Rugan

Rugan is a human Zhentarim agent who can be found trapped in a cave on the Risen Road, desperately trying to fend off Flind's gnoll pack.

“

Leave the heroics to them that don't value their own skin.

„

— Rugan to Olly.

Involvement

Act One

Main article: Find the Missing Shipment

Rugan and Olly can be encountered taking shelter in a cave while under attack from Flind and her gnoll pack. The party can intervene, saving the two Zhentarim agents, or convince the gnolls to enter the cave and kill them through various dialogue checks with Flind.

• Divert her attention to the cave - perhaps there's more meat inside?
  • [ILLITHID] [WISDOM] Use the power within you to make her obey the Voice; to brave the flames and feast on the meat in the cave. (DC 5)
  • [BARD] [PERFORMANCE] Conjure the mewlings of easy prey into her mind, centring it within the nearby cave. (DC 12)
• Search her mind for the source of the Voice.
  • [WISDOM] Harness her anger - the meat in the cave must die. (DC 10)

If the party initiates combat with the gnolls, come Rugan or Olly's turn, they will retreat further into the cave and disengage from initiative. They will not fully engage with the party until the gnolls are defeated. After the battle, Rugan will run out of the cave and thank the party for the assistance and reveals that they are part of a caravan to Baldur's Gate. There, it's revealed that Rugan and Olly are transporting a Caravan Strongbox. During this interaction, the party can recognise Rugan as part of the Zhentarim merchant network. In most cases, he gives the party the password (little serpent, long shadow) to enter the Zhentarim Hideout beneath Waukeen's Rest.

Rugan's dialogue tree is extensive and non-linear, with every branch of his tree linked together; the party can steal the cargo, have multiple opportunities to convince him to give it up, demand gold, or let him keep it.

• What's in the chest? Your cargo? / I'll stay friendly - so long as you hand over all your goods.
  • [INTIMIDATION] Whatever your cargo is, I'll take it as payment. (DC 15) / [INTIMIDATION] The cargo. Give it to me. Or else. (DC 15)
    • Zhentarim agents guarding a single chest. Curious. / The Zhentarim aren't known for mercy, true.
      • [BERSERKER] [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] ROAR. (DC 15)
      • [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] Enough talking. I'll have that cargo, or I'll have your head. (DC 15)
      • [INTIMIDATION] No. This is the point where I stop asking, and start cutting. (DC 15)
      • [PERSUASION] This is your employer's mess - but we can profit. Let's sell the cargo ourselves. (DC 15)
      • [ROGUE] [PERSUASION] You're missing a golden opportunity. Report the cargo lost - and we can sell it ourselves. (DC 15)
      • [OATHBREAKER] [PALADIN] [INTIMIDATION] Whatever oath you've sworn to the Black Hand, it's not worth dying for. Give me the cargo. (DC 15)
      • [PALADIN] [INTIMIDATION] You serve your oath to the Zhent impressively, but I'm afraid I'll be taking that cargo. Now. (DC 15)
      • [BARD] [PERSUASION] You'll find I'm very persuasive. We can make much more coin than you would with your employers. (DC 12)
    • If your bosses come after the chest, I'll kill them as well.
      • You had your chance. Either way, that cargo's mine.
  • [BARD] [DECEPTION] Darkhold was getting concerned. I've been sent to retrieve the shipment. (DC 15)
• [BERSERKER] [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] WORDS DON'T PAY. COIN DOES. (DC 10)
• [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] Not looking for new friends. Looking for coin. Now. (DC 10)

If the party has already been to the Zhentarim hideout, the following dialogue options are available as well:

• [INTIMIDATION] Fair. But I expect to be paid for saving your life. (DC 5)
• [INTIMIDATION] You can leave - but your cargo stays. (DC 10)
• [BERSERKER] [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] PAY UP. (DC 5)
• [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] Coin first. Then I go. (DC 5)
• [BERSERKER] [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] CARGO'S MINE NOW. GET OUT. (DC 10)
• [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] Cargo's mine now. Goodbye. (DC 10)

Receiving the quest to Find the Missing Shipment has the following option:

• All dead. Zarys sent me to secure the cargo. / Zarys sent me to secure the cargo.
  • This isn't a rescue, it's a robbery. I want the chest.
  • [BERSERKER] [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] CHEST. MINE NOW. (DC 15) (leads back to the first dialogue branch)
  • [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] The chest is mine now. Only question is if you live or not. (DC 15) (leads back to the first dialogue branch)
  • [INTIMIDATION] You owe me more than a drink. How about some coin? (DC 10)
  • [BERSERKER] [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] MONEY, OR YOUR LIFE. CHOOSE. (DC 10)
  • [BARBARIAN] [INTIMIDATION] I'll buy my own drinks. Money. Now. (DC 10)

Should the party take the chest or its contents, Rugan can later be found at the Zhentarim hideout, tied to a chair and being beaten by another Zhent. Zarys berates Rugan for losing the cargo, before threatening to kill the party. Zarys also reveals during the conversation that Rugan was the one who got her to join the Zhentarim. The party can either attack the Zhents, or convince Zarys not to attack. Nevertheless, any peaceful conclusion will have Zarys tell the party to kill Rugan. Rugan will beg the party to end his suffering; the party can either kill or release him. Releasing Rugan causes the other Zhentarim to immediately become hostile. Rugan aids in the ensuing fight, but flees immediately after its conclusion.

If Rugan kept the Caravan Strongbox, he can be found next to Zarys and Olly (provided Olly survived as well) in the hideout. The Zhentarim will greet the party as friends and allow them to go through their better items when trading with Brem. Rugan will then make a promise to buy the party a drink at the Elfsong Tavern once they're back in Baldur's Gate.

Act Three

Main article: Cut and unimplemented content: Rugan at the Guildhall

By saving Rugan from the gnolls in Act One, and remaining on friendly terms with the Zhents at the hideout, the party would've originally been able to find him in the Guildhall alongside both members of The Guild and the other Zhents; tipsy and dejected, he'd attempt to celebrate the party's arrival by telling the Zhents around him his rescue from the gnolls by the party, only to get ignored by everyone around him.

Rugan then goes on to reveal that the original Zhentarim in Baldur's Gate were backstabbed and put under "new management" in an internal power play, with every single Zhent returning to the city being betrayed, turned to the Steel Watch, and then hanged. He explains that their new superiors thought they were responsible for the kidnapping of Duke Ravengard, and that he owes his survival to falsely confessing as though it was true. As he is still loyal to the Zhentarim despite all this, the party was then able to convince him to leave their ranks.

• [PERSUASION] The Zhentarim have brought you nothing but trouble, Rugan. Cut your losses. (DC 15)
• [ROGUE] [PERSUASION] The Zhentarim sold your friends out. You think they wouldn't do the same to you? (DC 10)
• [ROGUE] [PERSUASION] The Zhentarim made you turn on your people. You really think you owe them loyalty? (DC 10)

Successfully doing so will make him move away from his posting in the Guildhall, and head towards the bar where he'd start drinking. During the Zhentarim's attempted takeover of the Guild, Rugan will not join combat and keep drinking if he was swayed away from the Zhentarim.

Combat

Attacks and abilities

 Alchemist's Fire ()

1d4 (1~4) Fire

Hurl a flask of liquid fire that explodes on impact.

 Range: 30 m / 100 ft

 Main Hand Attack ()   –  Shortsword

Normal weapon damage Make a melee attack with your equipped weapon.

 Melee: 1.5 m / 5  ft

 Ranged Attack ()   –  Hand Crossbow

Normal weapon damage Make a ranged attack with your equipped weapon.

 Range: 18 m / 60 ft

Notable loot

• Alchemist's Fire x3

Speak with Dead

Rugan can be spoken to with  Speak with Dead. If the party killed Rugan, they do not need to disguise themselves to speak to his corpse.

Party member: Who are you?

• Rugan: ... Rugan... Zhentarim agent...

Party member: What happened here?

• Rugan: ... ambushed... gnolls... saved cargo...
• (If killed by the Player) Rugan: ... some... killer... looked a lot like you...

Party member: Where were you heading?

• Rugan: ... tavern... Zhentarim hideout...
  • Party member: And how do I find this hideout?
    • Rugan: ... beneath tavern... need password...
      • Party member: What's the password?
        • Rugan: ... little serpent... long shadow...

Party member: What's inside the cargo?

• Rugan: ... wizard's shipment... secret... dangerous...

Related quests

•  Find the Missing Shipment

Notes

• Despite being a ranger and having 3 spell slots, Rugan does not have any ranger abilities or spells to make use of.

External links

• Rugan on the Forgotten Realms Wiki