Epilogue: Difference between revisions

The appearance of the [[Dark Urge]] in the epilogue will vary depending on whether the Urge was embraced or rejected. The party plays out as normal if the Urge was rejected, but if it was embraced, the player character will not be able to interact with the party. Instead, a bloodsoaked Urge character will stumble into the campsite from afar with insanity in their eyes, as {{CharLink|Bhaal}} has lived up to his promise to shred their mind if they didn't take over the Netherbrain. They contemplate killing all the other attendees in their sleep while licking {{RarityItem|Bloodthirst}}.

{{CharLink|Astarion}}'s behavior at the dinner party is determined primarily by the outcome of {{Quest|The Pale Elf}}, namely whether or not he ascended. If Astarion ascended, he will be wearing an opulent blood-red suit and speaks more slowly, with a venomous drip. He brags about his rising status as the city's "puppet-master" and generally looks down upon the player character. He can be challenged on his new behavior and compared to Cazador, but Astarion will brush these off.  

If the player character romanced Astarion and remained with him as his spawn (or ally in case of illithid transformation), he will ask them to talk with the other companions to gather information and share it with him later, while he stays behind and drinks wine. He will be surprised to hear that others are somehow achieving successes in life without his supervision, but will not be interested to engage in conversation with them himself.  

If kept a spawn, Astarion acts like his former self: flamboyant, energetic, and happy to be killing; however, he is now an adventuring vigilante who only kills "the right people" that deserve it. He has grown acclimated to living in the darkness, developing a renewed sense of self that inspires hope in people and is accepting of his own identity and nature.  

Ambient chatter from Astarion as a spawn has him bemoan that Withers has brought fine wine from all over the world, but hasn't thought to bring even a single bottle of fresh blood. He goes on to try the reddest wines available, but none are blood.  

{{CharLink|Gale}}'s presence and behavior at the party are determined primarily by the outcome of {{Quest|The Wizard of Waterdeep}}, namely whether he gave up the Crown of Karsus to {{CharLink|Mystra}}, chose to keep the Crown for himself or sacrificed himself to destroy the Netherbrain.  

If he did not keep the Crown, Gale returns to [[Waterdeep]] with {{CharLink|Tara}} as a professor at the Blackstaff Academy's School of Illusion. If he chose to return the Crown to Mystra, she cures him of his Netherese Orb; otherwise, if he left it hidden in the ocean, Mystra leaves the orb in him as a reminder of his former hubris but deactivates it and allows him to live in peace. In either version of the professor ending, Gale can be hugged during the player character's first conversation with him, he pretends the orb is still active in order to threaten his students when they behave poorly, and he asks the player character to come by the school at some point as a guest-lecturer for his class. Player characters of any class can accept (with or without their romantic partner) or gently decline, [[Sorcerer|Sorcerers]] can comment that the Weave is dangerous and must be taken seriously, and [[Ranger|Rangers]] can offer to teach the students about wilderness survival instead.

If Gale decided to take the crown for himself he arrives to the party as a god. He reforged the crown and used it to ascend to godhood, but left Mystra to her magical dominion, instead becoming the god of ambition. He has several temples already built in honor of him, and he promises that the player character is never out of his sight. Tara is unhappy with Gale's ascension, though, calling his change "distasteful".

If he used the Netherese Orb to destroy the Netherbrain, a magical projection of Gale called the [[Spectral Voice]] will be in the party. This projection informs the player character that it was created by Gale in the event that he died and was beyond normal means of resurrection, and it passes on a letter containing a farewell message. Once it delivers the letter, the Spectral Voice vanishes, and Tara is saddened by his death.

{{CharLink|Halsin}} does not have any major changes to his behavior or appearance at the party, but his dialogue is determined by whether the player character chooses to return to the former [[Shadow-Cursed Lands]] with him in his romance wrap-up scene. If the player character has both romanced Halsin and moved in with him, he expresses concern about this being their first night away from [[Reithwin Town]] and asks if they regret choosing their quiet new life over adventuring. If the player character talks to him a second time, he practices several bear puns on the player character but apologizes for the children's sense of humor rubbing off on him.

Otherwise, after optionally sharing a hug (and a kiss if romanced), he talks of settling down in Reithwin and asks for a story from the player character to bring back to his hordes of adopted children. If the player character has romanced Halsin, they can joke that they would've asked him to read them stories and tuck them in. Also, if the player character went to [[Avernus]] with Karlach, Halsin says that he's glad their friendship with her has endured and can be used as a lesson for the children but that (if romanced) his heart will always be open to them when they get back. Before the player character leaves their first conversation, he gives them a {{RarityItem|Whittled Duck}} as a symbol of his joy to be back in their company, just as a duck returns home after migrating.

Ambient chatter from Halsin regardless of whether the player character stayed with him has him surprised Withers has brought so much food when he is mostly made of bone; he theorizes that Withers is living vicariously through everyone else's appetites. He also utters he should exercise restraint with the alcohol, lest he lose his faculties and ruin the party's atmosphere as a wildshaped bear. He is very happy to be among old friends and in nature. Throughout the party, Halsin can be seen dancing to Milil's music, and he will also occasionally become {{Cond|Drunk}}—living up to his own worries by turning into a bear and stumbling dizzily or gorging fruit until the condition wears off.

{{CharLink|Jaheira}}'s behavior does not have major changes if she attends. She talks of Baldur's Gate's reconstruction efforts, and the roles her children, the [[Harpers]], and Minsc have to play in it. She reveals Jord has joined the Harpers and is planning crop cycles in Wyrm's Crossing. Rion has temporarily joined the Flaming Fist, but mostly spends her time incarcerating corrupt Fists. Minsc, if he has made amends with the Guild, has managed to rope them into rebuilding the city as well, though she suspects the thieves are only in it to lure back the wealthy. She herself is micromanaging everyone. By asking Jaheira how she's been after she talks about her children, the player character can ask to join to the Harpers and she will agree, even if they're a mind flayer. Otherwise, she asks the player character what "home" means to them, and they can answer with either Baldur's Gate, the campsite, Karlach (if they went to Avernus with her), their romantic partner, or nowhere because they prefer adventuring. She then dismisses herself to make sure no one tampers with the drinks.

Jaheira has no ambient chatter during the party, but she can be seen practicing the flute or swaying/tapping along to Milil's music.

{{DiQ|Oh shit. Oh my gods! He wasn't kidding. Withers, you mad bastard, you brought us back!|Karlach|  excited to be out of Avernus}}

{{CharLink|Karlach}}'s behavior is determined primarily by the decisions made on the dock [[Endings|after defeating the Netherbrain]] and whether she became a Mind Flayer.  

If she became a Mind Flayer, she will appear as she did in the final battle. She talks slowly and airily, reporting that she still feels like herself but that eating brains has enriched her with lifetimes of additional thoughts and memories. She sustains herself through an arrangement with a healer for terminally-ill patients, who consent to donate their brains to her diet, and she is proud that their memories can live on through her.

Ambient chatter from Karlach as a Mind Flayer has her note that the reunion is a lovely occasion, but she'll soon get hungry. She expresses pity that mutton chops no longer interest or sustain her and reminds herself not to think about any of the local brains - lest she tempt herself.

If she went to Avernus, she will be excited to have discovered a lead on permanently fixing her soul engine: blueprints for one of Zariel's secret forges. Her ambient chatter in this ending has her comment on how good it smells on the surface.  

If she did not go to Avernus, she does not show up because she is dead. Shadowheart will lament the lack of her presence, and after conversing with Withers it is revealed that Karlach was not brought back because she did not want to return.

{{CharLink|Lae'zel}}'s behavior depends on the outcome of {{Quest|The Githyanki Warrior}}, whether she rejected or embraced {{CharLink|Vlaakith}}, whether or not {{CharLink|Orpheus}} is freed, and whether she flew back to the [[Astral Plane]] to wage war against Vlaakith or stayed in Faerûn.

Ambient chatter from Lae'zel as an Astral Projection has her relieved her projection is holding. She is glad to see Faerûn's skies again, having learned much during the adventure. She is especially pleased at the community and revelry happening on the eve of their victory.  

If the {{SmRarityItem|Githyanki Egg}} was left in Lae'zel's possession, she speaks of the young man born of it, named Xan, in the care of allies. If Lae'zel sides with Orpheus, he is currently staying with the mages of Xamvadi'm.  

If Lae'zel sides with Orpheus but stays in Faerun, she launches a crusade to slay every Vlaakith-aligned Githyanki outpost on the Sword Coast.

If Lae'zel remains loyal to Vlaakith and accepts Ascension, she will not be present in the epilogue. Withers will remark that githyanki Ascension is to be consumed by Vlaakith, and he cannot sense Lae'zel's presence.  

==== Minsc ====

{{CharLink|Minsc}}'s appearance and dialogue at the party depend on the outcome of {{Quest|Aid the Underduke}}. If he doesn't talk with {{CharLink|Nine-Fingers Keene}} or doesn't make peace with the Guild, he arrives looking worse for wear, decked in rags. Without knowing the gravity of his situation, he reveals that he has been kidnapped by the Zhentarim and was nearly about to be executed when Withers spirited him away for the party.

If he agreed to help the Guild as their "berserker lodge", Minsc appears well-dressed and accompanied by a halfling Guild member, {{CharLink|Happy Hoarson}}, who he was in the middle of terrorizing for looting corpses. Minsc commends the player character and their companions for being ideal heroic role models, the kind of people Happy should strive to be more like. He also says that he no longer sleeps in "that" sewer, instead having found a much nicer sewer to sleep in.

Ambient chatter from Minsc has him impressed with the quality of meat Withers provided, though neither he or Boo know where Withers sourced it. If he came with Happy, then Minsc also exclaims to Boo that Happy must be treated nicely if he is to reform.  

{{CharLink|Minthara}}'s appearance and behavior at the party don't have any major changes depending on story decisions. Ambient chatter from Minthara has her wryly suspect there have been other reunions to which she hasn't been invited, that all the heroes gathering together paints a target on the party for hostile attack, and that she is becoming accustomed to the taste of surface-grown plants.

When spoken to, Minthara bemoans the party's lack of extravagance and asks if the player character regrets their decision not to control the Absolute. She then reveals she's since returned to the Underdark, despite being an apostate of Lolth, and is gathering like-minded individuals to reclaim her family house and wage war on the Spider-Queen. When speaking to an Origin Shadowheart player character, her dialogue about controlling the Absolute is replaced with conversation about the outcome of {{Quest|Daughter of Darkness}} - for example, asking how Shadowheart's parents are faring if they are alive.

{{DiQ|Four dogs, eight cats, nine chickens, six pigeons, four sheep, a milk cow named Daphne, a squirrel who's far too clever for her own good, and a wolf cub I found orphaned in some woods.|Shadowheart| on her new pets}}

{{CharLink|Shadowheart}}'s behavior is determined by the outcome of {{Quest|Daughter of Darkness}}, whether she rejected or embraced {{CharLink|Shar}}, and whether her parents are alive or not. When the player character talks to Shadowheart for the first time, she will autonomously hug them (the only companion to do so) before commenting on the player character's improved physique.  

If she became the Mother Superior, she mentions how the rebuilding of Baldur's Gate is all consuming but has led to many new recruits.  

If she rejected Shar but euthanized her parents, she embarks on a life of adventuring and slaying Sharran assassins, telling of visiting the Temple of the Moon and befriending an [[imp]] named Bing-Bong; she says that she still feels her parents' presence in moonmotes and looks forward to reuniting with them when she dies.  

If she rejected Shar and saved her parents, she will have moved into a rustic cottage with her parents and an abundance of pets—one of which is an orphan wolf cub, revealing that she has overcome her lupophobia. If the player character gifts her the Armoured Owlbear in this ending, she can also be peer-pressured to either make room for him in her cow's barn or renovate her bedroom with him as her bunkmate.  

Talking to Shadowheart a second time in any ending where she rejected Shar has her share that she's been making hard ciders with apples of her own but that she's bored of doing it alone, and the player character can suggest she learns to juggle and/or starts a cider brewery. Talking to her a third time has her express her gratitude to Withers for watching over everyone's souls and keeping them alive for so long.  

Ambient chatter from Shadowheart in any ending has her pleased at the quality of wine Withers brought for the party, before promptly wondering why the party had to scavenge food from barrels and crates during their adventure when Withers could've fed them. She then recalls a night where fourteen apples, some fish heads, and stale bread were served for dinner.

{{CharLink|Wyll}}'s behavior is determined by the outcome of {{Quest|The Blade of Frontiers}}, whether he went to Avernus or stayed to become a Duke, and whether he remained a Warlock or escaped his contract.

Ambient chatter from Wyll has him enjoying the song, company, wine, and especially the fresh air. He wishes the night could last forever.

If freed of his contract, he becomes a [[Ranger]]. If he became the Blade of Avernus but Karlach chose to die, he arrives smelling of sulfur and dressed in spiky armor that he claims was made from the shattered bones of slain fiends. He will share that he has a lead on getting closer to claiming his revenge on Mizora.

If left to serve his contract, he reports that he still undertakes missions on Mizora's behalf, and that his next quest has him tasked to slay a certain very powerful devil, though he cannot say more.

If Wyll moves to Avernus with Karlach (and the player character if chosen), he notes how many cambions the two or three of them have slain and expresses his hope for Karlach to get her engine fixed and return to Faerûn for good. Asking about Mizora reveals that she's allowed him much more freedom as the Blade of Avernus, to his own surprise; he still mentions his next task of slaying a devil, but he's not afraid when the player character and Karlach have his back. He also shares about Duke Ravengard's efforts to rebuild the corrupted Flaming Fist and expresses that both he and his father are proud of each other.

If he vows to become a duke in the city, he arrives at the party in splendid finery and tells the player character of his acclimation to the political intrigue of Baldur's Gate.

If his personal quest was never completed, he remains the Blade of Frontiers and tells the player character about his recent exploits of slaying a dinosaur at Candlekeep, an "impossible lich," and a "whelp" of a dragon named Claugiyliamatar.

The {{CharLink|Owlbear Cub}}'s appearance and dialogue differ slightly depending on whether the player character completed {{Quest|The Hellion's Heart}} and kept {{CharLink|Dammon}} alive to upgrade him into an ally against the Netherbrain. If he became the fully grown [[Armoured Owlbear]] and survived the final battle, he shows up with the same appearance. He can be pet by the player character and told that they're glad he came, to which he becomes flustered. Asking what he's been up to with {{SAI|Speak with Animals}} active has him share that he befriended a turtle, a cat, and a kraken but killed the kraken after it ate the cat, while asking without it shows him attempt to mimic his fight with the kraken but be mistaken for dancing.

{{CharLink|Scratch}} appears very much his old self, but his petting dialogue option changes to ''"Pet your old friend Scratch"'' and he requests to play fetch with the {{SmRarityItem|Inert Astral Prism|Astral Prism}}. If the player character uses {{SAI|Speak with Animals}}, he shares that he moved to the city after the group parted ways and became best friends with a young girl named Mindy. The player character can tell Scratch they're glad he's doing well, and he responds that he believes they both always will.

{{CharLink|Happy Hoarson}} is a possible attendee brought to the party by Minsc. If spoken to, he expresses concern that Boo will kill him.

{{CharLink|Tara}} participates in the party in all endings, wanting to meet the heroes with whom Gale saved Baldur's Gate. If he ascended to godhood, she remarks about how much she hates the change and invites the player character to spend time with his mother so the latter can hear about her son from someone who knew who he '''was'''.

If Gale did not ascend to godhood, she invites the player character to come visit her and Gale and mentions that she'll send the invitation by pigeon, remarking that she once had a taste for them.

If the player character ruins the vibe by killing an attendee or attempting to eat someone's brain as a mind flayer, Withers will unceremoniously bounce them from the party by sucking them through a portal; this immediately ends the Epilogue and triggers the end credits. The player can also damage and kill Withers himself for the first and only time in the game, but he will simply reform and bounce the player anyway.