Deep under Baldur's Gate is the Wyrmway, a dungeon filled with puzzles, an undead dragon called Ansur, and a lot of lore about the founder of Baldur's Gate: Balduran. So while something of the person pre-soul loss remains, it's a twisted, amoral version of them, with only their darker impulses left. K. Ansur was the one who tried to kill him in his sleep. The fact that he is Balduran seems so. He originates from Balduran and has all of his memories, so his identity / personhood is a mixture of Balduran and mind flayer-ness. It had a full armory and catapults to battle hostile ships, and a massive chain which could. Named after Balduran, the tower could be reached by a bridge from the western shore linking it to the mainland. It is here that the Emperor’s final secret is revealed as Ansur shows the party that the Emperor used to be Balduran. The Emperor is Later Revealed to Be Balduran. Balduran paradox. But no such cure. Tw: this post is 90% spoilers about the Emperor. Joined: Oct 2020. The Emperor, Orpheus, and Raphael fighting over who can manipulate, mansplain, malewife their way in the most bisexual way possible into controlling the Crown of Karsus. I somehow think emperor just inherited the worst parts of Balduran but the best parts (the merits in the trial) are lost. . As for the Wizard, I’d want to say Balduran/Emperor since their flashback showed the casting of Feather Fall (Spell Wizards can use) and they are more directly involved with the Astral. I guess technically the first brain the parasite that became The Emperor devoured was Balduran's, so it may not be Balduran but it has his memories. suprpiwi. After defeating Ansur the party is able to learn more about Balduran, who it is revealed is still alive and helping the group in BG3 as the Emperor. . . The Emperor may have Balduran's memories, he may even believe he is Balduran, but Balduran died when he turned. Ansur was friends with Balduran, the founder of Baldur’s Gate, and swore to. Later on, during Act 3, you learn that the Dreamlover is actually the Illithid Mind Flayer Emperor. Balduran died when his brain was eaten. BG and BG2 wants to present a story-centric gameplay, while BG3 wants to present a player-centric gameplay. . idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ?. Apparently the tadpoles have souls so yeah. I mostly enjoyed the. From a heartfelt letter we find on the undead wyrm'a body, we discover that Balduran offered Ansur his freedom and even pleaded with the dragon to go forth and forge his. He’s a mind flayer. He even says it during the fight against Ansur. What a reveal. He would have hunted Balduran to the edges of the planet to kill him. First with Ansur who was his friend back from when he was Balduran. This reveals the way into the Wyrmway. Mediocre Mar 25, 2021 @ 7:36am. The Emperor, formerly known as Balduran, was once a human who constructed Baldur's Gate. It's a being made to emotionally manipulate you and feels nothing doing it. #2. New cards are drawn, new hands are played. Stun Immunity. In the underdark you stumble across another mind flayer, Omeluum, whom you can overhear have a. 19 de ago. so either Balduran the legendary Explorer just wanted to rob a temple in a town full of peopleor he wasn't going to. As commenter Wutras points out, the Song of Balduran, which plays in the Elfsong Tavern camp, pretty much spells the damn thing out word for word. He wants to be free of the Elder Brain's control. Far from being created for the games that bear its name, the city of Baldur's Gate has been a part of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting since it was first published. Discover more posts about bg3 the emperor, bg3 emperor, the emperor bg3, the emperor, mind flayer, bg3 act 3, and balduran. Further, if as the Emperor said, Balduran was captured by an Illithid colony at Moonrise while searching for treasure, how was Ketharic able to use the fort without falling victim to a Mind Flayer attack? Finally, wtf was the point of the Shadow Curse?. Even though if you save Orpheus as a mindflayer he's perfectly fine with you being one. I'd rather help Ansur. Thanks to all the commenters who contributed. . Above all else, he will do anything to survive. Wearer is immune to Crits. The fact that he is Balduran seems so. I don't think so. Their past life is irrelevant. Info. Published Sep 25, 2023 Throughout Baldur's Gate 3, the party is kept safe and aided by the mysterious Emperor, but who are they, and should they be saved at a crucial point?. This dungeon under the city is full of lore about the founder of Baldur’s Gate, a hero known as Balduran. By default, the party is allied with the Emperor, an independent mind flayer and the true identity of Baldur's Gate 3's Guardian, who reveals that the party is being protected from the influence of the Absolute. Delving into the Wyrmway beneath Baldur’s Gate, the party can discover even more about their illithid ally. Joined: Jan 2023. Joined: Jan 2023. No, players learn, he is calling The Emperor that, for The Emperor was Anduran's greatest ally in his past life, the found of Baldur's Gate, Balduran. Ansur addresses the Emperor as Balduran, prompting a response that the name's resurgence was unexpected, especially from a familiar voice. Ansur himself makes it very clear that he was the instigator and that the Emperor acted out of self-preservation. Join our active forum today!Balduran reinserts himself into Baldur's Gate politics, mind controlling Duke Belynne Stelmane and through her taking over the Balduran branch of the Knights of the Shield, a devil-worshipping group of merchants, nobles and information dealers. . The Emperor's choice was between killing Ansur or being killed by Ansur, not between being an Illithid or not. All races but Half-Drow, Drow and Githyanki get this tag Baldurian which states "Those raised in Baldur's Gate know the city well,. He was once an adventurer and, although he didn't take an arrow to the knee, he did take a tadpole to the eye. The Emperor is not a humanoid. The moment one turns into a mindflayer it essentially deletes the old person from existence. Finding out he is Balduran does nothing really for Tav or Emperor taking down the brain. Even if that choice is not the easy one. The Emperor is a cunning, manipulative survivalist throughout the whole game (and shown in his backstory with Belynne Stelmane where they used to be allies in this evil cult masquerading as a trade enterprise, before he took over the way you do in evil cults, by mind controlling the competition) but he is not chaotic evil. And the game explains it. If you have him take the power he helps you defeat the brain and, unless you convince him otherwise or. (potentially big spoilers) I really just feel like it’s a whole cop out. Either way Balduran is f'd (his soul) and The Emperor very well knows that, and knows he is not Balduran when he talks with you. As for the Emperor, the infamous scene where he admits to being a monster is more complicated than people give it credit for. I mostly enjoyed the. Or Karlach. So to conclude, here's why I think BG3 is a complete reversal of the BG franchise: BG and BG2 have accidental depth due to D&D ruleset, while BG3 have depth built in as a design feature. Remember, you freed Orpheus and the only reason any of you are able to resist is. Ansur: Have you come to dance on my bones, Balduran? Was slaying me not satisfaction enough? However, the truly startling revelation comes in Act 3 when you are tasked by Duke Ravenguard to find and secure the help of the mighty Bronze Dragon named Ansur - companion of Balduran, the founder of the city. It was a settlement called Grey Harbour before that. To claim. He mapped a number of islands on his route. . The Emperor roasted me. So as we meet the emperor turns out he's Balduran the founder of baldur's gate turned into a mindflayer long ago. Empi wants to destroy the netherbrain. I subscribe to the theory that turning into a mind flayer destroys the individual before. Stun Immunity. aug. Power/Intimacy. every. He risks losing not only her trust but placing her life in danger. She counted on Balduran's rebellious nature and desire to be free of elder brain domination as a means. Basically emperor pulled Vader out of Anakin and lived as Vader ever since. If you hold that the Emperor is not Balduran (i. So in act 3, it’s revealed that the Emperor/Guardian was Balduran before they turned. 6 The Emperor Is Balduran. One of those relics is the missing butter knife the Emperor mentions, with the quest note reading, "Legends often speak of Balduran's Butter Knife. I mostly enjoyed the. When you find him here, Ansur will reveal the Emperor is in fact, Balduran himself. Empire golden built on trade. He knows if he leaves, you're forced to turn someone into a mind flayer on your team to beat the netherbrain (for equally contrived reasons but I *could* ignore it). Ansur addresses the Emperor as Balduran, prompting a response that the name's resurgence was unexpected, especially from a familiar voice. — Waj Ali. Discover more posts about bg3 the emperor, bg3 emperor, mind flayer, the emperor bg3, the emperor, balduran, and illithid. Edited as of 09. Looking for an adventure? Than this is the right place! This time, we get told the whole story of Balduran, his hero days, his downfall and how that broke An. Aha!The fact that he is Balduran seems so. Dude isn't Balduran, he's just a mind flayer with his memories who uses everyone around him and discards anyone who doesn't wanna tell him that he's right all the time. I hadn’t gotten that far and based on what I know of the guy, I didn’t think that was possible and it still doesn’t make any sense based on previous lore. I'm not sure if this is just me reaching but when The Emperor explains his past and in the Letter to Ansur found on the dragons body it really seems like the devs are implying that Balduran and Ansur were partners before he got yk mind flayered, this would explain why Ansur tried so hard to cure Balduran but idk if I'm just. Yeah, about the "break free" part, the Emperor didn't break free on its own. Act 3 - Spoilers. The Emperor's Sword +2. Though if what people are saying and there's a conversation, before Orpheus is free, where the emperor explicitly joins the brain then I concede the point. What we have left is a worm that has some impressions of who Balduran was. The Emperor having a set of cutlery that he thinks very. So the Emperor was still alive on the top of the brain when I killed the netherbrain. Let's assume that Ansur has found a powerful magician who is capable of bringing back the human Balduran, and is ready to cast the necessary spell. The emperor knows you need a mind flayer to use the netherstones to subjugate the netherbrain. Minthara is the best character and she NEEDS to be recruitable if you side with the grove! Re: Romance with the Emperor, the Mind Flayer. dude has zero integrity, lmao. The Emperor is just one of them, and there's a particularly surprising reveal that sets the stage. She just needed 1 and you brought 3 of them to her. m. you get a bit of interesting lore about the Emperor. The truth is, Orpheus will immediately attempt to kill only him . They don't think they do and most when they die would rather assimilate into an Elder Brain. There was really no added benefit to the story for the Emperor to be Balduran, other than a plot twist just for the sake of it. Joined: Oct 2023. Location: Ukraine. the founder of Baldur's Gate and, like you, he didn't choose to become illithid. The quest that Bioware and Black Isle created was ambiguous as to the fate of the mythical adventurer. I mostly enjoyed the. Baldurian. The butter knife line is actually a very clever piece of foreshadowing for the revelation that The Emperor is actually Balduran, the founder of the titular city of Baldur's Gate who has been. StannisLivesOn. The human is just a generic npc. The Emperor has Balduran’s memories and knows what motivates an adventurer like the PC because Balduran. It feels like Balduran wants freedom while the Illithid he has become chooses to be a slave rather than potentially dying by the hand of Orpheus. Ansur could not accept the Emperor as an Illithid, leading to Balduran reluctantly killing Ansur. It's not much of a "theory" because that's exactly what the brain outright tells you at the pool. #2. Website: more guides and information about each game be sure to check out my webs. The fact that he is Balduran seems so. He ends up getting tadpoled himself, but comes to enjoy his now Illithid form, though he hates being enslaved by an Elder Brain. Well, I'm not team emperor anymore, I was allready leaning towards releasing the prince but this new information sealed the deal. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ? Isn't it a bit much? On a side note, when he joins the Netherbrain in the end if you refuse to give him the stones. From here, head to our BG3 guide hub for more topics like how to get Helldusk Armor or 10 things we need in a DLC. The Emperor is actually Balduran - yeah, the Balduran who founded Baldur's Gate - and he was once infected by the mind flayer colony in Moonrise Towers and only broke free because Ansur, a dragon ally of Balduran, broke him free. #42. old hand. And, apparently, the dude who murdered his best friend, the Bronze Dragon Ansur. 19 AGO a las 11:47 a. I mostly enjoyed the. Spoiler: The Emperor is LITERALLY Balduran. . dude has zero integrity, lmao. [deleted] •. There are 4 things the Emperor treasures the most: Survival, Independence, Acceptance and Ambition. Reply reply w1gw4m • Nah, he was definitely Balduran, i can see why that plot twist matters (and it is spoiled by the starting. Balduran was an adventurer and seafarer in Faerun who amassed wealth and founded the city of Baldur's. There's a mural in the Wyrmway you can interact with and it says "an elf and a dragon. He’s always made the choice that lets him survive on the long run. This "special mindflayer" just so happens to be this particular character from a 1000 years ago, what are the odds?. . Take a look between the two characters in your first screenshot and see who is lying in bed between them. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ?. StannisLivesOn. Shopping. . The Emperor is openly selfish, a manipulator, and evil (if you learn about his interactions with the Bronze Dragon Ansur). Balduran's Favour: You have a + 1 bonus to AC and Saving Throws. Is Balduran an immortal?the parallels between Raphael and the Emperor are so compelling to me. No, The Emperor flees well before you free him. Chamber of Strategy: Turn 1. The Emperor is not a humanoid. It's just that everyone in Faerun considers a mind flayer to be an "it" , rather than an actual individual. Remember, you freed Orpheus and the only reason any of you are able to resist is because of Orpheus's power. But. He kept the memories of Balduran, yet still becomes a whiny bitch who constantly moans about how illithids are superior, and is only in it to save his own skin despite claiming to care about Baldur's Gate. Yeah its that SOMA question of "is an exact copy of a person still the same person", but either way he has an identical personality of Balduran only now with the powers and alien senses of a mindflayer he's able to indulge on his worst and most. And Baldur's fate now turns upon. Baldur's Gate 3 Soul Coins : Find them all Baldur's Gate. #2. This is the legendary hero Balduran, the founder of Baldur's Gate. But the Emperor is not Balduran. In the underdark you stumble across another mind flayer, Omeluum, whom you can overhear have a. That just makes the most sense to me considering the tadpole, um, logistics. Song of Balduran Lyrics. In the game, he is portrayed as your dream guardian, which helps you in difficult times. It is likely a. Let's consider the Emperor before his transformation. See a recent post on Tumblr from @mintcrows about illithid. . Yeah, that Balduran, the founder of Baldur’s Gate. Withers explicitly says they have no souls left, no true remnant of the person they were, only memories and traces of emotion. She counted on Balduran's rebellious nature and desire to be free of elder brain domination as a means. He constantly supported the city with his wealth and was overall known as a honorable leader. Along with his sword and armor, Balduran's shield was stolen from a museum in the city of Baldur's Gate. The Emperor talks about how he wanted freedom but settled to be a slave when Tav has made up their mind. The most logical answer is a time dilation between the material and astral plains, or at least the astral prison. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ? Isn't it a bit much? On a side note, when he joins the Netherbrain in the end if you refuse to give him the stones. The fact that he is Balduran seems so. A very divisive character imo. Ceremorphosis kills you utterly and completely, body AND SOUL, and creates a creature that is imprinted with your memories but isn’t you. If you can pass his trials, however, he'll grant. He does lie, manipulate, and kill people but he does have a moral code (of sorts). Balduran, or The Emperor now, grew to accept his. But the reveal that the Emperor was Balduran, the founder of the city, just feels fanfiction levels of contrived. Joined: Oct 2020. idk, unnecessary? forced? out of nowhere? I mean the one guy who helps us and happens to be an illithid is also the guy who founded the damn city ?. Baldur’s Gate 3, as any good CRPG, is filled with fantastic loot to kit out every possible race and class combination possible. I mostly enjoyed the. S. The fact that he is Balduran seems so. Find the Wyrmway in Wyrm's Rock Prison. So, there is a spoiler about the real identity of the Emperor. For example: He chooses to side with us despite of overwhelming odds because he knows that if the absolute and the three win, it’s over. . It was used as a barracks, naval base, dungeon, and fortress. If you act cool, its the easier path, sadly there is no option to clap him at the end of the game (there is one where you are a mind flayer). So after act two you go into the astral prism to help the emperor against the gith guard. For Catarina, this story comes to light with a shadow of deepest dread. Orpheus would've never spare the Emperor. The good points : - He is an ex adventurer/hero bearing the name Balduran, that much has been proven not only by his remaining belongings but also by the wyrm in Baldur's Gate. . The helm also protects your mind from stunning effects – you are immune to any spells or attacks that could stun you while wearing Balduran’s helm. . Balor was the sun god of the Fomorians. The butter knife line is actually a very clever piece of foreshadowing for the revelation that The Emperor is actually Balduran, the founder of the titular city of Baldur's Gate who has been. The Emperor desires the death of the elder brain so much that he won't even resist when you're actively beating him to death. So, there is a spoiler about the real identity of the Emperor. However, on Ansur's body is a. So if you free Orpheus it makes sense for. But the Emperor, unlike all other Mind Flayers, has retained the identity of the host completely, and identifies himself as Balduran. Delving into. At some point it came into the inventory of Deidre, a. I gather Orpheus just stopped giving The Emperor his protection and he fell back under control of the brain. The only way The Emperor fights you is if you free Orpheus, and Orpheus has every reason to *hate* The Emperor. #2. What Emperor asks you is to become partial-illithid in that scene. He still can't. Succumbed as threat from nether years. Let’s cut to the chase with this one: While both options are. . On the screen with tadpole powers it is writen partial-illithid if you accept his proposal. Minthara is the best character and she NEEDS to be recruitable if you side with the grove! Re: Romance with the Emperor, the Mind Flayer. So why did Larian feel the need to turn Balduran into that cunt the Emperor? This dungeon under the city is full of lore about the founder of Baldur’s Gate, a hero known as Balduran. Baldur's Gate 3 > General Discussions > Topic Details. He was Balduran, a great adventurer and founder of Baldur's Gate. Wearer is immune to Crits. Obviously the emperor is dead too but IMO he was kind of an asshole for choosing power over his best friend (Ansur). or something. Astrail Plane; On top of Nether Brain . The Emperor is one of them as he retains the memories of Balduran and is heavily connected with him. (I know some people don't have the same values, but what is missing is a non-negotiable staple of the genre in my eyes) Re: Daisy, the Absolute, and the Emperor [SPOILERS] Nerovar # 881410 15/08/23 10:40 PM. He couldn't let it go that Balduran was a mind flayer and alive. By default, the party is allied with the Emperor, an independent mind flayer and the true identity of Baldur's Gate 3's Guardian, who reveals that the party is being protected from the influence of the Absolute. Turn left from the entrance and head to the end of the hall where you find two Dragon Head Torches. Balduran's Giantslayer is a legendary greatsword that receives doubled damage bonus from Strength, grants its wielder the Giant Form class action and the Topple the Big Folk weapon action, as well as Advantage on Attack rolls against Large, Huge, and Gargantuan creatures. Further, if as the Emperor said, Balduran was captured by an Illithid colony at Moonrise while searching for treasure, how was Ketharic able to use the fort without falling victim to a Mind Flayer attack? Finally, wtf was the point of the Shadow Curse?. suprpiwi. Therefore it is assumable that the guardian's appearance is the emperor's former form before they became an Illithid. Minthara is the best character and she NEEDS to be recruitable if you side with the grove! Re: Romance with the Emperor, the Mind Flayer. Find the Wyrmway in Wyrm's Rock Prison. His former allies did not accept him, so one tried to kill him, and the other wanted to turn him in. . Bronze Dragon Ansur reveals Emperor hidden secret Baldur's Gat. Balduran was. The Emperor is being manipulative again when he claims that Orpheus will immediately attempt to kill all of us. Find the two dragon head torches and cast any lightning spell or scroll on them. Baldur's Gate 3 is available on Steam : on Spotify: and Publ. Finding out he is Balduran does nothing really for Tav or Emperor taking down the brain. It is accompanied by a montage of him enslaving Duke Stellmane. I mostly enjoyed the. You can't blame Balduran (The Emperor) for fighting back. Argumentatively, he’s well written as the emperor, but poorly written/developed as Balduran. He isn't anymore, but he believes he is. About the emperor…. Balduran's Giantslayer - 6-19 slashing; on hit, double the damage from your Strength modifier; gain advantage on attack rolls against large, huge, and gargantuan creatures; +3 weapon enchantment. One of the major themes of The Emperor is acceptance. Afterward, the Emperor can be spoken to, where they will show flashbacks to. The new info w. fwiw, you can also pick up the Werebane dagger and (bastard) Sword of Balduran on the isle. He was basically forced to enthrall or kill his friends in self-defense because even after being freed from the elder brain, they only ever saw him as a mind flayer and not the. He still can't. And the Balduran "twist" is the biggest meh twist Ive seen for a long time. Search The Emperor Is Balduran The Creator Of Baldur S Gate Baldur S Gate 3 Secrets trade goods, offerings, and more in your local area. dude has zero integrity, lmao. Even so the guy is so heroic that he is willing to become himself a mindflyer and passing the leadership of the cause against Vlaakith to Lae'zel. #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 raphael #bg3 the emperor #bg3 orpheus. The most logical answer is a time dilation between the material and astral plains, or at least the astral prison. First, go to Wyrm’s Rock Fortress and head down to the prison. When the emperor reveals himself to be a mindflayer, there's a option for detect thought. Looking for an adventure? Than this is the right place! This time, we get told the whole story of Balduran, his hero days, his downfall and how that broke An. NikoSaysHi • Mragreshem • 2 mo. Balduran might have been a decent dude. The Emperor's Sword +2. Balduran's Giantslayer is one of the Greatsword Weapons in Baldur's Gate 3 . No matter what he only uses discourse and attempts to convince you that working together is the only way to survive. Apparently they were in love with Duke Stelmane long ago and that person was a girl. . Locked post. Join our active forum today!Ansur wanted to kill him first for the crime of being Ilithid. The Emperor, Orpheus, and Raphael fighting over who can manipulate, mansplain, malewife their way in the most bisexual way possible into controlling the Crown of Karsus. Ansur and Balduran . But game's not over yet. He has been protecting the party from The Absolute's influence, and does prove to be a strong ally (and even. Caught between worlds, at odds with herself, she is evolving into something other than human - and it is equal parts terrifying and enticing. The emperor is convinced, that he is balduran, but in reality he is a mindflayer, made from the body of and with access to the memorys of balduran. Warning: spoilers for the end of the game and the specific identity of the Emperor! So, depending on if you follow Wyll’s character quest through to the end, you might learn something about the identity of the Emperor. See a recent post on Tumblr from @mintcrows about illithid. But ultimately Ansur is correct: Balduran is dead. Now hope is gone, or so it seems. I am one of the weird ones who decided to romance Balduran/The Emperor and I’m not sure. Memories of Balduran only amount to learning one spell when you become a mind flayer i guess 😂. I'm not sure he joins the Netherbrain willingly. To obtain the Helm of Balduran, players will first need to find the Wyrmway in Wyrm's Rock Prison. I gather Orpheus just stopped giving The Emperor his protection and he fell back under control of the brain. Players soon realize that Anduran actually addresses the Emperor as a Coward since the Emperor was Balduran, Anduran's greatest ally in a previous life. K. The only way The Emperor fights you is if you free Orpheus, and Orpheus has every reason to *hate* The Emperor. We are led to believe, in the end, that we might also get so lucky if we transform. S. The fact that he is Balduran seems so. Ansur and the Emperor, Balduran, have had their friendship sour by the Illithid curse. For a few reasons. Players will design and first meet him as BG3's Dream Visitor/Guardian, but even in. like the dark secret is that they enthrall the duke but the knights of the shield are cultist worshipping a devil called Gargauth and is not clear if they did bad things or good things while in control over the knights also he is Balduran and in a book of interrogation of Gortash to the emperor part 3 is reveal that the emperor. If betrayed the Emperor immediately shows their true colors, and joins the villains. Now that you’ve been able to find and pass the trials, we can teach you how to beat Ansur the Dragon in Baldur’s Gate 3. About the emperor…. Stun Immunity. #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 raphael #bg3 the emperor #bg3 orpheus. Extinguish these torches, then hit them with Lightning and relight them. I killed him shortly after anyways in the name of BhaalThe fact that he is Balduran seems so. Characters need to master certain Proficiency before. Balduran is not the human character. dude has zero integrity, lmao. And the Emperor told him to be free and fly away instead of suffering next to him. The fact that he is Balduran seems so. . So the Emperor is not really Balduran, it’s the tadpole that’s using. I gather Orpheus just stopped giving The Emperor his protection and he fell back under control of the brain. The choices you get here won’t impact anything, but you can find out who the Emperor really is, and its relationship to Ansur. So my first playthrough I broke Wylls pact and ended up not freeing his dad in the iron throne but in this playthrough I did. The Emperor isn't a full on evil character, but he isn't a nice dude either. . This opens a secret passage. The butter knife line is actually a very clever piece of foreshadowing for the revelation that The Emperor is actually Balduran, the founder of the titular city of Baldur's Gate who has been turned into a mind flayer, but has broken free from the elder brain to take down The Absolute. After defeating Ansur the party is able to learn more about Balduran, who it is revealed is still alive and helping the group in BG3 as the Emperor. A hero’s heart entombed, waiting underground to fulfill an oath of eld: the great wyrm would aid Baldur’s Gate in its time of need.