Baldur's Gate/Characters/Friends: Difference between revisions

{{quote| ''You're a fool if you believe I would trust your 'benevolence'. Stand aside, and you and your lackeys will remain unharmed.''<br />

'''Voiced by:''' Jim Cummings }}

Gorion was your adoptive father. Though he dies quickly into BG1''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.

* [[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.

{{quote| ''Yes... it was a terrible punishment. But you violated everything we hold dear.''<br />

'''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 BG2''Baldur's Gate II'', simply expanding on Irenicus' motivations.

* [[Early-Bird Cameo]] -: Remember that sculptor near Nashkel Mines in BG1''Baldur's Gate I''? Yeah, it was her statue he was making...

* [[Lawful Good]]: [[In-Universe]].

* [[Our Elves Are Better]] -: Subverted, somewhat. She admits she screwed the pooch by letting Irenicus and Bodhi go, and that the elves are to blame for the death and destruction the two of them end up inflicting on the outside world.

* [[Replacement Goldfish]] -: In the first dungeon, Irenicus tries cloning her. The clone rebels against the Ellesime identity, going absolutely insane and requiring death.

{{quote| ''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.''<br />

'''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.

* [[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).

* [[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''.

{{quote| ''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.''<br />

'''Voiced by:''' David Prince }}

* [[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.

{{quote| ''"You have fought against brother and sister in recent days... fought and prevailed as they arrayed their forces against you."''<br />

'''Voiced by:''' Charity James }}

It's kind of unclear who sent the solar to you. In ToB''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.

{{quote| ''Ho there wanderer, stay thy course and indulge an old man.''<br />

'''Voiced by:''' Frank Welker }}

Elminster is ''the'' mage of the ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'', predating ''Baldur'sGates Gate''. He shows up a few times to give advice, but he never directly intervenes. He doesn't show up in BG2''Baldur's Gate II'', but he does in ToB''Throne of Bhaal'', mostly to... give out advice and not help directly. Which is his trademark modus operandi, actually.

* [[The Cameo]] -: Effectively. Sure, he shows up occasionally, but it's really mostly to say HEY IT'S ELMINSTER!

* [[Ye Olde Butcherede Englishe]] -: He drops it for the sequel, though, thankfully.

{{quote| ''Do not poke Drizzt! 'Tis entirely unsociable.''<br />

'''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.

* [[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 BG1,''Baldur's Gate I''; however, veterans can often solo or duo him with little trouble. In BG2''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]].

* [[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.

* [[Our Elves Are Better]] -: A dark elf.

* [[Out of Character]] -: An odd example. While Drizzt mostly comes across as the [[Incorruptible Pure Pureness|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 BG1''Baldur's Gate I'', he'll ask you why you did it in BG2''Baldur's Gate II'', and accept an answer of "You're a drow.". If you say you'll help him in BG1''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 [[Name's the Same|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.

{{quote| ''No! Put down your weapons, this is not neccessary!''<br />

'''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. {{spoiler|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 colours.colors}}.

* [[Dropped a Bridge On Her]]: Balthazar apparently kills her halfway through the game. {{spoiler|He failed, given she is the [[Big Bad]] and all.}}.

{{quote| ''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!''}}

* [[The Blacksmith]] -: It's what he does, and the things he makes are quite useful, even though you can't get most of it until you've already been in some very dangerous places.

* [[Gotta Catch Them All]] -: What you'll have to do before he can create [[Infinity+1 Sword|ueberweapons like The Equalizer, The Wave or the Crom Faeyr]].

* [[Infinity+1 Sword]] -: Well, they were until ''Throne of Bhaal'' was released.

* [[Our Dwarves Are All the Same]] -: A dwarven weaponsmith isn't exactly a new or original concept.

* [[Ultimate Blacksmith]] -: He was until Cespenar came along, anyway.

{{quote| ''Cespenar is good servant. Oh yes!''<br />

'''Voiced by:''' Jeff Bennett }}

* [[The Blacksmith]] -: His main purpose. He is ToB''Throne of Bhaal'''s equal to Cromwell, taking various useless items and fusing them to make some truly awesome stuff. Or takes good stuff and makes it better.

* [[Infinity+1 Sword]] -: His only purpose in the game is providing stuff of this caliber.

{{quote| ''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 [[Deadpan Snarker|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 [[Ensemble Darkhorse|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'' LN[[Lawful Neutral]] god. Although he's a bit more snarky about than par for Helm's followers.

* [[Literal Genie]] -: Inverted;: the PC[[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.

{{quote| '''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''}}

* [[My Species Doth Protest Too Much]] -: He's not the only non-evil beholder-type creature in the ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'', but he is the only one you encounter.

* [[Odd Friendship]] -: By the final time you meet it, you're able to actually have a halfway cordial conversation with him, before he metaphorically shrugs his shoulders and teleports himself home... you just having slaughtered his current employers.