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This article is about the established character, and contains many spoilers. You may be looking for the origin instead.
The Dark Urge is an established character as well as a special Origin in Baldur's Gate 3.
| Special Origin | |||||||
| The Dark Urge | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Stats | |||||||
| Level 1 | |||||||
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 Race
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[[Any,  (default)|Any, (default)]]
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 Type
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Humanoid | ||||||
 HP
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8 | ||||||
 AC
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11 | ||||||
 Movement Speed
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9 m / 30 ft | ||||||
 Size
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Medium | ||||||
 Proficiency Bonus
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+2 | ||||||
 Initiative
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+1 | ||||||
| Character information | |||||||
| Class | [[ Any,  (default) | Any, (default) ]] [[Category:Any, (default)s]]
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| Background | Haunted One | ||||||
| Family | Bhaal ("Father"/Creator), Orin the Red (Bhaalspawn Relative), Sarevok Anchev (Bhaalspawn Relative), Unnamed Foster Parents, Minsc ("Uncle", determinant) | ||||||
| Promotional Art | |||||||
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 | Spoiler warning: The following content contains unhidden spoilers. Read at your own risk. |
History
Early life
The Dark Urge is a Bhaalspawn, but unlike other Bhaalspawn, they weren't born – they were created from the dead flesh of Bhaal himself[1][2].
The Dark Urge grew up outside the Cult of Bhaal, and were at some point taken in by a couple. They had a relatively peaceful childhood for a time[3], before succumbing to the urge and murdering their loved ones and foster parents[4].
The plan
Eventually, the Dark Urge became the leader of the Cult of Bhaal, and pledged to end all life in existence for their father. At some point fellow Bhaalspawn Orin the Red joined and served under them.
After receiving dreams of Bhaal, the Dark Urge – in correspondence with Enver Gortash – hatched a plan to steal the Crown of Karsus in a heist at Mephistopheles' Vault [5], so that they could fulfil their pledge to their Lord: They would take create an army of soulless mind flayers, and with the help of this army they would exterminate all life — Including, as the last being alive, their own.[6] Soon after raid, Gortash suggested that they use the Crown on the elder brain located in the illithid colony below Moonrise Towers[7]. The Dark Urge agreed to the plan, and joined Enver Gortash and Ketheric Thorm at Moonrise Towers, fully intent on eventually betraying them.
Betrayal
At Moonrise Towers, the three Chosen initiated a raid on the mind flayer colony, and successfully used the Crown on the colony's elder brain, enslaving it to their will. At some point during this, Dark Urge formed a special relationship with the elder brain, who was on board with the Dark Urge's plan.
For a time, the Dark Urge was worshipped as a god at Moonrise Towers, but during a visit to the mind flayer colony beneath the towers, the raid still ongoing, they were betrayed by their sister Orin the Red, who was jealous of Bhaal's favouritism. The Dark Urge had their skull pierced and opened with a dagger, and was infected with a tadpole that began to eat their liquidating brain, resulting in their amnesia, as well as them becoming the first True Soul.[8]
The Dark Urge was found by Kressa Bonedaughter who, impressed with their willpower and resistance to the elder brain's influence, began to study them. She would cut them open and put them back together repeatedly over the course of several days in the mind flayer colony, during which the Dark Urge was unable to speak or do anything but attempt to inflict violence on themselves or others.
The Elder Brain came to refer to the Dark Urge's condition as a "True Soul", inspiring Gortash with the idea of creating more True Souls, perfecting his plan to create the false religion of 'the Absolute', with the purpose of realising his so-called master plan of Unity.
Noticing his wife's obsession and hoping to snap her out of it, Kressa's husband arranged for the broken and amnesiac Dark Urge to be sent off on the Nautiloid Ship, where they would soon wake up with no memories of themselves or their past.
The Urge
- See Also: The Dark Urge (Origin) and The Urge
The Dark Urge's unique quest, The Urge, has two distinct paths: The character can either resist their urges, or embrace them.
If they resist the legacy, will eventually be drained of their father's blood, only for Withers invests a portion of his power into them entwining their fates.
If they embrace their legacy, they will become Bhaal's Chosen yet again.
The Dark Urge's past sins
- The Dark Urge is a cannibal.[9]
- According to Sceleritas Fel, the Dark Urge is a necrophiliac.
- Dialogue with Orin disguised as Zethino implies that she and Dark Urge may have had an incestuous relationship, but it is left ambiguous.
- The journal entry for Open your Scars suggests the that the Dark Urge may have had a sexual relationship with the Elder Brain.
Notes
- Due to similarities the Dark Urge shares with previous Baldur's Gate protagonists, it is theorised that they are the canon protagonist of Baldur's Gate 3. This has not been confirmed or denied as of the time of writing.
- Even after being freed of the the Urge, the Dark Urge still has access to unique, violent dialogue – with the Urge references removed – suggesting that at least part of the Dark Urge's available actions could be the result of their own character, rather than Bhaal's influence.
- Immediately after the Dark Urge is brought back by Withers, free of the Urge, the character can revel in their freedom to be evil without the Urge, and take joy in having fooled everyone that they are innocent.
- The character can also embrace their goodness, which illustrates the virtue of a good-aligned Dark Urge, as they (and the player) truly choose to be good.
- Even if the Dark Urge gets rid of their father's blood, the Netherbrain still refers to the Dark Urge as "murder incarnate".
- In a campaign where the Dark Urge isn't chosen as an Origin Character, the player can find the corpse of an NPC with the default appearance of the Dark Urge Origin, simply called "Fallen Bhaalspawn", tortured and murdered by Orin.
- Assuming this is the Dark Urge, it is likely that this version of the character was abandoned by Bhaal, as their death would not make much sense otherwise. Additionally, they were probably never sent on the Nautiloid Ship. It is unknown if this version of the Dark Urge was still the original True Soul or not.
- This version of the Dark Urge has slight differences in appearance. The standard Dark Urge uses White 7 scale colour, and Flame Red 1 eye colour. The version found here appears to use White 1, and Flame Grey 4, as it lacks its distinctive red colours that is recognized on the default Dark Urge.
- Assuming he is recruited, Minsc considers himself to be the Dark Urge's uncle.
Gallery
The origin's default appearance
Sceleritas Fel, The Dark Urge's guide
The origin's default appearance in Larian's Release Showcase.
The origin's appearance in Blood in Baldur's Gate.
References
- ↑ The Dark Urge can tell Naaber that they have no birthdate due to the nature of their creation.
- ↑ Dialogue with Sceleritas Fel, after becoming Bhaal's Chosen.
- ↑ Memories regained after casting Heal on the Dark Urge after killing Orin.
- ↑ Memories regained from casting Heal on the Dark Urge prior to killing Orin.
- ↑ Dialogue with Gortash as well as notes found at his parents' shop.
- ↑ Note written by the Dark Urge found in the Colony below Moonrise Towers.
- ↑ Gortash's Memoirs
- ↑ According to journals found in the Mind Flayer Colony and dialogue with Kressa Bonedaughter
- ↑ Eating a Noblestalk Mushroom prior to meeting Sceleritas Fel.