Dead Three

The Mural

The Dead Three are a trio of evil death-themed deities: Bane, the God of Tyranny, Bhaal, the God of Murder and Myrkul, the God of Death. They earned their monicker after all three gods were slain during the period known as the Time of Troubles. Despite their deaths, the Dead Three eventually manage to return to life.

Once judged, ascended, then vanquished as one and as three.

— Withers

Lore

Ascension

Before they were gods, the Three were once mortal men who dreamed of godhood. They set out into the world amassing power and defeating all who opposed them. Once they had gathered enough power, the Three set their sights on Jergal, the ancient God of Death whose power they coveted the most. They stormed Jergal's realm and confronted him at his throne. However, they were taken aback by Jergal's willingness to step aside as the Lord of the End had grown tired of his power and station. Jergal proposed a game of chance to the three so they could divide his power amongst themselves wihout killing each other for it.

Bane was the ultimate winner of the game and chose Tyranny, Strife and Hatred. Myrkul came in second place and chose to rule the Dead and Jergal became his steward. Bhaal was the loser of the game, so Murder and Death was given to him. The Three had achieved their goal and ascended as gods and went unto Faerûn to spread their new faith and dominions.

Time of Troubles

Despite their ascension, Bane and Myrkul still wished for more power and the two stole the Tablets of Fate from the overgod Ao with the belief that the Overgod's power was tied to the Tablets. When Ao noticed the theft, he summoned all the gods and demanded that the tablets be returned by the thieves but no one stepped foward. Tired of their constant power plays and negligence of their duties, Ao banished all the gods except the god Helm (who was commanded to guard the gates of Heaven) to the mortal world and forbade entry into the Divine realms until the Tablets were return.

It was during this time that the Three met their demise. Bane died during a titanic battle against the god Torm, Myrkul was slain by the Chosen of Mystra; Midnight, who later became Mystra after her predecessor was slain by Helm for trying to enter the heavens without the tablets. And Bhaal was slain by the mortal Cyric wielding the sword Godsbane (an avatar of the god Mask). After these events the three were given the name Dead Three and the mortal Cyric ascended as a god, gaining all of the Dead Three's divine portfolios and worshippers for a time.

Return

Before their demise in the Time of Troubles, the Dead Three had prepared contingencies in case they were killed. The most infamous of these was Bhaal's, who foresaw his own death and begat progeny; the Bhaalspawn with each child having a small portion of his divine essence, their purpose was for all Bhaalspawn to die so that Bhaal could be reborn. Bane's was not so dissimilar from Bhaal's, as he had sired a half-demon son named Iyachtu Xvim (who later reclaimed his father's domains of tyranny, hatred and strife from Cyric) and Myrkul imbued an artifact known as the Crown of Bones with a portion of his power. The first of the Dead Three to return was Bane, who consumed his half-demon son and reclaimed his divinity. The second was Bhaal, who was resurrected after the last two remaining Bhaalspawn perished and reclaimed his domain of Murder from Cyric. Myrkul was the last, as he was resurrected during the Second Sundering along with many previously dead deities as the God of Death, but was forced to serve his hated rival and Cyric's successor Kelemvor the current Lord of the Dead.

The Second Sundering saw a change in how Gods interacted with the mortal world. The Dead Three decided to stay on the mortal world as quasi-deities, the lowest rank in the divine hierarchy as they wished to continue to spread their influence to the mortals.

Chapter One

Spoiler warning! This section reveals details about the story of Baldur's Gate 3.

• Passing the Investigation check for the Book of Dead Gods references the Dead Three.
• The Brand of the Absolute bears a striking resemblance to their symbols: the black hand of Bane, the skull of Bhaal, and the triangle-inset skull of Myrkul.

Chapter Two

Spoiler warning! This section reveals details about the story of Baldur's Gate 3.

• Chapter Two reveals that the Dead Three are behind The Absolute and its cult. The Chosen of the Absolute are in truth the Dead Three's Chosen, who control The Netherbrain; a powerful Illithid Elder Brain using the Crown of Karsus with the Netherstones. Their chosen are as follow:
  • Lord Enver Gortash is the Chosen of Bane
  • Orin the Red is the Chosen of Bhaal
  • Ketheric Thorm is the Chosen of Myrkul
• The Chosen summon the Elder Brain invoking their patrons's names when using their Netherstones: The Edict of Bane, the Lash of Bhaal and the Testament of Myrkul.
• During the conversation with Ketheric Thorm, he will reveal that he became Myrkul's chosen after Myrkul resurrected his daughter Isobel.
• If defeated in battle or passing a Persuasion check, Ketheric Thorm will sacrifice himself and Myrkul summons the Apostle of Myrkul.
• The Dream Visitor will talk to the Party after Ketheric's Netherstone is recovered and will give information on who the Dead Three are.
• Withers will appear in Moonrise Towers after leaving the Mind Flayer Colony wishing to speak to the Party. Talking to him will show that he is bewildered by the Dead Three's actions of building an army of Illithids, as mind flayers are devoid of souls that could empower them.
• The Party can tell Withers that he seems to know a lot about the Dead Three which he concurs and gives a brief but cryptic summary of their rise and fall.

Chapter Three

Spoiler warning! This section reveals details about the story of Baldur's Gate 3.

In the post-credit scene, Withers talks to a mural of the Dead Three and chides them for their plot with the Mind Flayers:

There thou art. The Dead Three. Thy faces, gods. Thy actions barely worthy of the name. Didst truly believe thy ploy would succeed? Didst believe I would not notice? Thou sought to bolster thy strength by taking away the souls of mortals. But souls vanish when their hosts become mind flayers. Didst think the other gods would not notice? Gods thou may be, yet thou hast proven thyselves fools, every one. The supplication of Bane. The whimper of Bhaal. The dead mewl of Myrkul. Felled by mortals. I overestimated thee. They did not. Vermin, away. Thou wilt trouble us no more.

— Withers

Notes and Trivia

• All three members of the Dead Three were available as deity options for Cleric in Early Access but were cut in the full release of the game.

External Links

• Dead Three on the Forgotten Realms Wiki