As you embark on your journey through the Forgotten Realms brought to life in the Baldur’s Gate series, it’s important to understand the complex history of events that have shaped this world. For over 20 years, the Baldur’s Gate games have told an epic story of heroes and villains, kingdoms rising and crumbling, and the timeless struggle between good and evil. From your humble beginnings as a ward of Candlekeep to becoming the savior of Baldur’s Gate, you’ll traverse a story spanning several decades and hundreds of miles across Faerûn. This series timeline provides a high-level overview of major events from Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition through Baldur’s Gate 3 to give you the context you need before starting your adventures. By understanding how the past influences the present, you’ll gain deeper insight into the lore and characters that have made this franchise legendary. The road ahead is long, but this timeline will serve as your faithful guide through the Forgotten Realms.
In the first game of the Baldur’s Gate series, you awaken in the library fortress of Candlekeep with no memory of your past. You soon discover that you are a descendant of the god Bhaal, and other Bhaalspawn are hunting you in an effort to absorb your divine essence.
After enemies attack Candlekeep and you are blamed, you set out from the only home you’ve ever known to uncover the truth of your identity. Accompanied by companions you meet along the way – including Minsc, Dynaheir, Jaheira, and Khalid – you explore the Sword Coast and become embroiled in a sinister plot.
The malevolent organization known as the Iron Throne is manipulating events across the region. As you investigate their connection to your pursuers, it becomes clear that their goal is to incite war between Amn and Baldur’s Gate. You work to thwart their schemes, facing dangerous foes like Sarevok Anchev, a fellow Bhaalspawn and high-ranking member of the Iron Throne.
Eventually, you descend into the depths of Baldur’s Gate and defeat Sarevok in a climactic battle, ending the threat of war. With the truth of your divine heritage revealed, you now have a choice: embrace your destiny as a child of Bhaal, or forge your own path. The story continues in Baldur’s Gate II, where the consequences of your decision will unfold.
Through a compelling narrative, challenging combat, and meaningful character interactions, Baldur’s Gate established itself as a landmark in the role-playing game genre. Over 20 years later, the tale of the Bhaalspawn remains a timeless classic.
The Tales of the Sword Coast expansion added new areas and quests set between the events of Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II. As the Bhaalspawn, you continue to explore the Sword Coast in search of clues about your origin and destiny.
New Areas to Explore
Two sizable new areas were added: Ulgoth’s Beard and Durlag’s Tower. Ulgoth’s Beard is a small coastal town where you can rest, resupply, and take on new quests. Durlag’s Tower is an immense, treacherous dungeon complex housing valuable treasures and dangerous foes. Both locations offer substantial new challenges for experienced adventurers.
The Sahuagin Threat
The fishing village of Ulgoth’s Beard is under attack by sahuagin, aquatic creatures threatening to overrun the town. You are tasked with eliminating their threat by descending into a network of underground caverns to confront the sahuagin leaders. Success earns you the townspeople’s gratitude and valuable rewards.
The Durlag’s Tower Dungeon
Durlag’s Tower is a massive, 15-level dungeon housing devilish traps, puzzles, and monsters. At its heart lies a climactic battle with the vengeful spirit of its long-dead creator, Durlag Trollkiller. Surviving the tower’s dangers wins you Durlag’s prized Demon Knight armor.
Tales of the Sword Coast provides experienced players a challenging interim chapter in the Bhaalspawn saga. By vanquishing new threats across the Sword Coast, you continue to build your legend – and gather vital clues for the trials yet to come.
The adventure continues in Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn. Picking up shortly after the events of the first game, you find yourself imprisoned in a mysterious dungeon known as Spellhold. After escaping with the help of some unlikely allies, you embark on a quest to unravel the plot surrounding your captivity and a sinister new threat looming over the Sword Coast.
The City of Athkatla
The bulk of the game takes place in the massive city of Athkatla, a sprawling metropolis filled with people from all walks of life. You’ll encounter scheming merchants, corrupt politicians, ruthless assassins, and much more as you explore the city’s many districts. Forming alliances and making enemies along the way, the web of intrigue in Athkatla proves just as dangerous as any monster-filled dungeon.
New Companions and Romances
You meet a host of potential companions on your journey, some seeking adventure or fortune while others have more sinister motives. Romantic relationships are also possible with certain companions, allowing you to develop a deep bond that shapes their personal quests and the overall story. The companion system was greatly expanded from the first Baldur’s Gate, with more complex characters and storylines.
An Epic Conclusion
The stakes are raised dramatically in the thrilling conclusion to the Bhaalspawn saga. After confronting dangerous villains and uncovering sinister plots, you face the truth about your destiny in a final showdown that will determine the fate of the Sword Coast itself. How the story ends depends entirely on the choices you’ve made and the alliances you’ve forged along your adventure. An epic and unforgettable conclusion to the series.
Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn took the franchise to new heights, delivering a sprawling fantasy epic filled with intrigue, adventure, and cinematic storytelling. Over 20 years later, it is still considered one of the greatest role-playing games ever made. The adventure may continue in Baldur’s Gate 3, but the Shadows of Amn will forever cast a long shadow over the realms.
Several prequels and sequels have expanded on the Baldur’s Gate series, enhancing players’ understanding of events before and after the original games.
Released in 2016, Siege of Dragonspear acts as a bridge between Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn. Set in 1358 DR, just after the events of Baldur’s Gate, players travel to the town of Dragonspear Castle. There, they encounter the crusade led by Caelar Argent, a priestess devoted to the dead god Bhaal, and battle hordes of Bhaalspawn. By defeating Caelar, the protagonist weakens the Bhaalspawn threat, leading into the events of Baldur’s Gate II.
The expansion Throne of Bhaal concludes the Bhaalspawn saga. Set in 1369 DR, the protagonist descends into the Abyss to defeat the five Bhaalspawn contenders for the throne – Amelyssan the Blackhearted, Yaga-Shura, Sendai, Abazigal, and Balthazar. After defeating the contenders, the protagonist claims the throne. However, in a final confrontation, the protagonist must defeat their evil essence, the Slayer, to regain their mortality. By defeating the Slayer, the protagonist escapes the Abyss, free from the taint of Bhaal.
The Baldur’s Gate series spun off into hack-and-slash action role-playing games with Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 1 & 2. Released in 2001 and 2004 respectively, these games take place within the city of Baldur’s Gate but feature different characters and storylines from the main series.
Set 100 years after the original Baldur’s Gate, Dark Alliance follows the adventures of a trio of heroes investigating a sinister plot beneath the city streets. Players can choose from a Human Paladin, a Dwarven Fighter, or an Elven Sorceress and hack their way through dungeons and sewers fighting the undead, demons and other monsters. The linear plot and focus on combat and loot make this a more straightforward experience than the main series.
The sequel improves on the first game with larger environments, more character options (adding a Thief and Cleric), and the ability to play co-op. The story picks up where the first game left off, with the heroes working to stop a cult from summoning a ancient evil dragon called Shéogh into the city. Dark Alliance 2 ramps up the challenge, with some notoriously difficult boss fights, but the reward of more powerful weapons and armor.
The Dark Alliance sub-series provides an action-packed dungeon crawling experience in the Baldur’s Gate universe for those looking for a more combat-focused adventure. The hack-and-slash gameplay and loot collecting appeal to action RPG fans and introduced the franchise to console players. Although simplistic compared to the main series, Dark Alliance 1 & 2 capture the gothic fantasy feel of Baldur’s Gate in an arcade-style package.
The Baldur’s Gate series has spanned over 20 years, but the story is far from over. Baldur’s Gate 3 was announced in 2019 and is currently in early access, with the full release planned for 2023. Here’s what players can expect from the next chapter of this beloved franchise:
Baldur’s Gate 3 will continue the epic story in the Forgotten Realms using 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons rules. Players will create their own character and party of companions to embark on an adventure through the Sword Coast. The mind flayers, or “illithids,” appear to play a central role as the main antagonists. Their psionic abilities and alien nature pose a formidable threat to the realms.
The game is being developed by Larian Studios, known for the Divinity: Original Sin series. They aim to build upon the legacy of the original Baldur’s Gate games while modernizing the experience for today’s computer role-playing game standards. Baldur’s Gate 3 will feature high-quality graphics, full voice acting, and more open-world exploration. The turn-based combat system uses D&D mechanics but with an emphasis on environmental interaction and verticality.
Multiplayer and player choice will be key focuses. Up to four players can adventure together in cooperative multiplayer. The branching dialog and quest design will allow players to shape their own unique story. Decisions have consequences that ripple throughout the world.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is shaping up to be an epic continuation of the series that redefines the computer role-playing game experience. The mind flayers may have met their match in the heroes rising to defend the Sword Coast. The gates are opening once more—are you ready for what lies beyond?
As you have seen, the Baldur’s Gate series has a rich, deep lore and history spanning over 100 years in the Forgotten Realms. From humble beginnings in Candlekeep to the foreboding events leading up to Baldur’s Gate 3, the series chronicles the transformation of the Sword Coast through times of both peace and peril. Many heroes and villains have shaped Faerûn during this era, though the Bhaalspawn saga stands central as a pivotal moment that determined the fate of nations. With each game expanding on the last, revisiting the Baldur’s Gate timeline allows you appreciate how far the realms have come while still leaving mysteries yet unsolved. The adventure continues.
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