Conceiving BGIII's story: The Prequel

[Lemernis]

Another one of my overly ambitious mod ideas that I have no skill myself to implement, but I'll share anyway should it inspire others. I wouldn't be surprised if this has been thought of and discussed already, here 'tis anyway:

 

I know BG3 is unlikely to ever be made. But if it were, the only way I can see it making sense is to approach the project as George Lucas did with Star Wars and venture back in time to set the stage with a prequel. This would then be the story of Bhaal's foresight during the Time of Troubles that he would be assassinated by Cyric (with the help of Mask). And consequently Bhaal's grand scheme to have himself resurrected that is played out in BG1.

 

It would every bit as much be the story of Gorion and Elminster's efforts to thwart that plot. Set during the Godswar there's a lot of fun material to work with. We would get to learn about who Gorion is (much as Star Wars provides the history of Obi Wan Kenobi). And the story would tell us more about the PC's mother and her history, which is explained in ToB, although not in any great detail.

 

How about assembling a team to conceive this story, and then integrating it into the entire saga? Especially coupled with NiGHTMARE's idea for specific alternate PC histories, this could add a lot of depth to PC's project of discovering who he or she really is. The basic backstory of Bhaal's plot, before the PC is born, would be constant. But exactly how Gorion and Elminster handle each unique PC backstory could be different. So there is a lot of room for creativity here, as the 'journey of self-discovery' could differ substantially for each custom PC that is designed.

 

Mod or no, I'm thinking that creating this backstory for the saga would be great fun just in itself.

[Lemernis]

Well it seem as a project proposal this is going over like a lead balloon, heh!

 

Any interest in simply brainstorming the concept in a thread like this strictly for the fun of it?

[Lemernis]

Boo as Bhaalspawn FTW! It'll ultimately be the story of the daring, intrepid spelljammer captain from another planet. Boo belongs to a race that's physically indistinguishable from Abeir-Toril's hamsters (though they happen to be relative giants on their home world).

[pro5]

So, exactly who will be PC in this prequel?

 

Gorion?

[Sir-Kill]

I have seen this topic (like many others) many times before.

question: why does it even have to revlove around the bhaal story at all?? was it even that great of a story?

the game was great but I do not think that its greatness reloved around bhaal that made it so.

[WizWom]

Hrm. Well, once you finish ToB, you are either a mortal with godly powers, or a God. So, yeah, the adventuring possibilities for that character do seem a bit thin. But, the same could be said for the other end of the story with that character. You have your secluded life in Candlekeep. You never leave. Not much adventure in the stacks.

 

And you can from one to the other in about half a year. I usually spend about 90 days in BG1/ToSC, about 70 in BGII, and perhaps 35 in ToB. Tat's an advancement rate that a PnP game would die from. I've known f PnP games that have lasted decades. But a CRPG is a different beast.

 

you could develop side-tracks that revolve around the BG->ToB storyline. you are not the godchild, but you are trying to hinder or help them. I'd place it in a different section of the world, because, frankly, Gorion's ward has got the sword coast wrapped up. but you could have just as complex a situation evolve around Thay and Rasheman, or Cormyr, or any or the many areas in the Realms of Faerun.

 

Unltimately, you'd have to face one of the Five, at a lower level than they are, and either die or watch them flee (because they must survive to be destroyed by Gorion's Ward). Or you can take the evil choice and help them to gain power and cleanse the area of Bhallspawn. The good choice, of course, would be assisting the Bhallspawn to flee to Saradush and stopping the war in the area you are in.

[jester]

I am currently replaying IWD2 and I say I would rather have a simpler plot set a while after our current game. The offspring of Bhaal just a legend. This would free up a lot of storytelling potential to get interesting plots in there without all that deadweight of the Bhaal story, its omissions and inaccuracies withing BG/BG2/ToB. Offer three starting locations depending on your kit choice and take it from there to any place on the world map of these three games.

 

I never knew what all the fuss is about (awww) reused game areas. Repopulate them and off you go. Why should Durlags tower look different now than 100 years earlier? Bring in new stories and the potential is limitless.

[NiGHTMARE]

I think that it's more important for any new Baldur's Gate game or TC to actually, y'know, feature Baldur's Gate, than it is for it to be connected to the Bhaalspawn story.

 

Personally I'd love for it to focus on the areas north of the city, such as the Fields of the Dead, Boareskyr Bridge, Warlock's Crypt, Lyran's Hold, Dragonspear Castle, etc. Other towns/cities could include Soubar, Elturel, and maybe even Evereska.

[Sir-Kill]

so what would you do in the case of a TC as far as areas go, reuse the bg city or remake an all new city?

 

personaly a tc should not be held to that. now a new game by pro's probably should.

[WizWom]

Jester, as far as it goes, a RELATED game does not need to involve Bhallspawn at all. But then it's got no business being called Baldur's Gate III.

 

If you call the game Baldur's Gate, it's got to do with Bhallspawn, it's the defining plot device of the series.

 

Just like it would make no sense to make an Icewind Dale game set in Calishan.

 

Yes, you could make another Major IE/Faerun series. But if it doesn't include a link to the previous titles, it deserves a new title.

[Lemernis]

Just to clarify what my original thought was, I'm assuming that literally going back in time and trying to tell that story with a new mod is over-ambitious.

 

Instead what I was suggesting was to first conceive of the story of Bhaal's plot to get himself resurrected--to write that tale. And to then integrate that story material into the game, so that it adds more interest as the main character in the BG series discovers who he is. It is the telling of the story--not the events themselves--of how Bhaal plotted and schemed his attempted resurrection before he was killed that is revealed.

 

See what I mean? At various points throughout the game, this new information comes to light about Bhaal's machinations in the past. That's what I was thinking of anway, rather than literally creating a mod set in the past with recycled areas.

 

That said, to perhaps cut-scene flashbacks in time of key events (eg, the battle between Cyric and Bhaal at Boareskyr Bridge) would be kind of neat to see.

[jester]

@If you call the game Baldur's Gate, it's got to do with Bhallspawn, it's the defining plot device of the series.

 

Not for me. It defines the place it is set in. ToB being the only exception. What was BG: Dark Alliances IIRC about?

 

I don't care for book covers either. An involving story with a lot of twists and options makes a game fly for me. If it was for the slew of cn characters I played who did not give a f***, I mean a single thought about world peace and minor gods. (Mellisan's ascension would not have meant a thing to anybody else than the gods who rivalled her portfolio. )

They, wizards, bards and thieves, would have stayed out of the crisis, perhaps smuggled some iron during the war to get rich and settle down with a Calimshan harlot. Others, druids and rangers, saw that it is in the nature of wrath to consume itself and stay out of the way the odd slap on the bandit's wrists notwithstanding. I don't care about six types of spears. I want non-linear gameplay and choices in the game that really alter what I get.

[WizWom]

Jester, as far as it goes, I agree with you. Heck, If it was availiable in the game, I'd have myself smuggled into BG in chapter 1 and ignore Nashkel, the bandits and cloakwood. Of course, Sarevok has some crazy psychic powers to figure out exactly what I'm going to do next, and then I'd be easy pickin's for him. In fact, had he just wandered over to the FAI and had, say Tonoko hang out in Beregost, the story would be awfully short :-)

 

Excapt that that game should not be called Baldur's Gate, because that would confuse people.

 

It could be called anything else: "Amn in Flames" or "Sword Coast Mayhem" or anything.

[NiGHTMARE]

Personally I think far more people associate the BG series with the areas of the Realms featured in it than they do with the whole Bhaalspawn thing.

[Lemernis]

I'd agree with that. To me the setting is more immersive than the plotline by far.