Baldur's Gate (game)

Baldur's Gate is a computer role-playing game developed by BioWare and released in 1998 by Interplay Entertainment. It is the first game in the Baldur's Gate series, and is set in the Sword Coast region of Faerûn. The gameplay is adapted from 2nd edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules, featuring a mixture of turn-based and pausable real-time combat. The game was critically acclaimed upon its release, and as of 2008 it had sold over 2 million copies.

The plot of Baldur's Gate revolves around the main character, Gorion's Ward, and deals with the politics of the city of Baldur's Gate, as well as the aftermath of the Time of Troubles. The game was novelized by Philip Athans in 1999, with a number of discrepancies between game and novel.

An expansion pack to Baldur's Gate, titled Tales of the Sword Coast, was published in 1999. It adds between 20 and 30 hours worth of content to the original game, including four new areas. In 2012, a remake was released under the title Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition. In addition to various technical enhancements, it adds several new areas, companions, and quests.

Plot
The great sage Alaundo foretold the death of the god of murder, Bhaal, and also of his many children. The prophet's words rang true as always. Before the Time of Troubles, Bhaal saw his death coming as well and forced himself upon the women of every race in Faerûn, hoping to spawn vessels through which he could resurrect himself. In the year 1368 DR, these children of the dead god are now coming of age, unbeknownst to nearly everyone.



Meanwhile, an iron shortage is crippling the southern Sword Coast region. All of the ore coming out of the local mine near Nashkel rots soon after it has been smelted, turning whatever it is made into, be it weapons or armour, useless. The resulting iron shortage has resulted in items made of iron becoming more valuable than gold. Bandits now plague the roads in an attempt to steal what is left from those who paid far more than usual for it in the first place. The city of Baldur's Gate sends out Flaming Fist mercenaries in a near-futile attempt to police the roads but otherwise closes its gates and harbours to all traffic. Accusations are hurled at the state of Amn despite their pleas of innocence and war seems to be on the horizon while a youngster from the library-fortress of Candlekeep is told to prepare for travel.

You play the youngster and after watching your father, Gorion, die at the hands of a mysterious armoured figure you begin an adventure that will affect the Sword Coast from Baldur's Gate to Tethyr.

After curing the iron shortage and taking care of the bandits you discover that the Iron Throne is the perpetrator of the entire mess in an effort to force people to buy iron from them at hugely inflated prices from an old dwarven mine they found in the Cloakwood forest. Foiling their plans again, you discover the armoured figure that killed your father is taking over the local Iron Throne operations and installing himself as a Grand Duke of Baldur's Gate so he can force a war between the city and Amn that will cause the deaths of thousands which, in turn will cause him to ascend as the next god of murder through the divine blood of Bhaal in his veins. You discover that you share that divine blood and that the armoured figure is Sarevok, your half-brother. You have to either stop him from being apotheosised before you do or simply put a stop to his evil. Either way, you must kill him.

Tales of the Sword Coast
Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast: This is the expansion pack for Baldur's Gate which adds four bonus areas to the existing Baldur's Gate game map: Ulgoth's Beard, a pirate island, an ice island, and Durlag's Tower. These areas provide additional side quests and exploration within the main story line. In addition, it allows the player to reach higher levels of power with increased experience point caps, wielding more powerful spells and better weaponry.

Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition
Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition was produced by Overhaul Games. This version enhanced the original game to work on newer technology like iOS, Android, and Linux. The game also received a few new features and story elements. It was at first set to be released in September 18, 2012, but the date was pushed to November 30 for quality assurance purposes.

Characters

 * Protagonist: Gorion's Ward
 * Companions: Ajantis Ilvastarr • Alora • Arghain • Branwen • Coran • Dynaheir • Edwin Odesseiron • Eldoth Kron • Erik • Faldorn • Garrick • Imoen • Jaheira • Kagain • Khalid • Kivan • Minsc • Montaron • Quayle • Safana • Shar-Teel Dosan • Skie Silvershield • Tiax • Viconia DeVir • Xan • Xzar • Yeslick Orothiar
 * Cameos: Cadderly Bonaduce • Drizzt Do'Urden • Elminster Aumar
 * Other: Andout • Aoln • Arkanis • Belt • Bentley Mirrorshade • Binkos • Brandilar • Canderous • Carbos • Deder • Dreppin • Dunkin • Eltan • Entar Silvershield • Erik • Faltis • Firebead Elvenhair • Fuller • Gatewarden • Gellana Mirrorshade • Glayde • Golin Vend • Gyllian • Halbazzer Drin • Hephis • Hull • Joia • Jopi • Jondalar • Karan • Kelddath Ormlyr • Kolssed • Landrin • Liia Jannath • Lovey • Marl • Mordaine • Narcillicus Harwilliger Neen • Nessa • Nessie • Niemain • Obe • Osprey • Parda • Phlydia • Quayle • Reevor • Sarevok Anchev • Shank • Silke Rosena • Surrey • Taerom Fuiruim • Tel-anon • Tessilan • Tarnesh • Tethtoril • Unshey • Whelp • Winthrop


 * Alaundo • Alemander IV • Alemander V • Kennair Nethalin • Lobelahn • Nashram Sharboneth

Creatures

 * ankheg • basilisk • cat • cow • doppelganger • dwarf • elf • gibberling • gnoll • gnome • goblin • halfling • half-elf • half-orc • hobgoblin • human • nymph • rat • sirine • skeleton • spider • tasloi • werewolf • wolf • wyvern • xvart • zombie


 * aurochs • korred • phaerimm • rothé

Locations

 * Buildings & Sites: Durlag's Tower • Firewine Bridge • High Hedge • Ulcaster School
 * Shops: Sorcerous Sundries • Thunderhammer Smithy
 * Inns & Taverns: Burning Wizard • Candlekeep Inn • Feldepost's Inn • Friendly Arm Inn • Jovial Juggler • Red Sheaf
 * Roads: Coast Way • Lion's Way • Trade Way
 * Settlements: Baldur's Gate • Beregost • Candlekeep • Gullykin • Nashkel
 * Wilderness: Cloak Wood • Larswood • Peldvale • Wood of Sharp Teeth
 * Realms: Amn
 * Regions: Sword Coast


 * Calimshan • Dambrath • Forest of Tethir • Frozen Forest • Halruaa • Gray Waste • Lake Halruaa • Lapaliiya • Marsember • Mhair Jungles • Mycontil • Netheril • Sea of Fallen Stars • Telath Pass • Tethyr • Thay • Unicorn Run • Waterdeep

Items

 * Accessories: claw of Kazgaroth • horn of Kazgaroth
 * Ammunition: arrow of biting • arrow of detonation • arrow of dispelling • arrow of fire • arrow of ice • arrow of piercing • arrow of slaying • bolt of biting • bolt of lightning • bolt of polymorphing
 * Armor: ankheg plate mail • bracers of defense • bracers to the death • Brawling Hands • The Dale's Protector • gauntlets of dexterity • Gift of Peace • Hands of Takkok • helm of Balduran • helm of charm protection • helm of the noble • Legacy of the Masters • plate of the dark • Protector of the Second • shadow armor • Telbar's studded leather armor • Xarrnous' Second Sword Arm
 * Clothing: adventurer's robe • belt of antipode • cloak of Balduran • cloak of displacement • cloak of protection • cloak of the shield • Destroyer of the Hills • elves' bane • Frost's Embrace • girdle of masculinity/femininity • knave's robe • nymph cloak • Relair's Mistake • robe of the archmagi • robe of resistance • Senses of the Cat • Talos's Gift • traveler's robe • Whispers of Silence
 * Jewelry: Edventar's Gift • Evermemory • honorary ring of Sune • Jester's Folly • The One Lost Gift • The Protector • ring of the princes • ring of fire control • The Victor
 * Shields: Buckley's buckler • Gorm's arm • shield of the falling stars
 * Weapons: The Army Scythe • Ashideena • Backbiter • battle axe of Mauletar • dagger of venom • The Dead Shot • Harrower • Icingdeath • Kondar • Krotan's skullcrusher • Protector of the Dryads • Spider's Bane • Twinkle • Vampire's Revenge • Varscona • whistling sword • Xan's moon blade
 * Staves, rods and wands: Aule's staff • wand of fear • wand of fire • wand of frost • wand of the heavens • wand of lightning • wand of magic missiles • wand of monster summoning • wand of paralyzation • wand of polymorphing • wand of sleep
 * Potions and oils: oil of fiery burning • potion of absorption • potion of agility • potion of clarity • potion of cloud giant strength • potion of cold resistance • potion of explosions • potion of fire breath • potion of fire giant strength • potion of fire resistance • potion of fortitude • potion of freedom • potion of frost giant strength • potion of genius • potion of healing • potion of heroism • potion of hill giant strength • potion of infravision • potion of insight • potion of insulation • potion of invisibility • potion of invulnerability • potion of magic blocking • potion of magic shielding • potion of master thievery • potion of mind focusing • potion of mirrored eyes • potion of perception • potion of power • potion of regeneration • potion of stone form • potion of stone giant strength • potion of storm giant strength • potion of strength • red potion • violet potion

Spells

 * Arcane:
 * 1 level: armor • blindness • burning hands • charm person • chill touch • chromatic orb • color spray • friends • grease • identify • infravision • Larloch's minor drain • magic missile • protection from evil • shield • shocking grasp • sleep
 * 2 level: Aganazzar's scorcher • blur • detect evil • detect invisibility • ghoul touch • horror • invisibility • knock • know alignment • luck • Melf's acid arrow • mirror image • resist fear • stinking cloud • strength • web
 * 3 level: clairvoyance • dire charm • dispel magic • fireball • flame arrow • ghost armor • haste • hold person • lightning bolt • monster summoning I • nondetection • protection from normal missiles • skull trap • slow • vampiric touch
 * 4 level: confusion • dimension door • improved invisibility • minor globe of invulnerability • monster summoning II
 * 5 level: animate dead • cloudkill • monster summoning III • shadow door


 * Divine:
 * 1 level: bless • command word: die • cure light wounds • detect evil • entangle • magical stone • protection from evil • remove fear • sanctuary • shillelagh
 * 2 level: aid • barkskin • chant • charm person or mammal • draw upon holy might • find traps • flame blade • goodberry • hold person • know alignment • resist fire and cold • silence, 15' radius • slow poison • spiritual hammer
 * 3 level: animate dead • call lightning • dispel magic • glyph of warding • hold animal • invisibility purge • miscast magic • protection from fire • remove curse • remove paralysis • rigid thinking • strength of one
 * 4 level: animal summoning I • cure serious wounds • free action • neutralize poison
 * 5 level: animal summoning II • cure critical wounds • flame strike • animate dead

Organizations

 * Flaming Fist • Harpers • Iron Throne • Red Wizards of Thay • Seven Suns


 * Shadow Thieves

Religions

 * Bhaal • Cyric • Helm • Oghma • Tempus


 * Bane • Beshaba • Chauntea • Garl Glittergold • Jergal • Malar • Myrkul • Shiallia • Tyche • Tymora

Miscellaneous

 * Beverages: Alurlyath Wine • Arabellan Dry • Bitter Black • Blood Wine • De'Tranion's Baalor Ale • Elminster's Choice • Evermead • Firewine • Marsember Blush • Mead • Shadowdark ale
 * Books: Diary of Sarevok • The History of Halruaa • manual of bodily health • manual of gainful exercise • manual of quickness of action • tome of clear thought • tome of leadership and influence • tome of understanding
 * Curios: telescope
 * Gemstones: bluestone • diamond • flamedance • greenstone • iol • jade • lynx eye • moonstone • tiger cowrie
 * Metals: gold • iron • silver


 * History of the Bell in the Depths

Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate
As well as the instructions for gameplay and controls, the game manual that was included in the original Baldur's Gate game included a section titled "Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate". This was 9 pages of background information on the Sword Coast and monsters found there.

Connections
Baldur's Gate