Baldur's Gate 1 Setting
BioWare's Baldur's Gate 1 Original is set in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (FRCS) published by Tactical Studies Rules (TSR) in 1987. Originally created by Ed Greenwood in 1967, The Realms, as it is colloquially known, is one of the most famous campaign settings in Dungeons & Dragons. Since 1987, it has been fleshed out by numberous AD&D 2nd Edition publications and related novels. The lore related to FR is known as Realmslore.
In comparison to Planescape, Dark Sun and even Greyhawk and DragonLance, the Forgotten Realms is a rather generic setting of high magic, medieval fantasy. However, it is what one does with the setting that counts, and BioWare didn't disappoint FR or AD&D fans with their representation of the Realms in Baldur's Gate.
Indeed, a few of the developers were long-time enthusiasts of AD&D, including the lead coder, and this is evident as one plays through the campaign.
Above all, BioWare paid respect to the FR license they had acquired from TSR/WotC (at that time WotC still employed the TSR name), who gave them a degree of freedom in their creation of the campaign. Of course, BioWare were not permitted to meddle in TSR's preexisting stories or characters, and the story had to be approved by the tabletop juggernaut.
The mascots of the FR are Greenwood's Elminster Aumar and Salvatore's Drizzt Do'Urden, both of whom appear the game.
The Time of Troubles
The events of Baldur's Gate take place on the Sword Coast in 1370 DR (Dale Reckoning), 12 years subsequent to the Time of Troubles, when the gods walked Faerûn. Forseen by Mystra, the Time of Troubles was brought on when Bane and Myrkul stole the Tablets of Fate from Ao, the Overgod. As punishment, Ao hurled the gods down from the heavens, forcing them into mortal shells.
One of those gods was Bhaal, the Lord of Murder and God of Assassins. Bhaal foresaw his demise at the hands of Cyric. Thus, in mortal form, Bhaal spread his divine seed, his essence, far and wide, in order to give rise to the Bhaalspawn, whose bloody battles, he predicted, would ultimately result in his reemergence.
The Prophecy of Alaundo, Seer & Sage:
It is revealed in Baldur's Gate that the antagonist, a Deathbringer named Sarevok Anchev, and the protagonist, referred to by players as CHARNAME, are Bhaalspawn: off-spring of Bhaal, and siblings.
[cf. Throne of Bhaal]
One of those gods was Bhaal, the Lord of Murder and God of Assassins. Bhaal foresaw his demise at the hands of Cyric. Thus, in mortal form, Bhaal spread his divine seed, his essence, far and wide, in order to give rise to the Bhaalspawn, whose bloody battles, he predicted, would ultimately result in his reemergence.
The Prophecy of Alaundo, Seer & Sage:
It is revealed in Baldur's Gate that the antagonist, a Deathbringer named Sarevok Anchev, and the protagonist, referred to by players as CHARNAME, are Bhaalspawn: off-spring of Bhaal, and siblings.
[cf. Throne of Bhaal]
Baldur's Gate City Location & Layout
In respect to the city of Baldur's Gate, BioWare drew heavily from TSR's Sword Coast literature. The port city of Baldur's Gate is situated south of Waterdeep and north of the country of Amn. It was built where the Coast Way trade route intersects with the Chionthar river.
The city is contiguous and beautifully prerendered by BioWare's artists:
It is divided into several segments that are fully explorable. There are many buildings that can be entered, and many NPCs to talk to. Cellars, sewer systems and even an Undercity can be explored beneath the city as well.
History of Baldur's Gate City
The city of Baldur's Gate was founded by the great seafaring explorer, Balduran, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances 300 years ago. Balduranic lore and artifacts are uncovered in the city and also on Werewolf Island as part of the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion, which also adds in Ulgoth's Beard and Ice Island along with the greatest mega-dungeon in RPG history, Durlag's Tower.
The core adventure begins in the citadel-library of Candlekeep, stretches south to the Cloud Peaks (the border with Amn), east to the Wood of Sharp Teeth and then north to the city of Baldur's Gate for the finale.
[Infinity Engine world maps]
Factions of Baldur's Gate
The player encounters all manner of powerful groups along the way, such as the semi-secret Harper society, the Black Network of the Zhentarim, Red Wizards of Thay and the insidious Iron Throne organization. In fact, several prospective companions are members of such factions, and factional rivalry is a consideration when forming a party.
The Baldur's Gate story stretches over several chapters of local, political and unearthly intrigue, interspersed with emotive dream sequences; the scope surprisingly epic for a low level campaign, yet still a personal one:
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| The Chapter One narration & first Dream Sequence |
As one might imagine, the campaign is a large one. On his second run, and including reloads, it took BioWare's Ray Muzyka 160-180 hours to finish the campaign, and who's going to argue with Ray?
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