Volo

Volothamp Geddarm, or Volo, for short, is a Camp Follower in Baldur's Gate 3. He can be first found at the Sacred Pool during Act One, interviewing a bear. Volo is a recurring character in Forgotten Realms media and a returning character from Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal.

“

Our fates are bound, my wisdom vast, I dearly hope our kinship lasts!

„

— Volo's dedication written in Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate (Signed)

Overview

Volothamp Geddarm is a widely travelled wizard, most known for his guidebooks such as Volo's Guide to Monsters and Volo's Guide to Waterdeep. Elminster, an occasional fact checker and editor of his books - notably Volo's Guide to Monsters - has said he is prone to "exaggeration, misrepresentation, and flights of fancy".

Involvement

Act One

Volo is found at the Sacred Pool in the Emerald Grove. If interacting with him, he requests an interview on the recent goblin assault against the Grove. Telling him a false story results in the  A Very Tall Tale inspiration to characters with the  Entertainer background. He then departs for the Goblin Camp, intent on documenting goblin behaviour from the inside.

The party later finds Volo as a captive to the goblins, who force him to act as their jester and "entertainment". After faltering his performance, Volo is locked in a cage inside the Defiled Temple. If rescued, the party can invite him to their Campsite and the following inspiration is gained:

•  The Bard with Nine Lives ( Folk Hero background)
•  A Man of Many Talents ( Noble background)

If not freed before the conclusion of the Grove's quest line, Volo remains in the Goblin Camp awaiting rescue. If the goblins' drinks are poisoned before triggering Volo's cut scene, he is not imprisoned, but still awaits rescue.

If Volo is pickpocketed during his dialogue after opening the cage door, he does not drink a Potion of Invisibility. Instead, he stands still and initiates combat with any patrolling goblin who sees him. The party members are not forced into combat, even after Volo dies.

If Volo arrives at the party's campsite, he offers to remove the mind flayer tadpole from the player character's skull via a highly questionable eye surgery. Agreeing to his eye surgery ends in catastrophe, but the player character receives Volo's Ersatz Eye as compensation, granting a permanent enhancement. This offer is only available during Act One and Act Two. If accepting the surgery, Volo leaves afterwards.

At the conclusion of the Emerald Grove quest line, Volo attends the celebratory party regardless of which side the party aligned with. If the Grove was protected, he sings a song. If the Grove was attacked, he is kept in a cage (for his own protection) and asks the player character pointed questions as to how they justify slaughtering the refugees.

If the player character does not allow Volo to perform eye surgery, he remains in the camp until the end of Act Two. He does not have any new dialogue but can act as a vendor via the "Trade" button in the dialogue UI. Like other traders, his inventory continually refreshes with 5 Potions of Animal Speaking and various scrolls which roughly match the party's level, including up to Level 6 spells. Being caught pickpocketing Volo has no consequence besides him briefly fleeing and losing some opinion of the offending character.

Act Three

In Baldur's Gate, Volo can be found trapped in front of the Steel Watch Foundry near the Grey Harbour Docks, tied to a railcart loaded with Smokepowder Barrels and an angry mob ready to execute him. After rescuing and speaking with him, he appears again at camp and offers the book Regarding the Slayer.

Saving Volo again grants the inspiration  Saving a Fellow Tale-Spinner to party members with the  Charlatan background.

Companion approval

• Allowing Volo to perform his operation -  -1  -1  -1  -1

Combat

Attacks and abilities

Volo has no spell slots, but knows the following spells:

 Colour Spray ( + )

 Blind creatures up to a combined 33 Hit Points.

 Range: Self

AoE: 5 m / 17 ft (Cone)

 Grease ( + )

Cover the ground in flammable grease. It becomes Difficult Terrain and creatures within can fall  Prone.

DEX Save

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

 Magic Missile ( + )

Damage: 6~15

1d4 + 1Force

+ 1d4 + 1Force

+ 1d4 + 1Force

Create three darts of magical force, each dealing 1d4 + 1Force damage to its target.

The darts always hit their target, and can each be targeted individually.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

Speak with Dead

Volo can be spoken to with  Speak with Dead if he is killed during Act One:

Party member: Who are you?

• Volo: Volothamp... Geddarm. My mother's... son...

Party member: What were you doing here?

• Volo: Investigating... the Absolute. Goblins'... new god...
  • Party member: Who is the Absolute?
    • Volo: Unreal god... unheard of... spread like a plague...

Party member: Do you have anything of value?

• Volo: Quick mind... silver tongue...

Party member: Do you have any unfinished business?

• Volo: Manuscript. Story of... goblins... Absolute. Don't know... how it ends...
  • Party member: Who is the Absolute?
    • Volo: Unreal god... unheard of... spread like a plague...

Party member: Do you have any advice for me?

• Volo: Use your voice... always...

Party member: What was your greatest desire in life?

• Volo: To be heard...

Party member: What is it like to die?

• Volo: Transforming... glimmering...
  • Party member: 'Transforming'? 'Glimmering'? What do you mean?
    • Volo: The story... never told. The passing... beautiful...

Store

Corresponds to the DEN_Volo_Trade treasure table.

• Grease Bottle
• Potion of Animal Speaking
• Potion of Healing
• The Whispering Promise
• Thieves' Tools

Volo also sells items from the following treasure tables

• Poor Trader Table
• Scroll Table
• Common Music Instrument Subtable

In addition, he sells a random Scholar/Travel/Monster/Politics/Entertainment book.

Related literature

• Balthazar Personal Notes: 3
• Born to be Wild
• Dearest Elminster
• For the Attention of Volothamp Geddarm
• On Goblins: My Life Among the Conquering Host
• Volo's Complete Guide to the Behaviour of Nymphs
• Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate
• Volo's Guide to Baldur's Gate (Signed)
• Volo's Guide to Spirits and Spectres
• Volo's Note

Gallery

• 

  Volo's model.

• 

  Volo's appearance at the start of Early Access

• 

  Volo's appearance in Patch 5 and 6 of Early Access

• 

  Volo's appearance since Patch 7 of Early Access

Notes

• Volo is voiced by Stephen Hogan, replacing Rob Paulsen from previous games.
• Volo has appeared in multiple adventures, notably Tomb of Annihilation, Waterdeep: Dragon Heist and Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage, as well as several video games such as Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir, Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal.
• Volo met the protagonist of the previous Baldur's Gate games twice, and even got his hands on Irenicus' notes on torturing the protagonist (see Regarding the Slayer).
• If an Instrument is played near Volo, he joins in by whistling.
• If approached in his cell at the Goblin Camp, Volo always recognizes a character he spoke to previously at the Grove, even if  disguised. This may be intended and mean that he either has some form of Truesight capability or it is simply a scripting omission.
• In the Emerald Grove, Volo claims he never learned how to speak with animals, despite carrying and selling Potions of Animal Speaking.
• To get Volo's surgery and the enhancement on all four party members, the player character must first enter Turn-based mode, cast  Hold Person on Volo, then talk to him and let him perform the surgery. After finishing, Volo cannot immediately run away; other party members can then talk to him and also receive the surgery during their turn.^{[Needs Verification]}

See also

• List of references to previous Baldur's Gate games

External links

Volothamp Geddarm on the Forgotten Realms Wiki