Gorion

Gorion was a monk, a skilled spellcaster, a learned sage and a respected Harper. He lived in the library-fortress of Candlekeep during the times when he wasn't adventuring.

His perhaps most notable impact on history was his raising two Bhaalspawn children, one of whom especially played a crucial part in the fulfilling of Alaundo's prophecy of the Bhaalspawn (detailed in the Baldur's Gate series) as an adult, being the main protagonist of the stories. According to the novelizations of the videogames, this Bhaalspawn was Abdel Adrian. The other, who was also involved but played a lesser role, was Imoen.

Gorion's friends among the Harpers included Elminster Aumar, Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, Khalid and Jaheira, whom he instructed the protagonist to seek out the last two in case they should become separated from him.

Appearance
Gorion had a thin build and a rigid posture. He was around six feet (1.83m) tall. Physically, he appears as a gray-bearded man having long gray hair up in a ponytail and with a friendly old face.

Equipment
Gorion wielded an oak staff, a dagger and a dark gray robe.

Background
Gorion raised Abdel Adrian as his son, at Candlekeep, initially trying to educate him as a monk of Torm. Abdel did not take well to this lifestyle, and became a mercenary, leaving Candlekeep. Gorion sent out for him so that they could flee the threat of Sarevok together.

In 1368 DR, Gorion and Abdel were ambushed by several mercenaries, including Eagus and Kamon. One of the mercenaries fired a steel crossbow bolt that struck Gorion in the eye, inflicting a mortal wound. The entire group of mercenaries was killed by Abdel. Gorion's final act was to cast a spell to heal his son. Abdel buried his body, but it was subsequently dug up and eaten by ghouls.

The games
In the games, Gorion was reportedly a powerful mage, though in one cut scene he also used a healing spell on his foster child (the protagonist). As a monk, He raised the protagonist in Candlekeep for most of their life, right until he found out about Sarevok's plans during his stay in Candlekeep. During his adventurer life, he was a friend of Elminster Aumar and Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, which he met him in Candlekeep when the protagonist was a baby.

Sometimes after 19th of Kythorn, 1368 DR, Candlekeep was not a safe place to stay anymore – two highly incompetent would-be assassins had in fact already got inside with the intention of killing the protagonist. With Sarevok's plans and the warning of his old friend Elminster in a letter, he gave with his foster child some gold and told them to prepare for the way. That night they set off without explanation, but while travelling along the Lion's Way they were ambushed by Sarevok, his lover Tamoko and a pair of ogres. Sarevok demanded Gorion hand over the protagonist to him but Gorion bade him to run and battled with the foursome, using his spells to kill the ogres and incapacitate Tamoko. Sarevok attacked him last and, largely unaffected by his magic, soon cut him down. He was later buried by the monks of Candlekeep.

Before settling down to raise the protagonist (and later Imoen), Gorion had been an active adventurer and Harper. Among other things, he had faced the red dragon Firkraag and emerged at least somewhat victorious, enough so that he survived and Firkraag was left scarred. When he acquired the guardianship of the games' protagonist, he told almost no-one of their heritage; not even to themselves, or to close friends such as Khalid and Jaheira, the two of whom would be staying at the Friendly Arm Inn at the time he was killed and whom he shortly before instructed the protagonist should seek out if they should become separated from him.

Ulraunt seemed to know, and he never approved of Gorion bringing such a ward to Candlekeep. Only Elminster Aumar really knew in detail, where Gorion keep him informed about his progress, both predicting and speaking about the future Bhaalspawn Crisis over time. In the original Baldur's Gate, Gorion tells the protagonist in a letter (after his death) that they were the child of a woman who was Gorion's friend and one-time lover and who died in childbirth. However, in Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal, the shade of Gorion finally reveals that the protagonist's mother was a priestess of Bhaal who had planned to sacrifice her child with other priestesses and their children in a Bhaal's temple, a fate from which Gorion saved them with a group of Harpers, where he killed his mother and he had to choose the protagonist or Sarevok before fleeing to Candlekeep.

In Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal, the Master Wraith in the Forest of Mir Temple disguises itself as Gorion and and tries to annoy the protagonist. After the Master Wraith failed, it will reveal itself to be a wraith and will attack the party. In the same game, after Yaga-Shura dead, a shade of Gorion is summoned to the Pocket Plane to tell the story of the protagonist before he arrives in Candlekeep.

Appearances

 * Baldur's Gate (novel)
 * Baldur's Gate (game)
 * Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal (game)