Gorion's Ward

Gorion's Ward is the character created by the player, and is sometimes referred to as the protagonist in-game.

Little is known about the player's history initially. Gorion's Ward was brought to Candlekeep by Gorion when he or she was only a few months old, and has been at Candlekeep for 20 years before the story starts. Gorion's Ward was probably born between 1346-1348 DR. Gorion's Ward grew up with Imoen, who was brought to Candlekeep by Gorion ten years after the player.

In the novelization of the games, the role of Gorion's Ward is filled by Abdel Adrian. Abdel is a good aligned human fighter. He is described as very large for a human at 7 feet tall, and possesses superhuman strength like Sarevok Anchev. Abdel makes a cameo in the Mission Save pack from Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast, in which he is the player character. In Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, one of the pre-generated player characters is also named Abdel.

Biography
The player's biography in Baldur's Gate is generated in two pieces. The first is set based on the player's class. If the player is a non-human who multi-classes, the first listed class will be chosen. Class kits will use the biography of their base class. The second is mostly common among player's, but has a section based on the player's race. In Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition the biography is customizable.

Prologue and chapter 1
In Baldur's Gate, Gorion's Ward is the player character. You are asked to buy equipment for long travels by Gorion, who is waiting for you near the entrance of the library for unknown reasons. Gorion and his ward get separated in the area just east of Candlekeep after an ambush involving Sarevok (the armored figure), two Ogres and a mage, who turns out to be Tamoko. After the ambush, Gorion's Ward is found by Imoen in the morning, who has managed to sneak out of Candlekeep and followed them and saw how Gorion was killed. As you can't return to Candlekeep, you travel with her to the Friendly Arm Inn, to find the contacts Gorion spoke of, Jaheira and Khalid, who knew Gorion personally and are willing to travel with you to Nashkel and its mines, where some strange things are happening. It may give a clue about the iron crisis in an iron rich region.

Chapter 2
There are some strange things happening at the Nashkel Mines. The iron mined there is too corrupted to be used for armor and weapons and the miners are dying at the hand of some creatures haunting the mines. The mayor of Nashkel doesn't have the militairy force to clean the mines, so there are hiring adventurers to explore the mines and find out what's causing it. At the bottom of the mine, you find a human called Mulahey, who is in command of the kobolds, who are corrupting the ore using a certain substance on purpose.

Dreams
After completing each chapter, (starting with chapter 1 completion, beginning of chapter 2), Gorion's Ward has a dream the first time he/she rests during the new chapter. Depending on reputation, he/she gets an appropriate dream and an ability which can be accessed from the special abilities icon at the bottom right of the game screen. These are:
 * Larloch's Minor Drain, dreams 1&2 if reputation is <9
 * Cure Light Wounds, dreams 1&2 if reputation is >10
 * Ghoul Touch, dreams 3&4 if reputation <9
 * Slow Poison, dreams 3&4 if reputation is  >10
 * Vampiric Touch, dreams 5&6 if reputation is <9

If reputation fluctuates above and below 9.5 every-other chapter than all 6 special abilities can be acquired.
 * Draw Upon Holy Might, dreams 5&6 if reputation is >10

Biography
The player's biography in Baldur's Gate II can be customized on player creation. The following is the default biography.

"Your history is nearly as unknown as your future, and the things that are certain are more fancy than fact. As unlikely it may seem, you have the blood of a deity coursing through your veins.

You are a product of the Time of Troubles, a cataclysmic period when the gods were made flesh and forced to walk the earth among their followers. One such deity foresaw both the event and his inevitable death because of it, and so took steps to effect his resurrection. This god strode the land before he was made to, and in his wake, he left a score of mortal progeny driven to conquer and rule. They were not intended to be his successors, but rather the fuel of his rebirth. Heroes would rise to counter these tyrants, and when their evil fell it would fall to the father.

The god was Bhaal, Lord of Murder, and you are one of his children.

You were cared as a child by Gorion, a powerful wizard that may have had even more powerful friends. It was his influence that allowed you to spend your youth in the libraries fortress of Candlekeep, where the resident monks schooled you in your skills. Children were an oddity at the keep, though you did have a friend in Imoen. She seemed a kindred spirit, though you knew no more of her background than your own. Gorion never explained how or you came to be there, or why you needed such a secluded home. It was only after his death that you learned the truth about your bloodline, when you were forced into conflict with his killer, another child of Bhaal.

Sarevok was this sibling's name, and he had embraced his foul origins, determined to exploit them and become the next Lord of Murder. He sought to create death on a massive scale, a war of sacrifice that would prove his claim to his father's throne. You unraveled his carefully wrought plans, and ultimately it was you that took his life, sending his taint back to Bhaal. A victory of sorts...

Now you face an uncertain future. A child of murder, you have a lineage that will tempt the ignorant to fear you, and the unscrupulous to use you. And alway the essence of Bhaal is within, exterting its dark pull when you are weakest. Which is the greater fear: Losing your life to fuel the fire, or losing your will and becoming it?"

Strongholds
In Baldur's Gate II, the character receives a stronghold which can be used to store some items and get some quests related to it as well. Multi-classed characters, and possibly dual-classed characters, can actually acquire the stronghold for both of their classes (or all three, for multi-classed ones). This can be hard to juggle, though.


 * de'Arnise Keep is a stronghold for Fighters, Barbarians and Monks. It can be gained by starting the quest: The de'Arnise Keep has been Invaded by recruiting Nalia de'Arnise.
 * Mages, Sorcerers and Specialist Mages become the master of Lavok's Sphere. The quest can be started in the Athkatla Government district. The Hunt for Corthala Valygar involves hunting Valygar Corthala, a potential companion. He can be brought to the Cowled Wizards dead or alive or you can recruit him in your party.
 * Thieves become a member of the Shadow Thieves and they get Mae'Var's Guildhall as their stronghold after completing the quest: Find Proof of Mae'Var's Treachery. Because of this, thieves can only progress the storyline in chapter 2 in favor of the Thieves' Guild.
 * Clerics can join one of the three temples in Athkatla Temple, depending on their alignment. Good aligned clerics can join the clergy of Lathander, the neutral ones the Order of Helm and the evil characters can become a worshipper of Talos, the god of storms. Find and Destroy the Cult of the Unseeing is the starting quest of becoming a member in all three cases, start the quest at the revelant clergy. Cleric Stronghold is the quest for their related stronghold.
 * Druids gain the Druid Grove as their stronghold when they are level 14. Animal Trouble in Trademeet is the starting quest to gain access to the area and the first step of claiming this stronghold. Heeding the Spirit of the Grove is the quest to become the head of the grove.
 * Rangers gain Merella's Cabin as their stronghold after Investigate the Deaths in the Umar Hills has been completed. Ranger - Protector of the Umar Hills is the quest related to it. Cleric / Ranger can also gain this stronghold.
 * Bards receive the Five Flagons Inn stage as their stronghold after Free Haer'Dalis from Imprisonment by Mekrath.
 * Paladins can get access to their stronghold after completing the quest related to the Windspear Hills. Paladin Duties is the quest related to it.