The Dark Urge (Origin)

This article is about the Dark Urge as an origin character. For the appearance of the Dark Urge in the game, if another origin is chosen by the player, see Fallen Bhaalspawn.

The Dark Urge (Origin)

Fallen Bhaalspawn

The Dark Urge is a special origin in Baldur's Gate 3. It can be customised to any race, class, and gender, and will not be part of player's party if they use any other origin character.

“	My rancid blood whispers to me: kill, kill, and kill again. My ruined body yearns to reap death in this world, and when this foul Urge calls, it possesses my whole being. Injured beyond repair, I know nothing besides this: I must resist the Dark Urge, lest it consume my mind. I must discover who I was, and what happened to me. Before my twitching knife-hand writes a tragedy in blood.	„
	— The Dark Urge, fearing their dark desires in their Introduction cinematic

Overview

The Dark Urge origin adds new interactions, quests and opportunities for that character, and can be played as good, evil, or anything in-between.

Description

The Dark Urge suffers from amnesia and therefore does not know anything about their past. Prior to their amnesia, the Dark Urge was a much more cold and calculated individual than their bloodkin,  Orin the Red. They believed in killing for killing's sake, preferring practical and simple methods over flair and grace, and took issue with extravagant or needlessly creative killings. They were deeply loyal to Bhaal and rarely disobeyed him.

Background

“

The heart of a Bhaalspawn is a flipped coin that lands on its edge.
Yours is a family set upon self-slaughter.

„

— Volo, speaking to the player character on their dark inheritance

Early life

The Dark Urge is a Bhaalspawn, but unlike other Bhaalspawn, they were not born –  Bhaal created them from a piece of his dead flesh. They are the only Bhaalspawn who had the guarantee of murder, the Urge, woven into their blood.

The Dark Urge grew up outside the Cult of Bhaal, and was at some point taken in by a poor couple in Baldur's Gate. They had a relatively peaceful childhood for a time, before succumbing to the Urge and murdering their loved ones and foster parents.

The plan

Eventually, the Dark Urge became the leader of the Cult of Bhaal, and pledged to end all life in existence for their father Bhaal. At some point, Orin the Red joined and became their second-in-command.

 Enver Gortash contacted the Dark Urge after reestablishing worship of  Bane, and the two formed an alliance upon discovering common goals. They were visited in their dreams by Bhaal and Bane, who named them their Chosen and commanded them to ally with  Ketheric Thorm, the Chosen of  Myrkul. Gortash and the Dark Urge hatched a plan to steal the Crown of Karsus in a heist at Mephistopheles' Vault by having  Helsik open a gate to Mephistar for them.

After the heist was successful, Gortash suggested that they use the Crown on the elder brain located in the illithid colony below Moonrise Towers. The Dark Urge agreed to the plan so that they could fulfil their pledge to their Lord: They would create an army of soulless mind flayers, and with the help of this army they would exterminate all life — including, as the last being alive, their own. Fully intent on eventually betraying the other Chosen, the Dark Urge joined Enver Gortash and Ketheric Thorm at Moonrise Towers.

Betrayal

At Moonrise Towers, the Dark Urge was treated like a god, and although nobody knew their name or rank, they were shown the utmost respect. The three Chosen initiated a raid on the mind flayer colony, and successfully used the Crown on the colony's elder brain, enslaving it to their will. At some point during this, the elder brain came to respect the Dark Urge and intended to go along with their plan, impressed by their unmatched cruelty.

After the Dark Urge put the Crown on the elder brain, they were soon betrayed by their "sister" Orin the Red, who was jealous of Bhaal's favouritism. Orin pierced and opened the Dark Urge's skull with a dagger, and infected them with a tadpole which began to eat their liquidating brain, resulting in their amnesia, as well as them becoming the first True Soul.

The Dark Urge was found by  Kressa Bonedaughter who, impressed with their willpower and resistance to the elder brain's influence, began to study them. She cut them open and put them back together repeatedly over the course of several days in the Mind Flayer Colony, during which the Dark Urge was unable to speak or do anything but attempt to inflict violence on themselves or others.

Noticing his wife's obsession and hoping to snap her out of it, Kressa's husband,  Maghtew Budj, arranged for the broken and amnesiac Dark Urge to be sent off on the Nautiloid Ship, where they would soon wake up with no memories of themselves, or of their past.

Past relationships

The Absolute

The Absolute, an Illithid Elder Brain evolved into a  Netherbrain from the power of the Crown of Karsus, actually had a positive relationship with the Dark Urge before they were betrayed. The Dark Urge was the one who placed the Crown on the brain's head, and as such it revered them for giving it so much power. The brain especially respected the Dark Urge for the calculated cruelty of their plan to kill all living beings. It intended to follow the plan and let the Dark Urge control the army it would amass. When the Dark Urge disappeared, the brain felt like it was abandoned as a slave to the other Chosen. The Chosen fought like children without the Dark Urge's presence, so the brain changed its plan which would eventually lead to its freedom.

Bhaal and his Temple

The Dark Urge commanded great respect, admiration, and devotion from the devotees at the Temple of Bhaal in Baldur's Gate. They inspired them with their sheer ruthlessness, staggering amount of victims, and the intelligence of their schemes and planning.

 Bhaal himself loved the Dark Urge the most of all his children as he had personally handcrafted the Dark Urge's body from his own flesh, and filled them with blood directly from his body, thus making them the perfect child in his eyes. This also stands in contrast to the other Bhaalspawn who were born from myriad dalliances with mortal women of various races during the  Time of Troubles. As such, the Dark Urge is considered a pureblood Bhaalspawn. Bhaal's uncharacteristic level of love and concern for the Dark Urge is shown in the amount of attention that they receive from Bhaal, even after losing their memories. Most chaotic evil gods (including Bhaal) would discard a Chosen if they were no longer useful, such as Myrkul did with Ketheric after his defeat, but Bhaal went to great lengths to restore the Dark Urge to their former place, and made sure to guide and reward them until they returned to the Temple.

Enver Gortash

 Enver Gortash and the Dark Urge had a close relationship, and Gortash considered the two of them to be friends. Gortash thought of the Dark Urge as his favourite Bhaalspawn and assassin, regarding them as one of his "nearest and dearest". He respected the Dark Urge's cold-bloodedness and the slaughter they brought, as well as the mastery and control they had over their urges. Gortash actually liked the Dark Urge while he only tolerated Orin. The Dark Urge for their part always liked Gortash as well, admiring his genius and the brilliance of his plans. Nonetheless, they did intend to betray him in the end when they would kill the world for Bhaal.

The two met when Gortash contacted the Dark Urge following his establishment of the cult of Bane. Gortash informed the Dark Urge that some of their ancestral torture racks and the bones of one of their relatives were displayed in the  Hall of Wonders. The Dark Urge and Gortash teamed up to recover these artefacts, which eventually led to them forming an alliance when they discovered they had common goals. They shared coded correspondence with each other as they discussed the failures of previous Banites and Bhaalists and how they might avoid them. Gortash and the Dark Urge came up with the Absolute plot and worked together to steal the Crown of Karsus from Mephistopheles.

When Orin betrayed the Dark Urge, Gortash was unaware of what had happened, only knowing what Orin had told him of the situation and that she had made a fool of the Dark Urge. Gortash was unable to interfere as they had agreed not to meddle in each other's affairs. When he reunites with the Dark Urge right before his coronation, Gortash is relieved to see them again and happily reminds them of their shared history. He is eager to renew their old partnership and would be honoured to help the Dark Urge reclaim their birthright and kill Orin.

Orin

 Orin was the Dark Urge's second-in-command, but the two of them always had a turbulent relationship. Orin believed that the Dark Urge's murders were too mindless to be worthy of Bhaal and that the Bhaal Temple decayed because of them. She was jealous that the Dark Urge was the favourite of Bhaal even though their killing lacked beauty and talent, while the Dark Urge thought that Orin did not understand that Bhaal only wanted death in numbers, and that she was wasting Bhaal's time by killing in an extravagant way.

When the Dark Urge started the Absolute plot with the other Chosen, Orin grew even more resentful. She particularly despised Gortash's alliance with the Dark Urge, thinking that he was manipulating them. In response, Orin decided to infect the Dark Urge with a tadpole so she could replace them and rebuild the Temple in her own image. The Dark Urge was not aware of Orin's plan, as they believed that she worshipped them as much as all the other cultists.

After the Dark Urge placed the Crown of Karsus on the elder brain in Moonrise Towers, Orin attacked them, pierced their skull with a dagger and put a tadpole inside it. She left them gravely injured on the floor of the Mind Flayer Colony, where the Dark Urge was found by Kressa Bonedaughter. She healed some of the Dark Urge's injuries to keep them from dying and began experimenting on them, unaware of who they were.

Orin eventually learns that the Dark Urge is still alive after they obtain the Astral Prism. She abducts one of their party members and challenges the Dark Urge to a duel to the death in the Temple of Bhaal – the winner will be Bhaal's true Chosen and can claim her Netherstone.

Sarevok Anchev

When the Dark Urge was the leader of the cult of Bhaal,  Sarevok Anchev was Bhaal's Deathbringer and a Bhaalspawn relative of the Dark Urge. He considered the Dark Urge to be the true master of murder, as they killed with no excesses or pretentions. However, Sarevok was displeased that the Dark Urge did not have any children and hoped that they might one day have a child with Orin.

After the Dark Urge meets him again following their fall, Sarevok encourages them to fight Orin and believes they are the one to kill her.

Sceleritas Fel

The fiend-like creature  Sceleritas Fel served the Dark Urge and joined them during a series of grisly murders in Baldur's Gate. He was sent by Bhaal on the day the Dark Urge reached their age of majority to guide them to their birthright as Bhaal's Chosen. Sceleritas loved the Dark Urge dearly and revelled in their depravity. He particularly wants to be killed by the Dark Urge at one occasion. His regular duties included managing the Temple of Bhaal, as well as helping the Dark Urge with torture and murder. The Dark Urge frequently needed Sceleritas' assistance, and Sceleritas believed the Dark Urge struggled to conduct themself properly without him.

When the Dark Urge disappeared, Sceleritas missed them greatly and was deeply worried for their health. Once he finds them again, he helps guide the Dark Urge and rewards them for murdering specific targets. Sceleritas despises Orin and wants nothing more than for the Dark Urge to kill her and reclaim their position as Bhaal's Chosen.

The Urge

Disobeying Bhaal shreds his wayward child's mind completely

Main article: The Urge

Summary

The Dark Urge's unique quest, The Urge, has two distinct paths: The player character can either resist their urges or embrace them.

If they resist the Urge and reject their legacy, Bhaal drains them of their unholy blood, resulting in their death, but  Withers intervenes and brings them back to life, explaining that the loss of unholy blood through their heroism has not destroyed them but made them reborn as a new person. The rest of Act Three and its endings then play out the same as in other playthroughs beyond pre-existing dialogue differences from characters like the Netherbrain.

If they embrace the Urge and accept their legacy, they become Bhaal's Chosen once again and are tasked with resuming their plan to control the Absolute and kill all other beings. If they follow through and take control of the Netherbrain, the Dark Urge is confronted afterward by either their romantic partner or the companion with the highest approval, who scolds or praises them (depending on who it is and how their companion quest ended) for bringing about the end of the world; they can either mercy-kill that companion, kiss them goodbye while stabbing them (if romanced), or release all the surviving companions, telling them to run away. The Urge then uses the Netherbrain's power to kill everyone in the city with conjured daggers, and as they do so they are given a premonition of their success, worshipping Bhaal under a blood-red moon as the last living thing in Faerûn.

If they embrace the Urge but do not obey Bhaal's orders, Bhaal begins to shred their mind mere minutes after destroying the Netherbrain as the party is leaving to celebrate. The Dark Urge can either accept their fate, turn themselves into prison, attempt to fight back, or simply kill themselves before Bhaal gets the chance, reuniting with a proud Withers in the Fugue Plane. If the latter is not chosen, however, they show up in a shortened version of the Epilogue, bloodsoaked and insane due to the madness Bhaal has left them with, and they plot to kill all their former companions in their sleep while licking  Bloodthirst.

Prologue and Act One

During the Prologue and the Act One, the Dark Urge has several unique interactions. Also, a camp event often occurs, resulting in them meeting  Sceleritas Fel – a strange creature which calls itself their 'butler'.

Unique Interactions

• Waking up on the Nautiloid, the Dark Urge, unlike all other Origins, instantly enters a unique dialogue, which gives some hints on their memory's miserable condition. The choices offered do not bear any consequences, but vaguely outline the character concept.
• Long resting early in the Act can give hints at the character's true nature. The hints given are dependent on the character's race and class, providing a lore-friendly explanation of each.
• Tearing off  Gale's hand through the portal when first meeting him. This prevents recruiting him.
• Upon meeting  Timber the Squirrel at the Druid Grove, a Dark Urge player character punts the squirrel with no input. The player character can only control this choice if they have  Speak with Animals active.
• Breaking  Pandirna's legs in the storage room in the Druid Grove.
• Tearing off the Wings from the Wounded Bird that is being treated by  Nettie (must be done before prodding it)
• Encouraging  Arabella to leave by flicking their eyes towards the exit, leading to her death.
• Eating the  Noblestalk mushroom as Dark Urge unlocks one of two memories:
  • If eaten before meeting Sceleritas Fel, they remember acts of cannibalism.
  • If eaten after meeting Sceleritas Fel, they remember the torture and murder of one of their victims.
• Consuming one of the many  Roasted Dwarf Bellies available in the Goblin Camp. Doing so awards the player character the "Good Ol' Long Pig" Inspiration.
• Biting off  Crusher's toe when he demands The Urge kiss his feet.
• Killing  Minthara after sleeping with her if the Dark Urge sided with the Goblin Camp against the Grove.
• During one of the gnoll encounters at Risen Road, the Dark Urge is ecstatic at watching a gnoll being born.
• Killing  Alfira while she visits the camp – or Quil if Alfira is unavailable for any reason. Aside from possibly substituting Quil for Alfira, the player character cannot otherwise prevent this outcome. Soon after, in a separate long rest event, Sceleritas Fel introduces himself, and rewards The Urge the  Deathstalker Mantle.

Act Two

“

Now, I can't help but notice that one of us is positively drenched in blood. So...

„

— Astarion, on finding Alfira or Quil dead

During a long rest event, The Dark Urge will be given the task of killing  Isobel at the Last Light Inn.

Should the player character forego killing Isobel, then at a later long rest  Sceleritas Fel appears and informs them they will kill one of their companions once they close their eyes to sleep. If the player character is currently in romantic relationship, this will be their paramour; otherwise, it will be the one with whom they have highest approval. Companions recruited in Act Two and Gale if his Orb is not stabilised are excluded among the potential targets.

After the butler disappears, the cutscene continues as the player character approaches their possible victim. They have several options: try and save their companion, kill them deliberately, or to return to sleep ignorant to any consequences.

Resisting the Urge

The player character can resist The Urge to murder their favoured companion with the aid of several buffs.

Resisting the murder of the Urge's designated victim requires a  DC 14 Wisdom Saving Throw. This roll can only be influenced by equipped items, certain pre-existing buffs, or by consumable items (such as an Elixir of Heroism) used directly from inventory while the dialogue is active.

Although not all-inclusive, known options which are helpful in passing this check are listed below:

• Items which affect Wisdom Proficiency or the Wisdom Saving Throw:
  •  Amulet of the Harpers
  •  Cloak of Protection
  •  Helmet of Autonomy
  •  Ring of Protection
  •  Safeguard Shield

• Items which assist with Saving Throws, if the bearer meets certain additional conditions:
  •  Absolute's Warboard (if the bearer is branded)
  •  Circlet of Psionic Revenge (if the wearer is Githyanki)
  •  Elixir of Heroism, which can be consumed through the add bonus menu. The elixir must be in the Dark Urge's inventory before going to sleep to be available
  •  The Whispering Promise (any health potion must be drunk just before going to sleep to retain its activated  Bless effect)

• Class actions, spells, and feats
  • The  Aura of Protection available to Paladins (only if the Dark Urge is a Paladin themselves)
  • The  Basking in Loviatar's Love condition, if it is active before going to sleep
  • The  Bliss Spores condition, if it is still present
  • The  Forbidden Knowledge passive feat, if it was obtained earlier in Act One
  • The  Heroes' Feast spell, if it is cast before going to sleep
  • The  Improved Bardic Inspiration class action (bugged^[verify] see notes)
  • The  Warding Bond spell, if it is cast before going to sleep

Inspirations can be used to reroll a failed saving throw as usual. The  Lucky feat can be only be used to deceive the rest of the party after the save to resist killing a close companion has failed (see below).

Some items such as  Risky Ring or  Resonance Stone provide Disadvantage on Saving Throws (including Wisdom), and may decrease the odds of success.

If the player character succeeds,

The Dark Urge manifestating itself, in futile attempts to break free

the cutscene continues, showing their hands tied behind their back by their awakened companion. The spared companion spends a sleepless night watching over the Urge manifestation possessing their friend. The reactions of the would-be victims differ, and also depend on whether the Dark Urge admitted killing Alfira in Act One (if Quil was killed instead, the dialogue lines do not change).

In the process, the Dark Urge character can pass two additional  DC 18 Wisdom Saving Throws: one to remain in control and express understanding of their companion's supportive statements and another (same DC, but with  Disadvantage) to express gratitude. Afterwards, a short discussion of the event between the two follows. Some of the other companions may have any unique dialogue lines concerning it in the morning as well.

Failing to resist

If the player character goes back to sleep, or fails their save to resist the Urge and gives up, or kills their companion, then, at dawn, they must pass a separate  DC 30 Deception Check against another companion (chosen at random), or the whole camp turns hostile. All of the killed companion's equipment is lost.

It is also possible to avoid this event by simply not Long Resting until the party leave the Shadow-Cursed Lands. Unlike other mandatory Camp Events, there is no fallback scenario when the party leave for Act Three; this event is not queued, The Urge is no longer scripted on a Long Rest to experience this event, and the game then proceeds as if they chose to spare both Isobel and their closest companion.

Unique Interactions

The Dark Urge has unique dialogue and interactions with multiple characters in various locations in Act Two.

• Killing Isobel. The player character can choose whether or not to do this, but sparing her leads to a different event. Killing Isobel rewards the Dark Urge with the Slayer form.
• Killing the player character's lover or closest companion, as described above. The player character can choose to warn their companion of this, or choose to kill them. Doing this rewards the Dark Urge with the Slayer form.
• Walking by the graves of the Last Light Inn is supposed to trigger a voiceline, but due to a bug, a Tav line plays instead. In the past, the voiceline meant to play at Lower City's Graveyard would play instead.
• The player character can confront and murder the  Strange Ox while taunting it for choosing to keep its docile ox form rather than fight back.
• After freeing the trapped  pixie from the  Moonlantern, the player character can choose to crush her, earning a specific Inspiration.
• Some guards at Moonrise Towers remark that the Dark Urge seems familiar, and  The Warden of the prison despises them.
• The scene of  Ketheric's trial alters for the Dark Urge, showing that the general undoubtedly recognized them, but takes some pleasure in keeping the secret.
• After the trial, a Dark Urge player character can torture a group of goblins in a variety of ways.
• At Moonrise Towers' kitchen, the gnolls recognise the Dark Urge, and no check is needed for them to become friendly. They will not show up during the Assault on Moonrise, however.
• The Dark Urge can kill the cat  Steelclaw when trying to remember what was forgotten.

Act Three

“

There is no true rest for those like thee, faithless. But when victory is won, I swear I shall find thee a home.

„

— Withers, speaking to the player character after saving them from their fate of Bhaal's execution

Awakened from a disturbing dream, the Dark Urge contemplates a 'reunion' with their sister Orin.

During a long rest in Rivington, a dream sequence reveals that the Dark Urge is a Bhaalspawn, and was once the leader of the Cult of  Bhaal, before being betrayed by  Orin. This dream can be queued by other pending nighttime cutscenes. If this happens, the Dark Urge character faints and sees the scene right after crossing the bridge into the Wyrm's Rock Fortress. If Jaheira is in the party and the dream occurs in camp, a cutscene plays with her and the Dark Urge. If it happens after crossing Wyrm's Rock Fortress, the scene instead plays during the next Long Rest, with Minsc accompanying her if he was recruited beforehand.

Further conversation with  Enver Gortash during his coronation reveals they were one of the original members of the Chosen of the Dead Three, and alongside Gortash, had originally schemed to use the  Crown of Karsus on the Elder Brain to falsify the religion of the Absolute. In this sense, the Dark Urge is the catalyst for the main story's events.

The only reason the Dark Urge is not still in this position is because Orin the Red, envious of the Dark Urge's power and control over the cult, betrayed them, inflicted brain damage and amnesia while tadpoling them, and took control of the cult herself.

After confronting Orin, the Dark Urge may restore themselves as Bhaals's Chosen, or refuse the title.

If the Dark Urge loses the duel, gets downed or killed by Orin, and the other party members and Bhaalist followers join the combat, and Orin is finally killed, then Bhaal berates the Dark Urge, and brings them back, restricting his hold over them, promising to reduce them to a mindless killer once the Absolute has been dealt with.

Defying Bhaal has a price.

Should the Dark Urge refuse to become  Bhaal's chosen, they are drained of their father's blood and essence, immediately dying and dooming them to be lost in the Fugue Plane for eternity. However, in a highly unusual move,  Withers intervenes and actually invests a portion of his remaining power into the Dark Urge, bringing them back to life. Reborn anew, the player character is free of their Dark Urge, and able to choose their own path in life. Because of this, they also lose access to the Slayer form if they had previously obtained it in Act Two.

Should they agree to become Bhaal's chosen once more, they are instead tasked to control the Netherbrain in the name of Bhaal, and gain access the Slayer form if they did not already.

After rejecting Bhaal, Dark Urge options remain available in dialogue. Additionally, the special Dark Urge voicelines on selecting the character, attacking, etc., will still play.

Unique Interactions

• The Dark Urge has unique interactions throughout the main plot of Act Three:
  • They can re-establish their partnership with Gortash.
  • They have unique interactions with Orin and the Cult of Bhaal.
  • The Dark Urge has unique dialogue with the  Netherbrain.
  • The Dark Urge has unique dialogue and interactions in the majority of quests in Act Three
• After learning of their true self, Oathbreaker Paladins can confront the  Oathbreaker Knight, and learn that it is not the first time they have broken their oath.
• In one of the long rests after discovering their true nature,  Jaheira (if she has been recruited) comes to them, awakened by their nightmare screams. She asks whether they are able to control themselves and stays to guard them through the night. If  Minsc has been recruited, they stand watch together. If the Dark Urge managed to stay their hand and not kill their closest companion, she comforts and encourages them to overcome their urges. If the Dark Urge obtained the Slayer Form, their interaction is much more hostile, declaring that she should have killed them when she had the chance, knowing what they did to obtain it. The Urge can then intimidate Jaheira (and Minsc as well) into leaving the party for good.
• When the party encounters  Bugthimble in the Lower City Graveyard, the Dark Urge has the option to ponder whether they have ever buried anyone alive before; doing so causes them to bury Bugthimble and the treasure she found.
• There is a cut-scene interaction at the graveyard. If the party unearths one of the graves, other characters are horrified about the state of the dug up body, while the Dark Urge remarks on it being a victim of theirs from before the game.
• The Dark Urge is supposed to remark that the gate was their hunting ground when entering the lower city graveyard. However, this interaction is bugged and a voiceline meant to play at Last Light's Graveyard plays instead.
• The Dark Urge has unique dialogue with  Volo, if the party saves him from the aggressive mob near the Steel Watch Foundry. Volo recognizes them as a Bhaalspawn without any introductions, and may possibly discuss their unique interactions with Orin, Sarevok, and their gaining the Slayer form (if any of this has happened already). The Dark Urge can also deceive Volo of not being a progeny of Bhaal (requires  DC 25 Deception Check).
• If the Dark Urge speaks to  Tarhun Mnemonis about  Lady Jannath's art festival, they can ask whether there is any art depicting Bhaal.
•  Helsik recognizes the Dark Urge from when they and Gortash dealt with her before, and gives them  Gibus of the Worshipful Servant which Sceleritas Fel left behind. For the price of 100 or 1000 gold she reveals some of their past, including the fact that she helped them break into Mephistopheles' vault to steal the Crown of Karsus.
• If the Dark Urge accepts their fate of Bhaal's Chosen in the Bhaal Temple, upon exiting it Jaheira (and possibly Minsc) wait for them with a small group of Harpers in an attempt to stop the repetition of the history. They also try to sway some of the party members to their side, and the fight is inevitable.
• If the Heal spell is is cast on The Dark Urge while they are in the Lower City, Lower City Sewers, or the Undercity Ruins, it unlocks a unique memory flashback. A childhood recollection plays if Heal is cast before the Urge confronts  Orin, while one of two other variations triggers after her defeat.
  • If cast after rejecting Bhaal, they remember playing with friends in childhood, after being taken in by their foster parents. Otherwise, they remember that they killed their foster parents.
  • This flashback can only be experienced once per playthrough; unlocking the childhood memory prior to the duel prevents the Urge from obtaining either choice-dependent variation afterward.
• The Dark Urge can enter the Temple of Bhaal without needing the  Amulet of Bhaal due to  Sceleritas Fel opening the door for them.
  • Approaching Sarevok after confronting  Orin changes his dialogue accordingly based on the choice that the Dark Urge made.

Related literature

• Bhaal Butler's Checklist – Morning
• Blood-Envy for the Unworthy
• Clasped Book (Moonrise Towers)
• Concerning Orin the Red
• Devil's Fee Observer's Report
• Journal of Magthew Budj
• Letter from Alfira
• Letter from Sarevok
• Memoir Notes with Recent Addenda
• Mistress of Souls' Research Log
• Prayer for Forgiveness
• Report on Activities of Enver Gortash
• Scrapbook of Letters
• Test Mission with Gortash

Achievements

Embrace Your Urge

Become Bhaal's ultimate weapon - become his Slayer.

Sins of the Father

Claim your Throne of Blood: take control of the Netherbrain for Bhaal and break the world.

Gallery

• 
  Default model
• 
  Default camp model
• 
  Default underwear model
• 
  The origin's default appearance
• 
  Steam Trading Card
• 
  Sceleritas Fel, The Dark Urge's guide
• 
  The origin's appearance in Blood in Baldur's Gate
• 
  Promotional art

Notes

• The final origin character was revealed through Blood in Baldur's Gate ARG. The players controlled a detective investigating a chain of murders. On the final day of the ARG, The Dark Urge was revealed, along with Sceleritas Fel. The ARG ends with the white-scaled dragonborn killing the detective.
• The Dark Urge is nicknamed Durge by the community.
• The Dark Urge is a cannibal. They can also eat the cooked dwarf meat from the Goblin Camp.
• According to Sceleritas Fel, the Dark Urge is a necrophiliac.
• Some of The Dark Urge's unique voice lines for moving, attacking, etc., make reference to their origin even if they have not learned about it yet. For instance, they may say "Father, they will die for you" upon being given a command, despite not yet knowing of their connection to Bhaal.
• The Dark Urge has much in common with the protagonists of many other party-based RPGs, such as being an amnesiac and having a hidden connection to the villains of the game which is revealed over time.
  • Notably, the protagonist of the previous Baldur's Gate games was also a Bhaalspawn.
• Even after being freed of the Urge, the Dark Urge still has access to unique, violent dialogue – with the Urge references removed – suggesting that at least part of the Dark Urge's available actions could be the result of their own character, rather than simply Bhaal's influence.
  • Immediately after the Dark Urge is brought back by Withers, the character can choose to revel in their freedom to be evil - without the Urge, and take joy in having fooled everyone to believe that they are innocent.
  • The character can also embrace their goodness, which illustrates the virtue of a good-aligned Dark Urge, as they (and the player) truly choose to be good.
• Even if the Dark Urge gets rid of their father's blood, the Netherbrain still refers to the Dark Urge as "murder incarnate". This may be in reference to Ed Greenwood's - the creator of the setting - revelation, prior to the game's release, that a Bhaalspawn can never fully remove Bhaal's essence. (https://twitter.com/TheEdVerse/status/1396624159363448832). Or, otherwise, the Netherbrain just does not know, at this particular moment, that the Dark Urge was freed from Bhaal's essence.
• If recruited,  Minsc considers himself to be the Dark Urge's uncle.
• A Paladin who voluntarily succumbs to their Urge causes their Oath to break regardless of the subclass chosen. This includes:
  • Chopping off  Gale's hand while he's trapped in the portal
  • Breaking  Pandirna's legs
  • Tearing off the wings of the  Exhausted Bird
  • Kicking the Githyanki egg off the cliffside in front  Lady Esther
  • Throwing  Baelen's bag in the midst of spores at the bibberbang field
  • Admiring  Alfira's /  Quil's unwitting murder at their hand
  • Crushing  Dolly Thrice after being released
  • Revealing their depravity to the  Strange Ox
  • Trying to remember what the player character did previously to  Steelclaw
  • Burying  Bugthimble alive in the Graveyard
  • Accepting  Bhaal's gifts and blessings