Summary
An early bit of dialogue inBaldur’s Gate 3may hint at one of the game’s biggest twists from later in its second act, but most players won’t have heard it.Baldur’s Gate 3offers so many different people to talk to and ways to talk to them that it can be overwhelming. Add to thatDungeons & Dragonsspellslikespeak with animals, and suddenly, even random squirrels become potential conversation partners. However,tiny bits of rare dialogue discovered by players show that taking the time to explore every option can give players some major plot clues.
One particular bit ofrare dialogue fromBaldur’s Gate 3’s first open area has some players scratching their heads. It is left somewhat vague, and there are a few answers that would seemingly fit what these lines could mean. However, with a little bit of supposed data mining, players believethey have figured out thisBaldur’s Gate 3mystery, and it could spoil a major plot twist for later in the game.
“An Iconic, Engaging Mess Of Brilliant Ideas”: Baldur’s Gate 3 Review
Baldur’s Gate 3 is imposing in stature and its best moments are truly memorable, but some early issues with scale suggest an uneven experience.
Mind Flayers Taking On Humanoid Form Plays Into One Of The Game’s Biggest Twists
On the beach where the Nautiloid crashes, players can find the corpse of a fisherman. If they speak with it using thespeak with deadspell, it will tell them about a beautiful woman who led people west against their will. Initially, players argued over whom this person may be, with players naming possibilities like Shadowheart or Minthara. However, according to Reddit userpjennn, the game has been datamined, and the following synopsis for the conversation was found:
“You speak with the dead soul of a fisherman, who hurried to the crash site when he saw your ship fall from the sky. At the site he saw a mind flayer, disguised as a beautiful woman, and was killed by Intellect Devourers (brains).”
It turns out the mysterious beautiful woman was meant to be a mind flayer, which would explain it being followed without question. This mysterious mind flayer likely led people using not just its disguise, but also its powerful control over their minds. Based on what the fisherman says about the “beautiful woman” he saw, it is also possible that players encounter this mind flayer themselves. If they aren’t careful, they may also fall victim to it. There are other mind flayers later on that will try to trick the player in the same way.
A Manipulative Mind Flayer Attempts To Seduce Baldur’s Gate 3 Players
This Takes Place At The Nautiloid Crash Site In Act 1
Baldur’s Gate 3was in Early Access for an extended period before its full release in August 2023. During that time, many major elements of the game were very different than they appeared in the final version. One major change was made to the Nautiloid crash site, where players encounter this dead fisherman.
In Early Access, players would encounter two fishermen who were mind-controlled to believe that an injured mind flayer was a fisherman’s daughter. This moment was a bit notorious among players who used the paladin class, as failing an ability check during the quest would result in them accidentally breaking their paladin oath early on in their run. While the fishermen were removed after Early Access, there is still an injured mind flayer in the Nautiloid wreckage, and it will similarly attempt to manipulate the player.
Players who speak to this trapped mind flayer will find it messing with their emotions.Players may even be overcome with an urge to kiss the mind flayerif they do not succeed in their ability score checks. This mind flayer is found just past some intellect devourers, which are likely the “brains” the dead fisherman credits with killing him. This means that the “beautiful woman” he is referring to is likely this injured mind flayer.
Learning early on that mind flayers can disguise their true form could be a major spoiler for the later parts ofBaldur’s Gate 3. After all,there isanother stranger players will encounter, whose identity is meant to be a mysteryin the game’s early hours. By already suspecting this character is a mind flayer, players may be ahead of a major reveal.
The Fisherman’s Story Helps Players Guess The Guardian Twist
The Dream Guardian Turns Out To Be A Mind Flayer
After speaking to their mysterious guardian for a large chunk of the game, players learn that their guardian is a disguised mind flayer known as the Emperor. It is implied through dialogue with the player’s companions that the Emperor takes the form of someone that each individual would find beautiful. That meansthis bit of early-game dialogue could easily serve as a hint that this beautiful stranger they are talking to isn’t what they seem to be. However, while some believe the fisherman could actually be referring to The Emperor himself, that isn’t the case.
Hilarious BG3 Moment Captures The Emperor’s True Priorities & It’s Not What You Think
Baldur’s Gate 3 is full of surprisingly forward dialogue, but one line from the Emperor will change how you look at them, given all they’ve seen.
It doesn’t really make sense for The Emperor to be leading people to the west like the fisherman describes. At this point in the game,the Emperor has already entered the Astral Planeusing the prism stolen by Shadowheart and is working to ensure that anyone who received a tadpole aboard the Nautiloid does not turn into a mind flayer. It makes much more sense for the “beautiful woman” to actually be the injured mind flayer who tries to trick the player into freeing it.
Even though the dead fisherman doesn’t explicitly call out the Emperor for being a mind flayer,his story serves as a major hint for players to figure out the true identity of their guardian. The story of the fisherman warns players not to trust the guidance of beautiful strangers. Like the mind flayer in the Nautiloid crash before him, the Emperor is using the same shape-shifting tactics to ingratiate himself to the player. Similarly, the Emperor’s motives may not be as good as they seem.
The Fate Of The Fisherman Serves As A Warning Against Trusting The Emperor
Act 3 Reveals The Emperor’s True Colors
While the Emperor initially seems to be trying to help the player defeat the Netherbrain, it is later revealed that the mind flayer’s only true goal is to guarantee his own survival. If playerschoose to free Orpheus,the Emperor will immediately turn on themand join the Netherbrain. Though he would prefer to live free of the brain’s control, it becomes quickly apparent that this isn’t out of some sense of morality but instead, a desire to retain his freedom at the expense of Orpheus’.
The Emperor is no hero; like the mind flayer on the beach, he is simply trying to manipulate the player into carrying out his plan. The fact that all of this is telegraphed by the tiny side story of a dead fisherman at the start of the game is a testament to the level of detail inBaldur’s Gate 3’s narrative.
Source:pjennn/Reddit
Baldur’s Gate 3
Developed and published by Larian Studios, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game set to release in August of 2023. Players will create a character to embark on a large-scale journey and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend. Combat is a turn-based style this time around.
