Baldur's Gate/Characters/Friends

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List of the various friendly NPCs encountered in Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II.

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

Gorion

You're a fool if you believe I would trust your 'benevolence'. Stand aside, and you and your lackeys will remain unharmed.
Voiced by: Jim Cummings

Gorion was your adoptive father. Though he dies quickly into Baldur's Gate I and only has a few lines in the game, he was of profound importance to many of the Sword Coast's important denizens, most importantly Elminster.

Associated Tropes:

  • The Call Knows Where You Live: He thought he could retire peacefully to Candlekeep and raise the Player Character. He was wrong.
  • Dead Man Writing: He writes such a letter.
  • Death by Origin Story
  • From a Certain Point of View: In Baldur's Gate I, his note to you says he knew your mother (in the, er, Biblical sense), but in Baldur's Gate II, your mother was a psychotic priestess of Bhaal, and it seems unlikely Gorion would have associated himself with her, so either he lied to you or it's a straight Retcon or she was possibly, ah, pumping him for information (he was a Harper at the time). The fandom is divided on it.
  • The Obi-Wan: Especially if you're a mage.
  • Posthumous Character: Gorion dies in the first twenty minutes of the first game, but that doesn't stop him from showing up repeatedly in flashbacks and dream sequences.
  • Retired Badass: As his backstory would have it.
Queen Ellesime

Yes... it was a terrible punishment. But you violated everything we hold dear.
Voiced by: Kath Soucie

Ellesime is the leader of the elves of Suldanesselar, the city which Irenicus and Bodhi were from. She loved Irenicus, but was forced to exile him for his crimes. She plays a very minor role in Baldur's Gate II, simply expanding on Irenicus' motivations.

Associated Tropes:

Saemon Havarian

We could argue about who's done what to whom all day. Or maybe less, as I imagine my being chopped to bits might make your argument a little more effective than mine.
Voiced by: Jeff Bennett

Saemon Havarian is a treacherous swashbuckler/mage who can and will sell out anyone, including you, to save his own skin. About as untrustworthy as a man can be, he is nevertheless not directly antagonistic and ends up helping you out (by betraying his current employer). For some reason, most people will trust -- or at least tolerate -- him despite knowing his (very well-deserved) reputation; presumably, he has an absurdly high charisma.

Associated Tropes:

  • Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Though it's worth keeping in mind that he eventually proves trustworthy when sufficiently motivated (i.e. after all of his friends and associates have been betrayed and murdered).
  • Deadpan Snarker
  • Dual-Wielding: Possibly a subversion, as his cowardly nature means he never actually fights.
  • Karma Houdini: Technically, you can kill him at one point, but it doesn't "count" as the game continues with the assumption that he lived. In any case, he always ends up getting away with his crimes, which at the least involve robbery and frequently involve people getting killed (in fairness, he never kills anyone himself, or even fights at all, but he's still responsible). Well, 'getting away' is a bit harsh. He never dies (permanently) but associating with you basically ruins him financially thrice over (two boats and one smuggling network), and you can make Aran Lindvail put a price on his head. And the people who get killed usually do so because they end up picking a fight with or associating with you.
  • Lovable Rogue: Though only so lovable once you realise he's basically a spineless wimp.
  • Lovable Traitor: You're even allowed to lampshade it the first time you meet it. Everyone else will too, even if you don't. Even Irenicus implies that he trusts Saemon about as far as he can throw him.
  • Meaningful Name: His first name is very similar to 'seaman', with two letters changed. His last name is the norwegian word for "Shipwreck" (as in the event, not the ensuing derelict) with -an affixed to the end.
  • Obfuscating Stupidity: Not directly 'stupid', but the manual reveals he's a level 12/14 swashbuckler-mage dual class, and is probably far more dangerous than his cowardly nature would imply.
  • Pirate: He'll deny it though.
  • Reliable Traitor: Every single time he shows up, he betrays at least one person, though that person is only sometimes you.
  • True Neutral: Listed in the manual.
Ribald Barterman

The Adventure Mart is the finest shopping in all of Faerun... widest selection, lowest prices, and nary a fancy illustration. Just the goods, fair and plain.
Voiced by: David Prince

A former adventurer who runs the Adventure Mart, a shop for adventurers. He has no effect on the story, but virtually every CHARNAME will visit his shop at least once because the stuff he sells is just incredible. He also knows Jaheira from a while back.

Associated Tropes:

  • Arms Dealer: His shop is one of the only places in Athkatla that sells unique and powerful magical items.
  • Chaotic Neutral: In-Universe.
  • Everything Is Big in Texas: Ribald is a half-elven former adventurer who lives in Amn, which is a Fantasy Counterpart Culture for Spain, so it makes perfect sense for him to have a Texan accent.
  • Half-Human Hybrid: Yet another half-elf.
  • Honest John's Dealership: Subverted: Ribald enjoys his showmanship and posturing and buys stuff for a significantly lower price than other merchants (making him a really bad choice to sell your loot to), but his prices are the same as everyone else's and all his stuff is genuine and appears to be on the up-and-up. He also sells a number of very useful items you can't find anywhere else.
  • Meaningful Name: Really, now...
  • Retired Badass: As you'll discover if he catches you stealing from him.
The Solar

"You have fought against brother and sister in recent days... fought and prevailed as they arrayed their forces against you."
Voiced by: Charity James

It's kind of unclear who sent the solar to you. In Throne of Bhaal, after you get control of the last remnant of Bhaal's old domain, your pocket plane, she shows up every so often to ask you questions and give some exposition. But she can't be native because Bhaal's domain is in the Abyss, and solars are from the upper planes. No explanation is ever given, but still, she's there.

Associated Tropes:

Elminster

Ho there wanderer, stay thy course and indulge an old man.
Voiced by: Frank Welker

Elminster is the mage of the Forgotten Realms, predating Baldur's Gate. He shows up a few times to give advice, but he never directly intervenes. He doesn't show up in Baldur's Gate II, but he does in Throne of Bhaal, mostly to... give out advice and not help directly. Which is his trademark modus operandi, actually.

Associated Tropes:

  • The Cameo: Effectively. Sure, he shows up occasionally, but it's really mostly to say HEY IT'S ELMINSTER!
  • Chaotic Good: In-Universe.
  • Expy: Elminster is most certainly not Gandalf with an orange/red color scheme instead of a gray one. Why would you even suggest that?
  • Robe and Wizard Hat
  • Sdrawkcab Name: If your Player Character completes Jaheira's personal sidequest in Baldur's Gate II successfully, a guy named "Terminsel" shows up at the end of it to give her a powerful magic item. No points for guessing whom he really is (Jaheira does).
  • Ye Olde Butcherede Englishe: He drops it for the sequel though, thankfully.
Drizzt Do'Urden

Do not poke Drizzt! 'Tis entirely unsociable.
Voiced by: Jeff Bennett

Another well-known Forgotten Realms face, Drizzt has even less to do with the plot than Elminster, but as one of the two best known characters of the setting (the other being Elminster himself), he shows up anyway, once in each game.

Associated Tropes:

  • The Cameo: Even more blatant than Elminster.
  • Can't Catch Up: It is very difficult for new players to to beat Drizzt in a straight fight in Baldur's Gate I; however, veterans can often solo or duo him with little trouble. In Baldur's Gate II, he's merely a level fourteen ranger and even with a party of his own presents little threat.
  • Chaotic Good: In-Universe.
  • Dual-Wielding
  • Gondor Calls for Aid: You can enlist his assistance in the fight against Bodhi.
  • Hopeless Boss Fight: Can often seem this way to newer players who haven't mastered spell system or attempt to fight him without proper gear.
  • Infinity+1 Sword: In Baldur's Gate I, he carries by far the game's two best one-handed swords and some incredible chainmail. He carries them in the sequel as well, but by then, they're nothing special.
  • My Species Doth Protest Too Much
  • Our Elves Are Better: A dark elf.
  • Out of Character: An odd example. While Drizzt mostly comes across as the practically saintly hero he is, his voice-acted lines outside the actual dialogue are written so as to make him sound irritable and arrogant.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: If you kill him in Baldur's Gate I, he'll ask you why you did it in Baldur's Gate II, and accept an answer of "You're a drow". If you say you'll help him in Baldur's Gate I against the gnolls he's fighting and don't (although he's easily powerful enough to kill every single gnoll in the game at the same time by himself), he'll be offended and leave. He's also will attack you if your character's name is Drizzt, and he has a low reputation.
  • Zerg Rush: One of the most widely accepted ways of killing Drizzt in the first game is to spam him with summoned monsters or animated skeletons while sniping him with ranged weapons. Sure, he'll chop through those mooks like butter, but if you summon enough, he'll die before he can reach your party. The other way is to drink as many potions as you can (and use the aforementioned Protection of Evil bug) to improve your AC to a Nigh Invincible number, and then confront him.
Melissan The Red

No! Put down your weapons, this is not neccessary!
Voiced by: Heidi Shannon

A mage with a self-proclaimed 'interest' in the Bhaalspawn, Melissan has spent several years wandering Tethyr and the southern lands. She's apparently been shepherding the southern Bhaalspawn and helping them come into their own. She plays a fairly major role as the mentor/main questgiver of Throne of Bhaal, and guides you in defeating the Five-Bad Band that has united to kill all their lesser siblings. She's also the game's Big Bad in disguise, but she's got a listing on the villain page for tropes involving her true colors.

Associated Tropes:

  • Actual Pacifist: Usually espouses peaceful solutions to conflicts and gets rather resigned over the concept of CHARNAME having to solve all your mutual problems with violence.
  • The Chick: Non-Action Girl, who only ever seems to case the Dimension Door spell to take herself away from the player's position.
  • Dropped a Bridge On Her: Balthazar apparently kills her halfway through the game. He failed, given she is the Big Bad and all.
  • Mentor
  • Redheaded Hero
  • Too Dumb to Live: So, you found a bunch of Bhaalspawn, and figured there's safety in numbers. Ok, fair enough. You then decide to bring them all to a walled-in city to protect them... Apparently forgetting that one of The Five is a fire giant with a massive army at his beck and call. Not the cleverest tactical idea right there.
  • Wide-Eyed Idealist: She seemed to genuinely believe the insane and unhinged Gromnir — a half-orc so trigger-happy, for reference, that his own orc tribe threw him out for being too violent — would make an effective leader and that the player would be able to reason with him.
Cromwell

I've made armor from the scales of a basilisk, a helmet from a cockatrice... items to put fear into the hearts of the bloody gods themselves. Hah!

A dwarven smith living in the docks district of Alkathla. He helps you by repairing several broken artifact weapons once you've collected all their parts.

Cespenar

Cespenar is good servant. Oh yes!
Voiced by: Jeff Bennett

Bhaal's... imp butler, who apparently has been doing nothing since the big guy kicked the bucket. He hangs around the CHARNAME's Pocket Plane.

Associated Tropes:

The Spectator

Oh my captain, my captain.

A large, powerful beholder who CHARNAME runs into a few times across Shadows of Amn and Throne of Bhaal. Unlike his less diplomatic siblings, he's chatty, friendly... and more than a little snarky.

  • Benevolent Genie: Well, more Lazy Genie. When you first meet him, he's been bound to guard the local ruler's magical chest. With a minimal amount of coaxing, you can point out to him that he's only been bound to guard the chest... not what's inside the chest, and thus is not obligated to stop you from taking it. With the added incentive that even the Beholder's Council wouldn't force him to guard an empty chest, he's all too happy to let you steal the loot.
  • Deadpan Snarker: The main reason for his popularity with the fans.
  • Ensemble Darkhorse: Even though he plays a fairly minor role in the series, he is quite a popular character.
  • Lawful Neutral: He's a creature of Helm, the Lawful Neutral god. Although he's a bit more snarky about than par for Helm's followers.
  • Literal Genie: Inverted: the Player Character can avoid killing him by pointing out that he can be this.
  • Minion with an F In Evil: He rarely makes any actual effort to act sinister, no matter what his employers have asked.

Spectator: ...Oh, that reminds me. I promised that mad little Sahuagin that I would make an effort to scare off intruders. So... boo! ...And that's about as much effort as I'm willing to put into that

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