Ulder Ravengard

Ulder Ravengard is a recurring character in the Forgotten Realms setting of Dungeons and Dragons, appearing in the 5e adventures: ⁠Murder in Baldur's Gate, ⁠The Rise of Tiamat, and ⁠Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus.

Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard is the human Supreme Marshall of the Flaming Fist and the father of  Wyll. His story stretches through all three acts of Baldur's Gate 3, and he can become a Camp Follower late in the game.

“

Courage. Insight. Strategy. Justice. Let these be the lights that guide you, my son.

„

— Ulder Ravengard, reciting his mantra to Wyll

Involvement

Act One

Ulder Ravengard is mentioned first during the quest ⁠Rescue the Grand Duke, upon arriving at Waukeen's Rest. He is suspected to be trapped inside the burning inn, but after rescuing  Counsellor Florrick, she reveals that the Grand Duke has been kidnapped.

Act Two

Duke Ravengard is infected

The party can learn he was taken to Moonrise Towers by the followers of the Absolute. In the Mind Flayer Colony underneath the Moonrise Towers there is an encounter with the Chosen Three -  Ketheric Thorm,  Orin the Red, and  Enver Gortash along with Ulder Ravengard. The Three infect Ravengard with a mind flayer tadpole and then whisk him away to Baldur's Gate.

Act Three

Wyrm's Rock Fortress

Duke Ravengard swears Gortash in as Archduke of Baldur's Gate.

Upon entering Wyrm's Rock Fortress to attend Gortash's coronation, Ravengard is there in the Audience Chamber and officiates Gortash's swearing in as Archduke of Baldur's Gate. Immediately after the ceremony, Ravengard can be spoken with. If stating Florrick sent the party, he replies that she is a black widow who betrayed the city, and was punished. Choosing to connect with Ravengard's parasite for information about Florrick reveals that she is imprisoned in Wyrm's Rock Prison and set to be executed, starting ⁠Free Counselor Florrick. Prodding Ravengard's mind further reveals his deep uncertainty and fear of an illithid invasion, indicating his mind has not yet been fully subjugated.

Once the coronation is complete,  Mizora appears and reveals that Duke Ravengard was already moved to another location to be disposed of. She refuses to elaborate further and tells the party to go to camp. After a Long Rest, Mizora appears before Wyll to present a new contract - an eternity of servitude for Zariel in exchange for rescuing the Duke. If Wyll signs the contract, she reveals that Duke Ravengard is in Gortash's underwater prison, the Iron Throne, and promises to keep him from harm. Otherwise, if Wyll breaks the contract, Mizora states that Duke Ravenguard is as good as dead, and she plans to stick around to see what happens.

If ignoring the coronation and moving to the Lower City, Duke Ravengard remains in the Audience Hall with Gortash until the ceremony is completed. If completing the ⁠Disable the Steel Watch without attending the coronation, the entirety of Wyrm's Rock Fortress becomes hostile, including Duke Ravengard. Clearing the Iron Throne before the coronation causes the coronation attendants to become hostile, even if the Steel Watch is not fully disabled.

To ensure the Duke can be rescued and found in his intended location, it is advisable to attend the coronation, speak to Mizora, and then take a long rest.

The Iron Throne

After the previous events, Duke Ravengard is moved to the Iron Throne, dead or alive. The party can find the Iron Throne by exploring the Lower City, or being led there as part of the quests ⁠Disable the Steel Watch, ⁠Save the Gondians, ⁠Avenge the Ironhands, or ⁠Avenge the Drowned.

Duke Ravengard is in the block of cells directly east from the ladder to the submersible. Normally, he is in the middle cell, alive, and with only 35 HP. He also has the  Fiendish Obeisance status, unless Wyll is not recruited to the party. Upon opening the door to Duke Ravengaard's cell, he becomes a controllable character. However, once he leaves the cell, if Wyll has broken his pact with Mizora, she appears and summons multiple  Combustion Belly Spiderlings to kill the Duke. She orders him to kneel while the spiderlings explode on their turn. The Duke can be saved by healing him (e.g, via  Healing Word, throwing healing potions, or other tactics) or through spells such as  Dimension Door or  Arcane Gate.

If Mizora and her witnesses  Cirrus and  Feena are not first spoken with at camp, the Duke is found dead. After escaping the Iron Throne, the party can make a deal with Mizora to resurrect the duke in exchange for renewing Wyll's pact, or reject the deal in order to break it. The availability of this option depends on Wyll's status and earlier choices.

If saved, Duke Ravengard stays at camp under the protection of the  Astral Prism. If Wyll is with the party, the pair can reconcile, and Ravengard asks the party to seek out  Ansur, Baldur's Gate's guardian dragon who sleeps under the city. If  Wyll is killed (e.g., as a result of an altercation with  Karlach during Act One), this detail is NOT shared with Ravengard when sharing the player character's memory via  The Emperor.

Related literature

•  A Father's Diary
•  Detainee Census
•  Flaming Fist History
•  Florrick's Demotion Notice
•  Hostage Census
•  Letter from Ravengard
•  Letter from Ulder Ravengard
•  Orders from Duke Ravengard
•  Patriars Journal
•  SPECIAL ORDER
•  The Dukes of Baldur's Gate
•  U. R. : For the Absolute's Glory
•  Urgent Report for Duke Ravengard

Related quests

• ⁠Rescue the Grand Duke
• ⁠The Blade of Frontiers
• ⁠The Grand Duke

Combat

Actions and abilities

 Commander's Strike ( + + )

Direct an ally to strike a foe. The ally uses a reaction on their next turn to make a  weapon attack.

 Range: 9 m / 30 ft

 Fire Shield ( + )

Wreathe your body in flames that shed light in a 3 m / 10 ft radius, provide Resistance to Fire or Cold damage, and retaliate against melee attacks.

 Range: Self

 Lacerate ()

Damage:

Normal weapon damage

Slash at your target's vital points to make it  Bleed.

Undead and Constructs can't Bleed.

 CON Save

 Range: Normal weapon range

 Recharge: Short rest

 Pommel Strike ()

Damage: 1~4

1d4⁠Bludgeoning

Make a non-lethal attack against an enemy and possibly  Daze them.

 CON Save

 Melee: 1.5 m / 5 ft

 Recharge: Short rest

 Rush Attack ()

Damage: 6~9

1d4 + 5⁠Piercing

Charge forward and attack the first enemy in your way, possibly pushing them  Off Balance.

 STR Save

 Range: 9 m / 30 ft

 Recharge: Short rest

Loot

•  Duke Ravengard's Longsword
•  Emblazoned Plate of the Marshal
•  Metal Shield

Speak with Dead

The questions below highly depend on the current situation.

• How did the Absolute's cult capture you?

  • Duke Ulder Ravengard

    Attack on Waukeen's Rest... dragged to Moonrise...

    • Why were you at Waukeen's Rest?

      • Duke Ulder Ravengard

        Return to Baldur's Gate... awaken the wyrm... drive the Absolute from the city...

• Is there any way to defeat the Absolute?

  • Duke Ulder Ravengard

    Awaken the wyrm... drive the Absolute from the city...

    • Awaken the wyrm? What wyrm do you mean?

      • Duke Ulder Ravengard

        Under the city... draconic protector...

• How do I find the wyrm beneath the city?

  • Duke Ulder Ravengard

    Hidden entrance... Wyrm's Rock Prison... spark the torches...

• Where can I find Counsellor Florrick?

  • Duke Ulder Ravengard

    Wyrm's Rock Prison... awaiting execution...

• Where can I find the elder brain?

  • Duke Ulder Ravengard

    The Morphic Pool... beneath Baldur's Gate...

• How do I get to the Morphic Pool?

  • Narrator

    *The corpse remains silent. It does not know.*

• Wyll

  Father. Can you ever forgive me? (Wyll Origin only)

  • Narrator

    *The Grand Duke's corpse is silent. Perhaps it can't offer forgiveness. Perhaps it won't.*

Gallery

• 
  Ravengard's model.

Notes

• Datamining suggests that there was a point in development when Ulder Ravengard could be rescued during Act Two. See Dialogs/Act2/Haven/HAV_Ravengard and Dialogs/Act2/MoonriseTowers/HAV_Minthara

Related links

⁠Ulder Ravengard on the Forgotten Realms Wiki