Absolute

The Absolute is the enigmatic power behind the Cult of the Absolute.

“

The Absolute is gold from the sky, She is. The blessin' in the storm an' the storm itself. We're burnin' Her name across the face o' the world, we are.

„

— Sazza

Involvement

Act One

The Silhouettes of the Chosen of the Absolute

The Absolute is first mentioned in Act One. Most of the goblins in the area have converted to worshiping the Absolute, and are gathering as an army under their banner. Followers of the Absolute can be found searching the Wilderness for survivors of the wreck.

The Absolute seems to be tied to the mass abductions and Illithid activity. Those infected with a Mind Flayer Parasite are known in the cult as True Souls. Other followers of the Absolute are branded with the Brand of the Absolute. Those who are infected with a Mind Flayer Parasite can exert some degree of control over people who are branded.

Upon approaching the Goblin Camp the party may experience a vision from the Absolute. It is revealed that the Mysterious Artefact has been protecting the party and their companions from the influence of the Absolute.

“	These are my Chosen. They speak for me. Aid their search for the Prism, and you will be worthy to stand beside them. In my presence. My power grows. My forces gather. The reckoning draws near...	„
	— A vision from the Absolute

If  Speak with Dead is cast on the Mind Flayer corpse near Dror Ragzlin and asked about the Absolute, the party receives this vision:

“	Curved drow blades, crude goblin torches, gnoll teeth dripping blood. You see other mind flayers arranged in a serene circle. Absolute unity. Absolute power.	„
	— Dead Mind Flayer

Act Two

The Chosen of the Absolute

After arriving in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, it is revealed that the armies of the Absolute are converging on Moonrise Towers. If arriving at Moonrise Towers to  investigate further, several more True Souls can be found among the tower's ranks as well as their leader, General Ketheric Thorm, one of the Absolute's Chosen; he is holding a trial for survivors from the Goblin Camp (including Minthara, should she still be alive).

During the finale of Act Two, once the party reaches the end of the Mind Flayer Colony, the Absolute's true identity is revealed: it is not a god of any sort, but an enslaved Elder Brain, under the control of its supposed Chosen: Ketheric Thorm, Lord Enver Gortash, and Orin the Red, who actually serve the Dead Three. Through the use of the Crown of Karsus, the Chosen are able to command the Elder Brain, which can in turn command True Souls by controlling their Tadpoles (save the party, due to the protection of the Mysterious Artefact).

Following this revelation, the Chosen command the brain to order the armies of the Absolute to march on Baldur's Gate, while Ketheric remains behind to battle the party. Once defeated, the party obtains his Netherstone, and the Dream Guardian emerges from the Prism to discuss the situation with the player character. They reveal that the Crown's magic is what gives the mind flayer parasites their special abilities, and that the Netherstones are what control the Crown (and, in turn, the brain).

Act Three

The Absolute

Shortly after beginning Act Three, the Absolute attempts to dominate the party and compel their transformation into mind flayers, forcing them to retreat into the safety of the Astral Prism and assist their Dream Guardian.

If Gortash is spoken to following his coronation, he reveals the Chosen's plans for the Absolute in full: Ketheric Thorm was to use the façade of the Absolute to create an army to march on Baldur's Gate. Meanwhile, Orin would use the Cult of Bhaal to commit prolific murders all over Baldur's Gate and frame them as acts of the Cult of the Absolute. Both of these acts were intended to frighten the populace, whereupon Gortash would offer his solution by defeating the Absolute's army with the Steel Watch. The fear of the Absolute would allow him to take total control, enforcing his tyranny under the guise of keeping the population safe from the Absolute, without anyone ever knowing that he was one of its leaders.

Regardless of whether an  alliance is made with Gortash or not, the party must  confront the Netherbrain during the finale of Act Three, using the reunited Netherstones to dominate it. However, this attempt fails, and the Netherbrain gains full independence once more. Still posing as the "Absolute" to its armies, it commands them to launch a full-on assault on the city, forcing many tadpoled citizens' transformations into Mind Flayers and summoning several Nautiloids.

With the help of an illithid, the party is able to dominate the brain using the Netherstones. In a last-ditch effort to save itself, the brain surrenders to the player character, proposing they take control and rule together. If agreeing, they can betray the party and  Control the Elder Brain, kill their illithid ally (unless the player character themselves is an illithid) and enslave their companions. The player character will take a seat atop the Netherbrain, proclaiming themself as the new Absolute.

“	"In MY name."	„
	— The player character, now the Absolute

Otherwise, the brain can be ordered to destroy itself and all remaining tadpoles, freeing any True Souls who did not transform from the Absolute's influence and bringing an end to the Cult of the Absolute.

Followers of the Absolute

For all followers see the Category: Followers of the Absolute

The members of the Cult of the Absolute are the primary antagonists of Baldur's Gate 3.

The Chosen

Leaders of the Cult of the Absolute, the Chosen of the Dead Three lead the movement from the shadows.

• Enver Gortash
• Dark Urge (former)
• Ketheric Thorm
• Orin the Red

Cultists

Cultists of the Dead Three that are aware of the true plot behind the Absolute.

• Cultists of Bane
• Cultists of Bhaal
• Cultists of Myrkul

True Souls

True Souls are Followers of the Absolute who have been infected with an illithid tadpole which grants them psionic powers similar to the player character. They serve as commanding members of the Absolute's army. True Souls almost always have a Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen that can be looted from their bodies if killed.

Act One

• Dror Ragzlin
• Edowin
• Flind
• Gut
• Minthara
• Nere

Act Two

• Korliss
• Krizt
• Linsella
• Malik
• Marcus
• Merim
• Z'rell

Act Three

• Avery Sonshal
• Churg Elvek
• Manip Edenosa
• Fist 'Deadeye' Mibbs
• Fist Griff
• Fist Healer Darbonna

True Souls infected with an illithid tadpole believe they have been personally chosen by the Absolute to impose her will, and have been granted special powers to do so. In truth, True Souls have been forcefully tadpoled without their consent, with the Netherbrain manipulating and ordering them through the parasites in their brains.

Soldiers

Rank and file members of the Absolute's army that have yet to be granted an "audience" with the Absolute or receive a Mind Flayer Parasite Specimen. The living forces of the Absolute are composed of a wide variety of entities with varying motives: some are devoted cultists, others simple soldiers or opportunists, and even some who have been enthralled by the Netherbrain to an extent.

• Absolute Questioners
• Acolytes of the Absolute
• Adepts of the Absolute
• Inquisitors of the Absolute
• Zealots of the Absolute
• Many goblins, bugbears, hobgoblins, and ogres
• Packs of gnolls
• Hordes of undead

The majority of the Absolute's forces are being led by an officer corps primarily composed of drow warriors, often former Lolth-adhering veterans that have been tadpoled. The overwhelming majority of cultists adhering to the Absolute legitimately believe that they are serving a new goddess, having fallen into the religious hoax.

Related items

• Absolute's Protector
• Absolute's Talisman
• Absolute's Warboard
• Faithbreaker
• Gloves of Power
• Ring of Absolute Force
• Vision of the Absolute

Related literature

• A Little Gift
• Attention Acolytes
• Attracting Drow Exiles
• Beheading the Bitterroots
• Clasped Book (Moonrise Towers)
• Glory of the Absolute
• Goblins: The Maglubiyet Gambit
• Journal Log of True Soul Korliss
• Letter to the Absolute
• Orcs of the Trielta Hills
• Pilgrim's Curse
• Recruiting Gnolls
• Taking the Groves Off the Table
• The Absolute End
• The Easy Life
• The Scroll of Her Glory
• Z'rell's personal reminder

Related quests

•  Blind the Absolute
•  Consider Gortash's Bargain
•  Control the Elder Brain
•  Defeat the Duergar Intruders
•  Defeat the Goblins
•  Defeat Ketheric Thorm
•  Destroy the Elder Brain
•  Free True Soul Nere
•  Follow the Convoy
•  Get Gortash's Netherstone
•  Get Orin's Netherstone
•  Infiltrate Moonrise Towers
•  Raid the Emerald Grove
•  Resolve the Abduction

Quotes

“	Glory the first is our PURPOSE, filling us with determination to bring to all mortals the joy of reverence of the ABSOLUTE. Glory the second is our OBEDIENCE, the bliss of knowing that we exalt ourselves when we surrender our wills to the ABSOLUTE's commands. Glory the third is our DOMINION, for obedience to the ABSOLUTE places us above other mortals, and it is righteous to command them.	„
	— Glory of the Absolute

See also

• List of Followers of the Absolute
• List of Equipment associated with the Absolute

Notes

• The Symbol of the Absolute appears to be a combination of the symbols of the Dead Three: The hand of Bane, the triangle of Myrkul and the skull of Bhaal.

External links

• True Soul on the Forgotten Realms Wiki