Orin: Difference between revisions

'''Orin the Red''' is the Chosen of {{CharLink|Bhaal}} and one of the leaders of the enigmatic [[Cult of the Absolute]] and serves as one of the main antagonists in [[Baldur's Gate 3]].

Hinted at first though notes, she is properly introduced at the end of Act 2 as one of the conspirators of the cult along with {{CharLink|Ketheric Thorm}} and {{CharLink|Enver Gortash}}. Through cunning and murderous devotion, she and her allies have established a solid Bhaalite foothold in the city of [[Baldur's Gate]]. Now, empowered by a {{SmRarityItem|Orin's Netherstone|netherstone}} and with cult's plans in motion, she intends to paint the city crimson with blood in a mighty offering to Bhaal.

* Orin is a level 12 [https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Changeling Changeling] boss and one of the main antagonists in the game

* First mentioned in Act 1, she is introduced in Act 2, and properly encountered and fought in Act 3

* Fighting her is required in order to obtain her Netherstone and proceed with the story

* In combat, she uses her deadly powers given by Bhaal himself to deal large amounts of damage quickly while being supported by her cultists

* Her encounter can go different ways depending on the choices made by the party and whether or not the player character is the Dark Urge.

* A cease of hostilities with her and her Bhaalites can be brokered if agreed to slay Gortash first

* She can trick the party with her disguises and will kidnap someone important to the party

Orin is cruel and sadistic, but artistic and creative in her own twisted way.{{cite text|name=kill|Concerning Orin the Red|[[The Dark Urge]]}} Her demeanour is immature and almost childish; Orin easily loses her composure when things do not go her way, enacts small rebellions against the authority figures in her life, and enjoys, in a arguably playful way, toying with her victims.{{cite text|Experiment on Cruor|Orin the Red}} She derives sadistic pleasure from taunting her victims with the gory details of her deeds.  

Raised believing she was fathered by {{CharLink|Bhaal}} himself, Orin was in truth born of an incestuous relationship between {{CharLink|Sarevok Anchev}} and his daughter {{CharLink|Helena Anchev}}, intended to be the perfect offering to the Dread Lord.{{cite text|name=incest|A page from Sarevok's book|[[Sarevok Anchev]]}} Though he routinely mistreated and abused them, both Helena and Orin worshipped and loved Sarevok, enduring the hardships of growing up as a Bhaalite. Orin received the bloody teachings of Bhaal, becoming in time the youngest Unholy Assassin to follow the steps of god of Murder. Such was her gift in killing that she was anointed Bhaal's Chosen.

When Orin was still a child, Sarevok, knowing Helena desired to be Bhaal's Chosen, ordered his daughter to kill Orin as an offering to Bhaal.{{ref|[[Bhaal_Temple#The Chosen's Room|Orin's Chambers]], lines spoken by Helena Anchev when asked how she died.<br>''"I... wanted... to be... Bhaal's... Chosen... Sarevok... told me... she... must be... my... offering..."''}} Helena attacked Orin but she was overcome by her child who ultimately cut her down. Bhaal deemed the young changeling exceptional, and ordered Sarevok to look after her henceforth.{{ref|[[Murder Tribunal]], lines spoken by Sarevok Anchev when discussing Orin.<br>''"Orin's gifts surpassed even her mother's. (...) When Orin was but seven years old, she tried to smother the child as an offering to our Lord. (...) It was her mother's blood that soaked the sheets. Orin had cut off the very hand that tried to end her. (...) This was Orin's tribunal. She was judged, and she was found ''exceptional''. My Lord made his choice - I abided by his words."''}}{{cite text|name=incest}}

 

Orin served Bhaal directly under [[The Dark Urge]] as their second in command, though the two were often at odds about the correct way of offering souls to Bhaal. Orin believed that the Urge mutilated their victims without consideration, and what their Father truly wanted was beauty and consideration in the kill.{{cite text|name=orinkill|Blood-Envy for the Unworthy|Orin the Red}} The Urge, on the other hand, understood that Bhaal cared only for the quantity of murder performed in his name, nothing more.{{cite text|name=kill}}

The Urge joined forces with {{CharLink|Bane (God)|Bane's}} Chosen {{CharLink|Enver Gortash}}, and together, they formulated a plan to steal the {{SmRarityItem|Crown of Karsus}}, an ancient arcane object of immense power, and subjugate an [[Elder Brain]] with it in order to create a soulless army to destroy the world with.{{cite text|Scrapbook of Letters|The Dark Urge, Enver Gortash}} After recruiting {{CharLink|Ketheric Thorm}}, {{CharLink|Myrkul|Myrkul's}} Chosen, Orin joined the three in the raid to plant the Crown on the brain beneath [[Moonrise Towers]].  

It was during this time that Orin saw her opportunity and struck, driving a dagger through the Urge's skull and planting an [[Illithid]] tadpole in them.{{ref|name=morphic|[[Morphic Pool]], lines spoken by the Netherbrain when confronted by the Dark Urge and their companions.<br>"''You placed the Crown upon me in the depths of Moonrise Towers, and there I was born. (...) Your plan was devious, your cruelty unparalleled. I would have followed it, were your mind not destroyed by your sister."''}}{{cite text|Memoir Notes with Recent Addenda|Enver Gortash}} With her former rival left to die and a tadpole devouring their brain, Orin took the Urge's place as Bhaal's Chosen and third member of the conspirators.{{cite text|Elder Brain Domination|Ketheric Thorm}} Orin would prove undisciplined in her role, however, as her bloodlust could not be contained, and rapidly grew to be disliked by the other two who saw her as little more than a necessary nuisance to their plan.{{cite text|Journal of Enver Gortash|Enver Gortash}} At some point between the betrayal and the events of the game, Ketheric and Orin tricked {{CharLink|Minthara}} into a trap where she murdered her allies and captured her. She then used a tadpole to convert Minthara into a [[True Soul]].

If the Dark Urge is not chosen as the player character, their corpse will be found in Orin's chamber during Act 3, tortured to death by their sister.{{note|This corpse uses the [[Dragonborn#White_Dragonborn|White Dragonborn]] form for [[The Dark Urge (origin)|the Dark Urge]], as seen as the in-game default choice for the [[Origin]] and in promotional footage for it.}}

If the Dark Urge is picked as a player character, they are found by {{CharLink|Kressa Bonedaughter}} instead, saved from death and held captive in the [[Mind Flayer Colony]] for some time as she experiments on them,{{cite text|Clasped Book (Moonrise Towers)|Balthazar}} until they are shipped away on the [[Nautiloid]] during the [[Prologue]].{{cite text|Journal of Magthew Budj|Maghtew Budj}}

Orin first appears alongside Ketheric Thorm and Enver Gortash in the Mind Flayer Colony beneath [[Moonrise Towers]]. An argument breaks out between Gortash and Ketheric and is stopped from becoming a fight due to her intervention. Having successfully kidnapped {{CharLink|Ulder Ravengard}}, she also takes the opportunity to plant a tadpole in the duke's eye as part of their plan to take over the city. She then joins the other Chosen and uses her {{SmRarityItem|Orin's Netherstone|netherstone}}, ''the Lash of Bhaal'', with them to order the [[Netherbrain]] to march the Absolute's armies on [[Baldur's Gate]].

After reaching [[Rivington]], the party will encounter Orin in person for the first time. She will reveal that she is aware of their objective to gather the netherstones and confront her and Gortash, and threatens that she will be following them, watching every step they take before disappearing once more. If engaged by [[The Dark Urge]], she will reveal their relationship as siblings mockingly and taunt them. From then on, she will begin harassing the party by using her changeling abilities to shapeshift into different characters. When speaking with these seemingly innocuous characters, the conversation will slowly turn more violent until Orin drops the disguise to goad the party into a bloody encounter with her.

Gortash may offer an alliance with the party if spoken to before confronting Orin. Tired of her theatrics and unreliability, Gortash will offer to join forces to subdue the Netherbrain for good and rule the [https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Sword_Coast Sword Coast] together if the party slays Orin and brings her netherstone. In order to convince the party, he also reveals that their camp has been compromised by Orin who is masquerading as a party member.{{note|Although Gortash reveals this, the party is unable to act on this information as the actual replacement does not happen until Orin reveals it herself in the Lower City.}} If agreed to, Gortash proves to be true to his word if his conditions are fulfilled.

Alternatively, if the party used {{SAI|Speak with Dead}} on Helena Anchev's corpse they can discover that she betrayed Orin on Sarevok's orders. Revealing this to Orin causes her to completely lose focus on killing her kidnapping victim. If the party then choose dialogue options without ability checks, Orin will become enraged and call on Bhaal's power to transform into the [[Slayer]]. However, the party can also choose to taunt her further by succeeding a {{Ability Check|Deception|25}}, {{Ability Check|Persuasion|25}}, or {{Ability Check|Religion|25}}, which cause Orin to completely break down since she is unable to cope with the truth. Bhaal will then speak to her through the giant skull in the back of the room, commanding her to fight and unnaturally twisting her body to force her into the Slayer form. Regardless of the outcome of the conversation, Orin will attack when it concludes.

Once defeated, the party is able to loot her corpse and find {{MdRarityItem|Orin's Netherstone}}.

Meeting one of Orin's impersonations for the first time as the Dark Urge earns the [[Haunted One|Personal Relations]] [[Inspiration|background goal]].

Lastly, it's possible to identify when an NPC is actually Orin as they'll be level 12, though without the large amount of hit points that would be expected from that level. When examined, these NPCs can be observed to have Orin's passives, giving away their true identity. If attacked straight away, Orin will transform and disappear without her usual threats.

* [[Fist Rowan]], a member of the [[Flaming Fist]] standing near the back of the donation barn.

* [[Gyldro Angleiron]], a blacksmith in the [[Rivington General]].

* [[Lens]], a journalist for the [[Baldur's Mouth|Baldur's Mouth Gazette]].

* [[Stone Lord]] thug (dying) near the [[Western Beach]].

* [[Zethino]], the fey Master of Love at the [[Circus of the Last Days]].

Orin serves as one of the main antagonists of Act 3 of the game alongside [[Enver Gortash]]. Her defeat is required before facing the final threat of the game: the [[Netherbrain]].

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