Jon Irenicus

"You are nothing but a gnat compared to my power."

- Irenicus "There was no malice, no hatred. No mention of an old score. Only a quick capture, and the promise of grim deeds to come."

- Baldur's Gate 2 narrator regarding Irenicus.

Joneleth Irenicus, commonly referred to as Jon Irenicus or simply Irenicus, is the primary antagonist in Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, a role-playing game set in Amn.

At first, Irenicus appears to be a simple villain with a keen interest in torturing the protagonist with powerful magic at the very beginning of Shadows of Amn. However, minutes into the game, he reveals that his apparent motive for said torture is to unlock his victim's latent power, thereby benefiting from them in the long run.

His obsession with a woman he'd previously maintained a relationship with reveals a much more human (or elven) side to him. It becomes apparent later in the game that Irenicus's embarking on his dark path came about partly from love.

His overly possessive nature eventually became too much for his partner to bear, and unable to let go, Irenicus turned to pursuit of power and revenge, which in turn led to him becoming utterly evil. However, not only love was responsible for his downfall.

Trivia

 * Irenicus was voiced by the late David Warner, who also voiced Ra's al Ghul in Batman: The Animated Series.