height.
 * Swashbuckler: Her actual character class.
 * True Neutral: In-universe.

Chir Darkflame
A svirfneblin wizard being held captive by mind flayers in the Underdark Market in Samarach. You can recruit her by killing the illithids, then freeing the captives.

Associated Tropes:
 * Chaotic Evil: In-universe.
 * Luke Nounverber
 * Squishy Wizard: Not really a well-built character. Most notably she took the Toughness feat (+1 HP per level) at first level rather than Spellcasting Prodigy.

Finch
A half-elf bard found in taverns throughout the Sword Coast. You can recruit him after clearing him of trumped-up theft charges in Neverwinter.

Associated Tropes:
 * Chaotic Good: In-universe.
 * Clear Their Name: He's wanted for theft in Neverwinter.
 * Call Back: The OC referred briefly to a bard named Finch who kept losing his hat. This is him.
 * Half-Human Hybrid: A half-elf.
 * Spoony Bard: Thankfully he's nowhere near as annoying as Grobnar was.

Soraevora Aeravand
""Follow me, as an arrow from Sehanine's bow!""

A sun elf favored soul of Angarradh. You meet her in the throne room on your first visit to Crossroad Keep.

Associated Tropes:
 * Blade on a Stick: A divine spellcaster who favors spears? Perfect recipe for the Stormlord Prestige Class if you build her right.
 * Chaotic Good: In-universe.
 * Large Ham
 * Mission From God: Traveled overseas from Evermeet on orders from her goddess.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old: Par for the course with elves, but subverted in that she's old enough to show it on her face (looks to be maybe in her forties or fifties if she was human).

Grykk Bannersworn
A half-orc paladin of Torm, currently staying at the Wailing Wench Tavern in Neverwinter. He'll join you if he likes you (which requires good party members and/or party members that worship Torm), or if you pay him 1000 gp to "prove your sincerity".

Associated Tropes:
 * Half-Human Hybrid: A half-orc.
 * Lawful Good: In-universe. He's a paladin.
 * Large Ham
 * Luke Nounverber
 * The Paladin
 * Stereotype Flip: He's a half-orc paladin. On top of that, he's very well-mannered when he speaks and his voice doesn't sound like a typical half-orc.

Belueth the Calm
An aasimar rogue, and a member of the Shadow Thieves of Amn, staying at the temple of Waukeen in Neverwinter. She'll join you upon receipt of 3000-5000 gp.

Associated Tropes:
 * Cool Mask: Wears a jet-black domino as a symbol of her devotion to the thief-god Mask.
 * Half-Human Hybrid: Aasimar are humans with a good-aligned outsider (typically an angel) as an ancestor.
 * Neutral Evil: In-universe.
 * Stereotype Flip: She's an aasimar. Beings such as her are usually known for being good because of their angelic heritage, while she's Neutral Evil in-universe.

Septimund
A human doomguide of Kelemvor, the god of the dead whom you may remember was the narrator of Mask of the Betrayer. Septimund is found in Port Llast, where he is investigating nightly incursions by undead from the nearby graveyard.

Associated Tropes:
 * BFS: Favors a bastard sword, also known as a hand-and-a-half sword.
 * Call Back: Nya, a throwaway NPC in Port Llast in the OC, was an old flame,.
 * Lawful Neutral: In-universe.
 * Married to the Job

Quarrel
A half-drow warlock found in West Harbor. You can recruit him after a sidequest.

Associated Tropes:
 * The Apprentice: Wants to follow in Ammon Jerro's footsteps.
 * Chaotic Evil: In-universe.
 * Half-Human Hybrid: Half-drow.

Ribsmasher
A human monk whom you can find imprisoned in a secret shrine to Shar. Batshit insane and utterly hilarious.

Associated Tropes: "Ribsmasher: WRONG TURN! HA!"
 * Ascended Extra: Appeared in "who the hell was that?"-type encounters in a couple of dungeons in the original campaign.
 * Axe Crazy
 * Bare-Fisted Monk
 * Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Name? Ribsmasher. Occupation? Smashing ribs.
 * Large Ham / Laughing Mad: Seriously, every line he has involves yelling at the top of his lungs (often about smashing ribs) and/or laughing. For example, when you ask him how he got locked up in the shrine, he responds:


 * Lawful Neutral: In-universe. Lawful because monks have to be, neutral because he's too insane to be anything else.
 * Luke Nounverber: Or just Nounverber, if you want to be pedantic.
 * Warrior Monk

Rinara
A half-elf rogue. You'll meet her at the start of the campaign.

Associated Tropes:
 * Dual-Wielding: Favors a pair of shortswords.
 * Half-Human Hybrid: Half-elf.
 * Neutral Evil: In-universe.
 * Only in It For the Money
 * Token Evil Teammate
 * Token Evil Teammate

Mantides
A human fighter. You'll meet Mantides in the Black Eye Tavern in the Harbor Loop. Regardless of what you say to him, he'll offer to join your party.

Associated Tropes:
 * The Alcoholic
 * BFS: His weapon of choice.
 * Fallen Hero: His backstory.
 * Neutral Good: In-universe.
 * The Paladin: He used to be one, but violated the code of conduct and lost his powers.

Charissa Maernos
A human cleric of Tyr. You meet her the first time you enter the the Morningstar Haven in the Arena District.

Associated Tropes:
 * Black and White Morality: Her philosophy (and given this is how D&D universes work by default...).
 * White and Grey Morality: After some Character Development.
 * Blue Blood: Scion of a disgraced line of Waterdhavian nobility.
 * Clear Their Name: Has been trying to clear her family's name for several years.
 * Drop the Hammer: Like Casavir from the OC, she favors warhammers.
 * Jerkass
 * Lawful Good: In-universe.

Sir Peregrim
Associated Tropes:


 * Dem Bones
 * Dirty Coward

Elandra
Associated Tropes:


 * Roaring Rampage of Revenge: That's her religion.
 * Roaring Rampage of Revenge: That's her religion.

Tasheni
Associated Tropes:



Associated Tropes:


 * Evil Sorceress
 * Fiery Redhead
 * The Man Behind the Man
 * The Starscream
 * The Man Behind the Man
 * The Starscream

Associated Tropes:


 * Big Bad
 * Evil Gloating: It bites him off in the Good path and you call him out.
 * Our Vampires Are Different
 * Red Eyes, Take Warning