Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn is the second computer role-playing game in the Baldur’s Gate series and takes place just a few months after the events of Baldur’s Gate. It is based on the outdated Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition system.

Plot
You are one of the mortal children of the dead deity Bhaal. Together with your adventuring party, currently consisting of Imoen, Khalid, Jaheira, Minsc and Dynaheir, you have recently defeated your half-brother Sarevok, and are celebrated as a hero in the city of Baldur’s Gate. Your common heritage with him is only suspected by some. During your travels, near Baldur’s Gate, you are set upon by a group of men who overpower the party by means of some sort of magic. As the game begins, you wake up in a dungeon where a mysterious mage is magically and painfully experimenting on you. When he is interrupted by unknown attackers and has to leave, Imoen appears and sets you free.

You find Minsc and Jaheira nearby and are later approached by Yoshimo, another potential party member. You also discover, however, that Khalid and Dynaheir have both been killed by the wizard, who turns out to be called Irenicus. You escape the dungeon amidst the sounds of battle. An explosion destroys the passage behind you and you see Irenicus battling some men. A group of Cowled Wizards teleport in and arrest both Irenicus and Imoen for using magic without a licence. You discover that you are in Athkatla in Amn, and you set off to find either Irenicus, Imoen, or both.

You are approached by two groups who offer you passage to Imoen for a hefty price and services rendered. You have to choose to ally yourself with the infamous Shadow Thieves guild or with the vampire Bodhi and her guild. The two groups are vying for power and your influence will tip the balance in the favour of your choice. You are approached by the Shadow Thieves immediately, but by Bodhi’s agent only after you have gathered enough money. In either case, the help will be expensive, and you will need to complete some side quests before proceeding to gather the money needed, with the option of doing more than the few. Some of the possible side quests include exploring the Planar Sphere with Valygar Corthala (or just hunting him down for the Cowled Wizards); looking for an ancient tome with Korgan Bloodaxe; helping Nalia de'Arnise to defend her family castle; solving some grizzly murders in the Bridge District; investigating a cult of literally blind fanatics who claim all other gods are false; helping Raelis Shai’s interplanar group of thespians; exposing and destroying a local slaver ring; solving the mystery of the deaths in the Umar Hills; infiltrating a branch of the Shadow Thieves to expose their leader’s disloyalty to his own superiors; travelling to the Windspear Hills to help Lord Jierdan Firkraag; and helping the troubled town of Trademeet.

After helping your chosen side win the guild war, you are taken to Brynnlaw, one of the smaller Nelanther Isles, where there is an asylum operated by these Cowled Wizards called Spellhold. Unknown to you, Irenicus has taken over. He captures you again, steals your divine soul, and charges Bodhi with disposing of you. You discover that Imoen is your half-sister and also a Bhaalspawn. Irenicus has also stolen Imoen’s soul and infused it into Bodhi, who turns out to be Irenicus’s own sister, though whether literally or not is not made clear.

Bodhi chooses to hunt you in a dungeon beneath Spellhold until the now uncontrolled taint of Bhaal within you takes over and you turn into an avatar of Bhaal, scaring her off. You gather the insane wizards in the asylum to your side and manage to force Irenicus to retreat. Following him through a portal in the asylum or by sea, you end up in the Underdark regardless. You aid a svirfneblin town and are shown to the silver dragon Adalon, who wants to send you into the drow city of Ust Natha to retrieve her stolen eggs, which are to be used to summon a powerful demon. You either agree to help, or kill her, and then escape the Underdark, finding yourself in an elven war camp. After persuading them to let you go they ask you to steal an item called the Rhynn Lanthorn, which was stolen by Bodhi. Possibly gathering allies for an assault (including the Companions of the Hall) you attack and take back The Lanthorn, killing Bodhi and getting Imoen’s soul back. Using The Lanthorn, you gain entrance to the elven city of Suldanessellar, which is under siege from an army of drow, rakshasa, golems and a dragon, led by Irenicus. He was drained of his elven heritage as punishment for his crimes long ago, and now, restored by your essence, intends to finish what he tried last time: to drain the power of the Tree of Life and become a god. You kill him, but are taken into the afterlife with him due to the fact that he has your spirit. After going through a series of tests, you face him again, and this time defeat him properly, gaining your essence back.

You are celebrated by the elves, but dark clouds are gathering, and the adventure is not over yet.

Character race
The player character can be a dwarf, elf, gnome, half-elf, halfling or human as before, with half-orc added as a new option.

Character classes
Besides of the standard 2nd edition classes seen in Baldur’s Gate I (fighter, ranger, paladin, thief, bard, mage and specialist wizards, cleric and druid) and their combinations, Shadows of Amn offers the option for the player character to be a barbarian, sorcerer or monk. All the old classes, except wizards that already have the school specialization possibility, also have the option to select a kit that will change their class abilities. Clerics have to gain these during the game, others choose them at the beginning. Many NPCs also use a kit, mentioned in brackets below.

Kits

 * Bard
 * Blade (Haer'Dalis)
 * Jester
 * Skald
 * Cleric
 * Specialty priest of Talos (evil), Helm (neutral) or Lathander (good)
 * Druid
 * Totemic druid
 * Shapeshifter (Cernd)
 * Avenger
 * Fighter
 * Berserker (Korgan)
 * Wizard Slayer
 * Kensai
 * Paladin
 * Cavalier
 * Inquisitor (Keldorn)
 * Undead hunter
 * Ranger
 * Archer
 * Stalker (Valygar)
 * Beast master
 * Thief
 * Assassin
 * Bounty hunter (Yoshimo)
 * Swashbuckler (Saemon Havarian)

Strongholds
Player characters of each class in the game can gain a "stronghold" in the game after completing a specific quest. This usually takes the form of some kind of building that the character takes control of or gets to use. Further quests related to the stronghold appear after it has been gained. A multi- or dual-class character can only gain one stronghold.

Below is a list of the different strongholds by class.


 * Bards - A theater underneath the Five Flagons Inn.
 * Clerics - Membership in the Temples of Talos, Lathander, or Helm depending on alignment.
 * Druids - The druid grove near Trademeet.
 * Fighters, barbarians, monks - The de'Arnise castle.
 * Mages, specialist wizards, sorcerers - The Planar Sphere.
 * Paladins - A room and membership in the Order of the Radiant Heart.
 * Rangers - Become the Ranger Protector of the Umar Hills.
 * Thieves - The thieves’ guild in the docks in Athkatla (under the Shadow Thieves).

Modifications
Baldur’s Gate II and its expansion pack, Throne of Bhaal, enjoy a thriving modding community which have completed numerous modifiactions that alter the rules of the game, add new quests, expand on previously existing content, restore cut content, add new NPCs, etc.