Bhaalspawn age conundrum

[Nilfalasiel]

Backtracking on the discussion a bit, but I've just found textual confirmation in BG2 that the Bhaalspawn were conceived before the Time of Troubles. It's a banter between Cernd and the PC. He senses that there's something odd about them, and they can choose to explain their heritage. The line goes:

 

"Bhaal walked the realm before the Time of Troubles and made preparations for his coming demise."

 

At least this clears up that part of the problem.

[grogerson]

Another thing I want to know.... Alando's prophecy says of Bhaal that 'he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny" Is there really only a score (score = twenty)?

According to the intro video to ToB there are 5 dragging armies across the lands. CHARNAME is Bhaalspawn and Imoen is later learned to be one. That makes 7. Sarevok who was killed in BG is of course one too. That's a total of 8 known Bhaalspawn. I suppose one could say that the guy initially killed by Sarevok in the opening video of BG is also Bhaalspawn as he pleads for his life saying "there are others, I can show you" So that would make 9.

"The Lord of Murder shall perish, but in his doom he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny. Chaos will be sewn from their passage. So sayeth the wise Alaundo." And so quotes Chanter.

 

"During the days of the Avatars, the Lord of Murder will spawn a score of mortal progeny. These offspring will be aligned good and evil, but chaos will flow through them all. When the Beast's bastard children come of age, they will bring havoc to the lands of the Sword Coast. One of these children must rise above the rest and claim their father's legacy. This inheritor will shape the history of the Sword Coast for centuries to come......" states a scroll/letter in the Candlekeep library (SCRL3D).

 

"The spawn of the Lord of Murder are fated to come into their inheritance through bloodshed and misery. It is the hope of their father that only one shall remain alive to inherit his legacy. I foresee that the children of Bhaal shall kill each other in a bloody massacre." states a second scroll/letter on another nearby bookshelf (SCRL3E).

 

These, along with the Finale movie, suggests that only a score would have his blood run true enough to feel the heritage and do something about it (with the resulting chaos). More may sense it but will never reach the potential of the "score" of the prophecy. The majority simply become targets or victims, and IMO probably are not truly aware of their heritage. The events at Saradush in ToB also suggest this.

[plainab]

so there is some validity to assuming that Alaudno is referring to an actual "score of worthy mortal progeny" to vie for Bhaal's throne.

[Nilfalasiel]

"The Lord of Murder shall perish, but in his doom he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny. Chaos will be sewn from their passage. So sayeth the wise Alaundo." And so quotes Chanter.

 

"During the days of the Avatars, the Lord of Murder will spawn a score of mortal progeny. These offspring will be aligned good and evil, but chaos will flow through them all. When the Beast's bastard children come of age, they will bring havoc to the lands of the Sword Coast. One of these children must rise above the rest and claim their father's legacy. This inheritor will shape the history of the Sword Coast for centuries to come......" states a scroll/letter in the Candlekeep library (SCRL3D).

 

"The spawn of the Lord of Murder are fated to come into their inheritance through bloodshed and misery. It is the hope of their father that only one shall remain alive to inherit his legacy. I foresee that the children of Bhaal shall kill each other in a bloody massacre." states a second scroll/letter on another nearby bookshelf (SCRL3E).

 

These, along with the Finale movie, suggests that only a score would have his blood run true enough to feel the heritage and do something about it (with the resulting chaos). More may sense it but will never reach the potential of the "score" of the prophecy. The majority simply become targets or victims, and IMO probably are not truly aware of their heritage. The events at Saradush in ToB also suggest this.

 

Maybe there's something I'm not seeing, but all I'm getting from these quotes is that Bhaal will have lots of children, and they'll kill each other for dominance, with only the strongest remaining alive. None of the quotes specifically indicates that only a fraction of those children will be powerful enough.

 

I'm still of the opinion that "score" isn't literal. Or that Alaundo's prophecy isn't completely accurate. Maybe he didn't realise there would be a lot more than a score. Compare that to the case of a PC who refuses their heritage in the end: that's certainly at odds with the prophecy.

[plainab]

hahahaha and its just this reason that bioware chose score instead of anything else... most prophecies are cryptic and open to interpretation. by using score and showing references to more than that, they ensured that there would be some players who would become fascinated with the real meanings behind the words. thus ensuring that they and other sources of FR products would retain some followers ^^

 

I'd hazard to say that Alaundo's prophecy isn't accurate or he left out details on purpose. we wouldn't be having this discussion if it were more detailed

 

"During the days of the Avatars, the Lord of Murder will spawn a score of mortal progeny. These offspring will be aligned good and evil, but chaos will flow through them all. When the Beast's bastard children come of age, they will bring havoc to the lands of the Sword Coast. One of these children must rise above the rest and claim their father's legacy. This inheritor will shape the history of the Sword Coast for centuries to come......" states a scroll/letter in the Candlekeep library (SCRL3D).

"The spawn of the Lord of Murder are fated to come into their inheritance through bloodshed and misery. It is the hope of their father that only one shall remain alive to inherit his legacy. I foresee that the children of Bhaal shall kill each other in a bloody massacre." states a second scroll/letter on another nearby bookshelf (SCRL3E).

Compare that to the case of a PC who refuses their heritage in the end: that's certainly at odds with the prophecy.

Certainly not at odds, not at all. The PC rose above the others and thus 'claimed' it, but in the end chose to refuse the powers.... Just cause something is inherited doesn't mean it is accepted or used. PC can deny the inheritance but that doesn't stop them from having earned it. Nor does it stop others from saying that the PC claimed it.

 

prophecies are cryptic words shrouded in myth and wrapped in an enigma

 

On the other hand, they could have had a basic story line with different people writing up descriptions and prophecies and decided it all sounded confusingly nice together LOL One wonders how much was intentional and how much was accidental...

[Miloch]

"The Lord of Murder shall perish

Well, that hardly phases a Time Lord now, does it? He's still out there somewhere. Oh right, in the Pocket Plane or whatever... told you he was a Time Lord.

[Wisp]

that hardly phases a Time Lord

Speaking of pet peeves, the verb you want is "faze."

Now I will show myself out, before I accidentally win a popularity contest, or something.