Orpheus: Difference between revisions

While resting at [[Wyrm's Lookout]], the party are ambushed by githyanki warriors and combat ensues. The [[Dream Guardian]] opens a portal into the Astral Prism for the party to enter, lest they fall under the [[Absolute]]'s influence. There, the Dream Guardian reveals their true form as a mind flayer free from hivemind control, and asks the party for their aid against the githyanki.  Though the party has the option to attack their protector, this will lead to a [[Game Over screens|Game Over]], as the player either falls under the control of the Absolute, or are killed by the githyanki. After the battle, the Dream Guardian reveals that the source of the party's protection has been an imprisoned Orpheus, and that the githyanki who attacked are his Honor Guard, who were imprisoned alongside him by the first Vlaakith. Completing this encounter will complete both {{Quest|Discover the History of Prince Orpheus}} and {{Quest|Discover the Artefact's Secrets}}, as well as start {{Quest|Free Orpheus}}.

After his visit to the party's camp in [[Act Two]], Kith'rak Voss will have directed the party to meet him at [[Sharess' Caress]] in [[Wyrm's Crossing]]. [[Baldur's Gate]].  Upstairs, in the [[Devil's Den]], the party will find him attempting to make a deal with the devil {{CharLink|Raphael}}, who eventually dismisses him. Talking to the devil reveals he has the {{SmRarityItem|Orphic Hammer}}, a magically imbued hammer with the ability to free Orpheus from his infernal chains. He promises to give the artifact to the party in exchange for the {{SmRarityItem|Crown of Karsus}}, signing a {{SmRarityItem|Soul-Sworn Contract|override_icon=Soul-Sworn Contract.png}} with the player if they accept. The player has a few options:

# The player refuses the deal but decides to acquire the Orphic Hammer anyways. They infiltrate the [[House of Hope]] to steal the Orphic Hammer. This leads to a confrontation with Raphael, who the party must defeat.

# The player accepts the deal and doesn't betray Raphael. At the final battle, after the party chooses to free Orpheus, Raphael will appear and hand them the Orphic Hammer. As his deal involves handing over the Crown of Karsus, this prevents {{CharLink|Gale}} from either giving the crown to {{CharLink|Mystra}} or using it to become a god, and causes Raphael to appear at the party in the [[Epilogue]].

# The player accepts the deal (signing a {{SmRarityItem|Soul-Sworn Contract|override_icon=Soul-Sworn Contract.png}} with the devil) but ultimately decide to break it. Just like if they refused the deal, they must infiltrate the House of Hope and must acquire their contract, with the option of also stealing the Orphic Hammer. This leads to a confrontation with Raphael, who the party must defeat.

At the [[Morphic Pool]], the player attempts to wield the Netherstones and control the Netherbrain, but are overwhelmed. The Emperor brings them into the Astral Prism, and tells them that only an illithid can successfully wield the Netherstones. It is here that Orpheus' fate can be decided, with most decisions contingent on whether or not the party acquired the Orphic Hammer.

Orpheus can be "assimilated" by either the Emperor, a mind flayer player character, or a mind flayer {{CharLink|Karlach}}.  If Lae'zel has rejected Vlaakith and embraced Orpheus, the player must pass a {{Ability check|Persuasion|30}} or she will turn hostile. Upon leaving the Astral Prism and reaching [[The High Hall|High Hall]], an enraged Voss will turn hostile unless convinced not to, which requires a {{Ability check|Persuasion, Deception|30}}, with an additional prerequisite {{Ability check|Persuasion, Intimidation|25}} if the player was the one to "assimilate" Orpheus.  If Voss turns hostile, he can no longer be recruited as part of {{Quest|Gather Your Allies}}

The player can refuse to allow the Emperor to "assimilate" Orpheus. Alternatively, a mind flayer player character can refuse to "assimilate" Orpheus, though a check is required to prevent your hunger from getting the best of you. Either choice causes the Emperor to defect to the Netherbrain, and the player can then free Orpheus. If the player made the deal with Raphael and didn't betray him, then he will show up and give the Orphic Hammer to the player.

If the player still doesn't have the Orphic Hammer at this point, then Raphael will appear and make his offer again. Refusing the offer causes a Game Over, so the player is forced to {{Quest|Fulfill the Deal}}.

Regardless, Orpheus is freed and offers an alliance to the player, though he may scold them for not freeing him sooner, or for stealing the {{SmRarityItem|Githyanki Egg}}. Like the Emperor, he tells the player that the only way to wield the Netherstones is to become an illithid. There are several options open to the player at this point:

# The player or another party member becomes a mind flayer. Orpheus lowers his psionic defenses to allow the order to transform to go through.

# If the player and any other party members refuse to become a mind flayer, Orpheus offers to make the sacrifice instead. Lae'zel is dismayed but will not turn hostile.

# The player and the party decide to fight Orpheus. Winning or losing this battle immediately results in a Game Over, as the party either dies or loses Orpheus' protection and becomes dominated by the Absolute.

Regardless of who transforms, Orpheus will join the player's party as a temporary companion for the final battle. Depending on who transformed, Voss will express either confusion or dismay, but will also not turn hostile.

If Orpheus turned into a mind flayer, he will appear on the docks and ask Lae'zel to lead the githyanki fight for freedom without him, as he is now an abomination and seeks death.  He will ask another party member (usually the player or Lae'zel) to kill him. If no player fulfills his request, he will kill himself unless the player convinces him not to with a {{Ability check|Persuasion|20}}. If the player passes the check, he will leave the docks for places unknown.

If the player or another party member turned into a mind flayer, he will appear on the docks, thanking the party's ceremorph for their sacrifice and ready to begin a new rebellion against Vlaakith's tyranny.  He will call two red dragons, and invite Lae'zel to join him in his new war against the Lich Queen. Lae'zel can either join Orpheus, be convinced to stay in [[Faerûn]] (which requires a {{Ability check|Persuasion|30}}, and will automatically be rejected if the player became a mind flayer), or take the player along with them (if the player is [[Lae'zel/Romance|romancing]] Lae'zel). Regardless of what choice Lae'zel makes, Orpheus flies on his red dragon into the sky and away from Baldur's Gate.

If Orpheus did not transform into a mind flayer, then the player will find a letter from him in the {{SmRarityItem|Chest of Grateful Words}}, titled {{SmRarityItem|The First Protocol}}.  In it, he praises the player as ''Mla'ghir'' ([[Githyanki vocabulary|Gith]] for "liberator"), and tells them of the success of his ongoing rebellion against Vlaakith.

If Orpheus transformed into a mind flayer but was convinced not to kill himself, then a unique dialogue option asking about him will be present when talking to Lae'zel. Her response indicates that Orpheus has disappeared and gone into hiding, but that she holds out hope he might re-emerge one day.