Tarquin

Tarquin is a necromancer from Divinity: Original Sin 2 who, through unknown means, made his way to Faerûn. While he does not appear in Baldur's Gate 3 directly, he did interact with characters and places the party can encounter.

“

The Gods merely feed upon our achievements like carrion birds.

„

— Tarquin

Involvement

Baldur's Gate 3

Correspondence between  Lenore De Hurst and  Lorroakan describes an encounter with Tarquin which may have been his arrival on Toril:

“

I swear it to be true, Lorroakan. I was on the very cusp of joining my fellow Mystrans for the ritual, when, CRASH! Right on top of me fell a gangle of tousled hair and magic most strange. Just then, something happened I can hardly describe, so foreign was the Weave - no, not Weave at all! - that ensnared me. This fellow - I didn't quite catch his name (something with a T and Q... Tuqueen?) - created some manner of anomaly that temporarily trapped me twixt our world and who-knows-where. Tell me, have you ever heard of such a thing?

„

— A Query from DeHurst

He visited the ⁠House of Grief under the pseudonym Marco Creenn, and undertook the Mapping of the Heart, resulting in the following entry in the Client List:

“

Marco Creenn (possible false name) - curious sort, not local, by accent. Black hair, pale complexion - prying heart. Paid in full with unknown gold currency and was referred for Unburdening, but fled.

Note: Mother V has ordered we seek out this 'Marco Creenn' if possible; during his Mapping, she detected thoughts and memories of strange lands and unfamiliar people. Fixated on a sword - or possibly zord(?) Mother V's interest was piqued - she wants that mind.

Update: The trail has gone cold. It is as if he vanished entirely.

„

— Client List

Divinity: Original Sin 2

Somewhat uniquely, Tarquin is a double Easter Egg. In Divinity: Original Sin 2's post-game, his dialogue foreshadows Baldur's Gate 3, which was then in development, and lends credence to the idea that the above references are not only allusions to Tarquin, but that he also succeeded in traveling to Faerûn:

“

How does one top the greatest feat of necromancy ever conceived? I might have the answer to that... tell me, have you ever heard of Gustavchen? No, of course you wouldn't. It's a written language, unreadable to most... but myself, naturally. It comes from a mysterious race from another world - beings that feed on minds. I intend to seek them out. This Gustavchen seems to guard portals to their realm. And once I've uncovered one, well... why settle for being the greatest mind in just one world, when there's another for the taking?

„

— Tarquin

Biography

“

Take the story of Tarquin, for example, According to his old tutors (who can be quite talkative after their second glass of Dragon’s Brew ale), Tarquin was one of the brightest pupils to enter the Guilds for generations. He came from a poor background, beset by ill-health, and was, in academic achievement, utterly incredible. He seemed to be self-educated, but he still gained entry by passing an examination normally reserved for senior tutors. It was assumed that he was destined for great things, to say the least. While he excelled in his studies, he did develop something of a reputation for overstepping boundaries. He was caught on multiple nights breaking into the guild halls to conduct experiments that he himself had designed. Only his formidable academic prowess saved him from expulsion. Emboldened, he delved further, exploring more perverse realms of science and magic. He was finally banished from the Guild when it was discovered he was trying to summon demonic entities and regenerate dead flesh. Dabbling in such profane arts would usually see the culprit cast into a dungeon. Instead, perhaps as one last gesture of respect towards his skills, Tarquin was allowed to leave. As the doors slammed shut behind him, he was warned never to darken the halls of academia again. Indeed, it seems this young man revelled in squandering his promise, and continued to meddle with forbidden knowledge. My research into him has unearthed reports of blood magic and necromancy from several local authorities across Rivellon. One Magister arrested him for ‘deviant interference in the local graveyard’. The interrogation that followed was documented in detail, giving a glimpse into the mind of a tragic young man overcome by dark ambitions and heretical thoughts: ‘Do you not see that all things of worth in this world are the works of mortals? The Gods merely feed upon our achievements like carrion birds. All they have is this promise of a so-called afterlife. Once I rid the world of death, those charlatans won’t have anything to use against us.’ Soon after those words were recorded, Tarquin escaped custody under most unusual circumstances. What has come of him since is not known. So let this sorry tale stand as a warning to all: even Rivellon’s best and brightest are vulnerable to corruption.

„

— Divinity: Original Sin 2 Lorebook

External Links

• ⁠Marco Creenn on the Forgotten Realms Wiki
• Tarquin - Divinity Fandom Wiki
• Tarquin - Divinity Fextralife Wiki