| “ | Don't let my form deceive you. I am the one that's been protecting you. I am the one that came to you in your dreams. Help me. | „ |
| ~ The Emperor revealing his true nature. |
The Emperor, formally known as Balduran and the Dream Visitor, is one of the overarching protagonists (alongside Withers, Jaheira and Orpheus) of the 2023 video game Baldur's Gate III, potentially becoming the secondary antagonist of the finale if the player sides with Orpheus.
He was a famous adventurer and sailor who founded the prosperous city of Baldur's Gate and became the city's role model. However, he was forcefully transformed into a mindflayer after wandering into Moonrise Towers, where he would spend years in servitude to the malevolent and cruel Netherbrain.
He later manages to escape via the Astral Prism and becomes a guide to a tadpole infected group of adventurers, whilst keeping his identity a firm secret until Act III. Despite being a major ally, his actions and methods are heavily questionable.
He was voiced by Scott Joseph.
Personality[]
Not much is know about how he acted pre-transformation, but he was shown to be a brave, courageous and kind-hearted adventurer who loved to discover new places around Faerun. He was also shown to be an awe-inspiring leader, founding the city of Baldur's Gate and constructing one of the most populated settlements in all of the Forgotton Realms.
However, his personality took a stark change after his body transformed into that of a mindflayer. He became more reclusive and egotistical, commanding underground criminal networks and even betraying his old allies, such as his loyal dragon Ansur who tried to convince him to end his life. He saw his new form as superior to Balduran, and gave himself the new nickname of 'The Emperor'. Although he is very supportive and knowledgable to the party, he gets paranoid and self-rightous as he explains that his plan is the best and that there is no other possible way, especially when they make plans to free Orpheus.
Biography[]
The Emperor, formerly known as Balduran, was an adventurous soul who founded the coastal village of Grey Harbour. After amassing enough funds to construct the Wall that eventually led to the founding of Baldur’s Gate, he felt the irresistible pull of the sea once more. During a voyage that followed a shipwreck, Balduran arrived at Moonrise Towers in search of fortune. There, he encountered a coven of mind flayers who infected him with an illithid tadpole. According to records from his interrogation by Enver Gortash during the planning stages of the Absolute Hoax, he endured a decade under the thrall of the Moonrise Elder Brain.
Upon being reborn as an illithid and breaking free from the Elder Brain’s control, Balduran returned to Baldur’s Gate. Existing in the shadows, it sustained itself by consuming the brains of criminals. Initially grappling with its newfound identity as a mind flayer, Balduran eventually embraced this altered form.
However, this transformation caused a rift between Balduran and its close companion, the dragon Ansur. Ansur attempted to end Balduran’s life while it slept, believing it to be a merciful act. The Emperor sensed the attack and, in self-defense, killed Ansur.
Following Ansur’s demise, Balduran assumed the title of the Emperor, wielding newfound psychic influence to clandestinely rule Baldur’s Gate. For the next four centuries, it found refuge beneath the Elfsong tavern, preserving mementos from its time as Balduran.
During those four centuries, the Emperor became closely intertwined with the enigmatic Knights of the Shield—a clandestine alliance of politicians and merchants who manipulated events from the shadows. Their alignment leaned toward lawful and neutral evil, and they wielded considerable influence behind the scenes. Among their ranks, Duke Belynne Stelmane stood out as a prominent figure. Acting as the Emperor’s envoy, she remained secretly enthralled by the illithid ruler.
Before the events of the game, a pivotal moment unfolded. Enver Gortash and the enigmatic Dark Urge captured the Emperor, pulling it back under the thrall of the Moonrise Elder Brain. This Elder Brain, now adorned with the Crown of Karsus, had transformed into the Netherbrain, masquerading as the Absolute. The Netherbrain harbored a sinister agenda: it sought the demise of all three Chosen of the Dead Three. Unbeknownst to the Emperor, it specifically selected him to lead a team of illithids aboard a nautiloid vessel. Their mission? To locate and steal the Astral Prism—a precious artifact containing the prince of the Githyanki, Orpheus.
With his freedom from the Absolute but trapped within the Astral Prism, The Emperor would take the guise of 'The Dream Guardian' in order to help a party of tadpole infected adventurers on their quest to destroy the Cult of the Absolute. After overcoming numerous threats from goblins, to wrathful Githyanki and hordes of undead, they finally make it to the city of Baldur's Gate, where he instructs Tav and the party to kill the rest of the Dead Three and find the Netherstones. At this point, it reveals itself to be a mindflayer and even offers them a chance to become partial-illithid with a specially grown tadpole, which can either be accepted or refused.
Also, as the party learns of a way to potentially free Orpheus from the Astral Prism for Lae'zel and as a powerful ally to destroy the Netherbrain, The Emperor starts to trick them into thinking the only way to destroy the Absolute is with his help. Eventually, as the Netherbrain breaks free from the bindings of the Netherstones and begins to enact the Grand Design within the city, The Emperor demands that he is given the Netherstones.
One of 2 main choices can be selected at this point:
Hand over the Netherstones:[]
If the player chooses to hand over the Netherstones, The Emperor will assimilate Orpheus's psionic power by devouring his brain, giving him enough strength to dominate the brain. He then has to be escorted through waves of cultists and various monsters that the Netherbrain is controlling, and then destroy its defences to gain control over it. If the player chooses for the brain to be destroyed, it crashes into the sea and explodes, freeing Baldur's Gate 3 from the threat of an Illithid invasion and The Emperor thanks the party before going into hiding. If the player chooses to dominate the brain, The Emperor becomes the leader of the Ililthid colony with the party by his side, who are heavily implied to now have been brainwashed by him for his own gain.
Free Orpheus:[]
If the player refuses to hand over the Netherstones and instead use the Orphic hammer to free Orpheus. He will explain that he has 'no choice' but to assimilate back into the Netherbrain's control (despite the fact he still could have helped the party if he respected their choice) and therefore betrays them. He can then be found on top of the Netherbrain during the final wave of enemies, where he summons a horde of Countermeasures to kill the party. He can then be finally killed for his betrayal, putting the disgraced founder of Baldur's Gate out of action for good.
External Links[]
- The Emperor on the Baldur's Gate 3 Wiki
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 Villains
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Recruitable Party Members Gods Demons Devils The Iron Throne The Shinning Crusade Bhaalists & Bhaalspawns Dark Alliance Cult of the Absolute The Sharrans Shadow Druids Vampires Others | ||