Editing Withers

{{PageSeo
| description = Withers is a mysterious undead entity. He offers resurrection services to the party and can allow characters to respec their character builds.
| image = Withers-face.png
}}
{{SpoilerWarning}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Withers
| image = Withers-face.png
| voice = Stephen Boxer
| faction = [[Jergal|Church of Jergal]]
| role = [[Camp follower]]
| race = Skeleton

| modules =
{{Infobox statistics
| child = yes
| size = Medium
| type = Undead
| armour_class = 10
| hit_points = 1

| movement_speed_meters = 9
| movement_speed_feet = 30
| weight_kg = 50
| weight_lb = 100
| hiddenlevel = 1
| str = 10
| dex = 10
| con = 10
| int = 10
| wis = 18
| cha = 10
| wis_save_proficiency = Proficient
| feature1_name = Immune To Control Undead
| feature1_description = Cannot be magically controlled by others. 
| feature2_name = Opportunity Attack
| feature2_description = Automatically attack an enemy moving out of your reach.
}}
}}
'''Withers''' is a mysterious [[undead]] entity that joins the player on their adventures as a [[camp follower]]. He calls himself ''"a scribe, a seneschal - a keeper of records"'', and offers resurrection services to the party, allows characters to change or reset their class and provides the services of [[hireling]]s.

{{Q|What is the worth of a single mortal's life?|Withers}}
{{TOC|limit=3}}

==Overview==
===Background===
Withers is a camp companion who offers his various services to the party. Secretive, but wise and ever helpful, he can be found in the [[Dank Crypt]] in [[Act 1]] and remains with the party throughout the game.

===Gameplay===
*Withers is an [[Undead]] creature whose level scales with that of the party.
*He can be encountered in Act 1 and remains with the party throughout the game.
*He cannot be damaged nor killed.
*He is the only means of changing class in the game.

===Quests===
* [[Explore the Ruins]]

==Description==
===Appearance===
Withers has pale-brown, desiccated skin splotched with red spots. Strikingly, he lacks a nose but retains his other facial features. His outfit is tattered by the passage of time, and he wears bandages around his arms and chest. Despite his looks, his face, arms and parts of his collarbone are adorned with elaborate gilded strips of metal, giving him a regal look.

===Personality===
Though he may seem cryptic at times, Withers seems genuinely invested in the party's success against the [[Absolute]] and not only offers his services to aid them, but also provides information and guidance, in his own mysterious way. He is very matter-of-fact when spoken to, especially when it comes to gods and divinity, but he's never rude. He respects those with the courage to stand up to fate and take destiny into their hands, such as [[The Dark Urge]] when rejecting [[Bhaal]] for good.

At times, he also shows a kindness rarely seen as is the case with [[Arabella]] should she join the party as a camp follower. Withers soothes her after she finds her parents are dead, and will gently guide her in her journey of understanding of the Weave. He also organised the gathering after the events of the game simply for the enjoyment of the companions, and rescued [[Milil]] from the Fugue Plane he was trapped in, even if it only was to provide music and entertainment. Furthermore, he seems to enjoy more mundane activities as evidenced by his multiple luncheons with [[Tara]] and [[Gale|Gale's]] mother.

In the epilogue, Withers can be seen speaking to the mural of the [[Dead Three]] not only with a familiar tone, but also with great disdain, dismissing them as fools and vermin. Whatever his relation to them, he has no apparent respect for them, showing a more vicious side of him.

==Services==
* Withers will resurrect dead [[Companions|companions]] for a 200 [[Gold|gold]] fee per resurrection.
* He offers the service of [[Hireling|hirelings]], recruitable characters that can be added to aid your party who, unlike regular companions, do not have related quests or interactions.
* He is able to resurrect hirelings for 100 gold per resurrection.
* Withers can also change the class of a character for 100 gold, setting them back to level 1 and allowing them to change their class, subclass, spells, ability scores, etc.
**Characters cannot change their race, appearance, origin, or background.
**[[Paladin|Paladins]] who have broken their oaths cannot access this class change; they must retake their vows first through the [[Oathbreaker Knight]].
*Though not directly through him, his [[Magic Mirror]] can be used to change the appearance of non-origin characters.

==History==
Little is known about Withers' history prior to the game. 

Whoever he was, he was important enough to be laid to rest in a richly adorned sarcophagus, alongside attendants to take care of the temple that serves as his resting place. Paladins and clerics feel a divine energy coming from him, and whoever he was in life, he seems to have a deep understanding of gods and their nature.

== Involvement ==
===Act One===
Withers is first encountered in the [[Dank Crypt]] - an ancient temple of Jergal. He can be found resting inside a sarcophagus within the hidden room. Once freed, he will ask the party a cryptic question and then leave.

Later, Withers will appear at the [[Campsite|campsite]] and join as a [[Camp Follower|camp follower]]. If the player reaches the courtyard of the goblin camp, or progresses far enough without completing [[Explore the Ruins]] and meeting him in the crypt, this will still happen. If the player then visits the crypt, they'll still be able to complete the aforementioned quest, but the sarcophagus will be empty.

===Act Two===
Withers can be found in [[Moonrise Towers]] after defeating [[Ketheric Thorm]], where he will ask the party whether they think [[Illithid|illithids]] possess souls or not. Regardless of the answer, Withers will affirm that they do not, and he ponders why the [[Dead Three]] would amass an army of soulless beings when souls are what gods need to imbue them with power.

===Act Three===
If the player is playing as [[The Dark Urge]] and refuses to become the Chosen of [[Bhaal]] after killing [[Orin]], Bhaal will seemingly kill the player character. However, in the final moment, Withers will appear and tell the player that while Bhaal could destroy his own spawn, he could not destroy the new self that the character had become by resisting the Dark Urge. He pronounces the player character redeemed and free of Bhaal's influence and brings them back to life.

Withers can be found among the allies and companions gathered in [[High Hall]] for the final battle against the [[Netherbrain]]. He will offer his services as always, as well as offer some words of encouragement for the fight ahead.

===Epilogue===
Six months after the events of the game, Withers extends an invitation to all companions, gathering them all at the campsite that served as home for many days for a celebratory party. For this, he has prepared food and beverage, a fact many companions remark upon with surprise, as well as summon [[Milil]], a former god trapped in the Fugue Plane, to provide music and entertainment. After mingling with the guests, he can be spoken to and he will offer a toast to the heroes of Baldur's Gate, telling them that there may yet be a time where they are called to action once more.

[[Tara]], Gale's tressym, that reveals that Withers has regularly joined her and Mrs. Dekarios for luncheons on numerous occasions in the past six months.

In the after credits scene, Withers is seen talking to a mural of the Dead Three disappointed in their actions and telling them that he overestimated them.

==Identity==
Though the game never explicitly states it, it heavily implies Withers is actually [[Jergal]], the erstwhile ''"Lord of the End of Everything"'', a powerful god who willingly gave up part of his divine portfolio to three evil adventurers who would then become the [[Dead Three]]. Jergal would henceforth carry out his duty as a bookkeeper of the dead.

===In-game information===
* He is initially found in a crypt that, through exploration and a successful [[Religion]] check, is confirmed to be a shrine of Jergal
* The undead spellcasters are designated as scribes, and Jergal is also known as ''"the Final Scribe"''
* The ''[[Book of Dead Gods]]'' can be found nearby, containing a clear reference to the Dead Three
* In the [[Ancient Mausoleum]], a [[Crumbling Journal]] can be found, detailing the encounter of a mortal with Jergal
** Jergal's physical appearance is described as ''masked in gold, his skin fine and worn as parchment''
** Jergal asks the mortal ''"What is the worth of a single mortal's life?"'' much like Withers when freed from his sarcophagus
* Paladins and clerics can feel divine energy from Withers: ''"He has a divine aspect, yes. A reflection of death itself. Eternal and inescapable."''
**If asked whether he's a god's Chosen he will refuse to answer questions in that regard
* When spoken to by a new companion, Withers will remark ''"Ah, another. Thy name has been recorded."'' alluding to his title as ''"the Final Scribe"''
** Likewise, when requested to resurrect a companion, he will say ''"I strike thy name from the archives"''
* Clerics of Kelemvor may sense something familiar in him, prompting Withers to reply ''"Thou walk with death, child of Kelemvor. That is enough for an understanding between us"'' and ''"No, although Kelemvor chose wise to bless one such as yourself"'' when asked about it.
* In the epilogue, Withers speaks to the Dead Three mural in a manner that indicates he's very familiar with them, hinting at the story of how Jergal abdicated his position in the pantheon and gave his powers to them.
* In Withers' post-epilogue party players can find Milil, a god of song, poetry and inspiration, performing as entertainment.  When spoken to, Milil explains that Withers saved him from being trapped in the Fugue Plane by Cyric.  He also states that he always performs at Withers' parties and is glad to do so, showing that Withers' powers effect even gods, all but confirming that Withers is Jergal.
** This is further shown if the player attacks another character at the party.  Withers approaches and reprimands them for it, opens a portal to the Fugue Plane and easily hurls the player character into it, ending the playthrough.  This happens with all player avatars, even ones such as a Mind Flayer or Gale who successfully became the God of Ambition.

===Outside information===
* Withers' official concept art refers to him as Jergal
* Datamined content confirms that Withers is Jergal, compelled by Helm to assist the players as penance{{ref|Chubblot (2020). ''[https://old.reddit.com/r/BaldursGate3/comments/jj3zto/spoilersdatamining_chubblots_datamining_thread/ Chubblot's Datamining Thread]''. Reddit.<br>''"After the party has slain a group of undead scholars, the judge of death--Jergal--climbs out of his sarcophagus to greet them. He has been locked inside for years by the god Helm to atone for his part in raising the Dead Three, wicked gods who are now plotting to conquer the realms. Jergal is emotionless and excessively formal, both resigned to his fate and that of others. He is here to assist the party because that is his divine oath, not out of any true desire to act. Players can attempt to goad or attack him, but to minimal effect, as he is functionally immortal. His only goal was to see their faces, so he can find them at camp later to offer further assistance."''}}{{ref|Chubblot (2020). ''[https://old.reddit.com/r/BaldursGate3/comments/jj3zto/spoilersdatamining_chubblots_datamining_thread/ Chubblot's Datamining Thread]''. Reddit.<br>''"Jergal, a god of the dead, awaits the player in camp. He is bound by the judgment of another god - Helm - to assist the players as penance for past crimes. He provides resurrection services to the players."''}}
* Internal game files refer to him as "JergalAvatar"

==Combat==
Withers cannot be damaged and is functionally invincible{{Bug}}, and will never engage in battle if provoked.

===Loot===
Withers cannot be killed and looted. 

== Achievements ==
{{Achievement|Outsourcing}}

==Gallery==
<gallery heights="200px" mode="packed">
Withers.webp|Appearance during Early Access.
Jane-katsubo-jergal-char.jpg|Official concept art by Jane Katsubo.
Withers Jergal Concept.png|Concept art from the Digital Artbook.
Party withers.png|Withers as featured in [https://baldursgate3.game/news/community-update-24-looking-to-the-future_88 Community update #24].
Withers Model.png|Withers' in-game model.
</gallery>

== Notes ==
* Withers puts the gold he receives for his services into a pickpocketable inventory, so players may steal back any money paid. Withers will not react to failed pickpocketing, allowing unlimited attempts.
* In Early Access he was initially called The Hooded Skeleton even though he had no visible hood. He was later renamed to Talkative Skeleton, and finally Withers. 
* If you speak with a hireling, it is revealed Withers is in fact controlling them remotely. In a sense, this makes Withers indirectly a companion as well.
* There is never a point where Withers actually tells you his name is Withers, this information is conveyed to the player purely via the subtitles. It is unclear how the characters themselves learn this.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bugs==
* As of Hotfix 21, there is a bug where Withers can be killed in camp during Act 3 by a [[partial-illithid]] character, via repeatedly using an [[Intelligence]] [[Cantrip]] (or other [[Spells]]) to trigger [[Ability Drain]] to bring Withers' INT to 1, and then using [[Devour Intellect]]. Withers only drops a regular [[Quarterstaff]].
[[Category:Bugs]]

== External links ==
* {{FRWiki|Withers|long}}


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[[Category: Skeletons]]
[[Category: Undead]]