Baldur's Gate

Ah Baldur's Gate. My favorite game series. I could say a lot about it. I could mention that it was one of the first games that required me to use strategy before most fights. I could also mention that the fact that you can take on a Silver Dragon and win is kick ass. But you know what? I think I'll mention both of those things and more. Let's get started shall we?

Beware, for I will be spoiling most of the story in the next few paragraphs.

The first Baldur's Gate game was released in 1998 by Interplay. It is an RPG using modified 2nd edition AD&D rules. The game allows one to make a character with a few different races to choose from and a few classes as well. Once that is finished, one's character starts in the Library Fortress of Candlekeep. After doing several chores around the place, you meet up with your father, Gorion. He tells you that the two of you must leave immediately, as it is not safe inside the walls of Candlekeep any longer. Eventually you are ambushed by a shadowy figure, who kills Gorion while you flee. After hiding for a few hours, you find Imoen, a childhood friend from Candlekeep and she forcibly enters your party (Note that you can drop her if you wish). You eventually gather some party members, and you head to Nashkel, where apparently strange things are happening.

In the course of the game, you end up saving the Nashkel mine, which helps put an end to the problems that the locals are having with the iron. You end up following a chain of people to find out what all of this has to do with you, as a bunch of assassins are following you as well. You end up going to the Cloakwood mines in order to completely halt it's production as well. Afterwards, you head to Baldur's Gate itself and meet up with the Flaming Fist. You do couple of chores for them, and then head back to Candlekeep in order to stop the people who are responsible for trying to kill you, The Iron Throne. Once back at Candlekeep, one thing leads to another and you are imprisoned for killing the Iron Throne leaders (whether you actually killed them or not). You convince an old friend to teleport you to the under levels where you make your escape.

One other very important detail is learned from your exploration back at Candlekeep. Upon checking Gorion's closet, you find a letter addressed to you. It says that you are not Gorion's son at all, but the child of the dead God of Murder, Bhaal. The man who killed Gorion was also a child of Bhaal named Sarevok, and he wishes to become the new God of Murder. When you return to Baldur's Gate, you find that the Flaming Fist is under Sarevok's control. Eventually you gain entrance to the Duchal Palace where you save two important members. They teleport you to the Thieves Guild, which leads to an ancient underground city with a temple dedicated to Bhaal. Eventually once inside, you kill Sarevok and end his reign of terror, once and for all. This is where the first game ends.

There is also an expansion called Tales of the Sword Coast which increases the level cap and adds several new quests, but it's not really big enough to have to explain much.

My next entry will detail the events of Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. Stay tuned!