After playing a bit patch 9, I'm wondering how much of the start will be changed, but I expect changes. They removed the poor enthralled fishermen this patch, it makes going through the shipwreck quite dull now. There was also a cutscenes during the writer's video in the Panel From Hell that happens in the room we start in after character creation. I don't think it's actually "new", but it's not in the early access. I think the ship prologue will get expended at release.
The video basically confirms possible betrayal and party paranoia pre reaching the city too. Something I was expecting. It sound like once you reach Baldur's Gate, your group is very much settled in thought, so I guess no permanent companions are gained post Act 1.
There is also something else said in that video that makes me think that the cult of the Absolute is more of a McGuffin everyone wants too control than an antagonist faction as we know it in the early access. Maybe someone just want all those groups to kill each others over control of it because murder is there thing?
You can leave a rather large pile of bodies just on the first map available in the early access...
