Bishop

Bishop is a non-player character and a companion in Neverwinter Nights 2.

""With his perpetual shadow of facial hair and rugged physique, Bishop is rather handsome even if his demeanor is thoroughly unwelcoming. Late into his twenties, this veteran of the wilderness has scars and burns across his skin. Constantly on the lookout, sniffing the air and checking what’s behind him, Bishop’s hands are always on his weapons. Every time you look over to Bishop, he’s looking right back at you.""

Background
Bishop was a troublesome youth who despised his home village and left it at an early age. Prior to the events of the game, upon joining a Luskan assassination squad, as part of the initiation ceremony he was ordered to slaughter a Neverwinter village of his choosing. Seeing the opportunity to destroy his hated home, he chose to burn down the village he grew up in, and using the setting as a "fortunate accident", to kill the Luskans tasked with watching over him as he followed his orders. Although Bishop tried to warn the villagers of the imminent danger, his words were held with little regard - and so both the village and its inhabitants, along with the Luskan assassins, perished in the flames.

Unfortunately, his plan partially went foul, and Bishop was severely wounded by the Luskans before their demise. As he waited for the liberation death would bring, his life was unexpectedly saved by Duncan Farlong, who hinted at Bishop now being indebted to him. Bishop understood it as blackmail, for Duncan was the only person (apart from himself) who knew it was Bishop who burned down the Neverwinter village and killed the Luskan assassins.

It was because of Duncan calling his debt due that the main character is introduced to Bishop, as he is capable but unwilling to help save Shandra Jerro after she is abducted by Githyanki, until Duncan forces him to assist his kin. Neither Duncan nor Bishop elaborate further on the debt in question, Duncan only mentioning that Bishop is a gifted tracker who knows Luskan territory like the back of his hand.

Much of Bishop's history remains unknown to the very end of the game, as he only hints at a deep dislike for Luskans and mentions serving as one of their soldiers until the orders he was given became too demanding for his loose loyalty and self-preservation instincts. Bishop's aversion to disagreeable orders is apparent throughout the story, as is the aforementioned questionable loyalty, which is also commented on by some other characters - such as Casavir, with whom Bishop develops a strong mutual dislike. Bishop is also noted for his frequent use of veiled threats and sexual innuendo, as well as discomforting revelment in selfish, immoral, and wildly chaotic evil deeds.

Near the end of the game, during the siege of Crossroad Keep by the undead legions of the King of Shadows, Bishop betrays the main character, joining Black Garius, after disabling part of the keep's defenses to aid the King of Shadows' army. At the end, the player faces Bishop in the Illefarn ruins in the Vale of Merdalain, where the King of Shadows is about to rise. It is there that he reveals the truth of his debt to Duncan, mentioning how much he hates him for saving him from the death that would grant him freedom. Additionally, if the main character is female, he hints at feelings of affection that present another obligation he is loathe to be tied down by.

Bishop's fate is determined by the player's choices. Depending on the player's previous actions, and the strength of the player's influence over Bishop, he may abandon both Black Garius and the main character, leaving the scene completely, or he may remain at Garius's side and fight against the main character, also attempting to summon the Construct to his side. Should the player choose the path of evil and join the King of Shadows, Bishop will return to fight against his and the main character's former comrades.

Since the canonical ending is for the player to defeat the King of Shadows, Bishop is assumed dead as of the end of the game, either because he has been slain by the player and his/her companions, or because he was crushed by falling rubble while attempting to flee the King of Shadow's Fortress. During the events of Mask of the Betrayer, the player will have a dream in which they will see Bishop's soul being consumed by the wall of the faithless on the Fugue Plane. Bishop is remarkably accepting of this fate, stating that he has finally found peace that he could never have hoped to achieve in life.

Deleted Content

 * In a deleted conversation, Bishop reveals that his home village was a Mere village called Redfallow's Watch. Redfallow's Watch is mentioned by Elanee as being swallowed by the swamp, and it is also where Sir Nevalle was knighted. Technically making Bishop a Harborman (just like the player), this gives more meaning to the constant comparison Bishop has between him and the main character, as he also admits that, looking at the main character, he realises what he could have been had he taken a different path in life. In the final conversation with Bishop, at the end of the game, he states: "For every West Harbor that gives rise to someone like you... someone great... there's a hundred of me, that end up going down the other path."


 * There's another deleted and very humorous conversation path with the Githyanki sword stalker at the entrance of the Githyanki caves. A deleted conversation path brings up the githyanki apparently being mostly female and matriarchal, with low opinions on males (with numerous remarks from companions). If the PC is female, one of the responses, that "men have their uses," leads to the githyanki offering the main character a "painless death" if she offers Bishop as a pleasure slave, much to his horror. Were the player to decline the offer, she'd gain influence with Bishop and he requests that if he ever became that desperate to just "go ahead and kill him."


 * Bishop was originally planned to be a romance option if the main character was female, but was not implemented in the final release of the game due to time constraints. However, some related content still remains. If the main character's influence is very high early on, he will extend offers to run away with her, doing the same prior to the siege of Crossroad Keep. Bishop and Casavir also fight over the main character's affections. When Bishop reveals the true story of his life in the main character's final encounter with Black Garius, he admits feelings towards her that hint towards love and/or affection.

Trivia

 * Bishop was voiced by Asa Seigel in the official campaign, and Dave Walsh in a cutscene in Mask of the Betrayer.


 * Bishop does not have a patron deity listed in his profile, despite the fact NWN2 requires Rangers choose a nature deity, and he is still able to cast his Ranger spells. Though deities were not added to the game until very late in the development cycle, this was likely done for storyline reasons (particularly in Mask of the Betrayer, given his fate).


 * His animal companion is a wolf named Karnwyr.


 * During the Rite of Tyr, if the main character is female and has higher influence with him than Casavir, Bishop will visit her and offer some interesting information about Lorne, as well as to fight as her champion.