Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion The insane timeline of the main plot (do I even need to tell you that it's spoilers?)

1. Isobel did not seem to have died a natural cause - her dog (you can find his undead form in Ketheric chambers) died with her and he said he tried to protect her. So it looks like it was murder. Isobel doesn't remember, everything was black she said. There is speculation that this might be even Shars doing (seeing that Kethering and family are/ were Selunites.

2. Not sure about the Gauntlet but the forge that is also part of the Sharran temple is very old and predating Moonrise towers. So I think the massive temple existed already underground. So either Ketheric either just build an access from the Mausoleum to the temple and/or additionally build the (or part) of the gauntlet.

3. The mindflayer in the opening doesn't look exactly like the Emperor - it has different eye colors, even the armor is (while similar with the big head piece) a little different. I don't expect them to change the trailer which is quite old but they could have changed the Emperors appearance in the game surely more easily. So no idea why they wouldn't except for the reason that he isn't the one on the ship. Especially since our character or companions never comment on him being the one. There is also two different versions of comments from the Narrator upon finding the mindflayer in act1 (in goblin camp). One saying that this is the one torturing you and one saying this mindflayer is of slighter build.... (there is a whole discussion on reddit about it too). It makes sense that the mindflayer that tadpoled us on the ship would be the Emperor, given that he looks similar (but not the same), was at the time on the ship, was meant to be the pilot of the ship (and we see him piloting), looks upon 3 dead other mindflayers on the ship while casually (not alarmed but I mean he is a mindflayer, who knows what he is thinking) floating past them.... but, it isn't 100% sure and again, still some plot holes. He might have killed the mindflayers because they recognized that he is no longer part of the hive mind and under the brains control (there is a slate on the ship talking about one that is different, maybe that means him) or he thought it would help his plan otherwise.

4. The Emperor says that he was free directly when he found the prism (not after some time). He then followed it inside and found Orpheus und learned how to control him and planned his freedom. But we don't know exactly when these things happened. On the ship is Shadowheart with the artefact and so back on the ship he was already free. Meaning he was free when he tadpoled us (if that was him). It is also interesting that the artefact is in Shadowhearts bag and she knows it is there. While the Emperor says he stole it from Vlaakith (as anyone played as Shadowheart and talked with the Emperor? Maybe there is different dialog there) Shadowheart checks her bag and finds the artefact where she remember it was stored last. It isn't clear if she stole if from Vlaakith or the Emperor but she remembers getting the artefact. As prized artefact that he was tasked to steal a mind washed/controlled Emperor wouldn't just place it back into Shadowhearts bag. It would be safely stored somewhere, maybe on his person. But he put it back for her (at least before entering it) to immediately find it and keep it with her. Because it was important to her he could trust she would keep it. So Shadowheart was important for his plan. He might have had tadpoled others that he thought were capable of fighting and therefore helping him. All of our companions aren't just commoners, we have all useful talents. It looks like he did these preparations (tadpoles possible allies, stores artefact in pod for Shadowheart to find (but then he should have done something to help her escape) and kills mindflayers that are suspicious of him) and when the Gith arrived he goes into the prism and tries to figure out how to use Orpheus. Or he already helped us not becoming thralls or falling under the few remaining mindflayer control.

5. We learn later from the brain, that the brain released the Emperor - it wasn't just proximity to the prism. It was the brains plan to get free from the control of the chosen.

6. The first time the Emperor broke free was not by himself but he got help from his friend (dragon Ansur). Omeluum was different as it was "born" with arcane powers which allowed it to break free on its own

7. I don't think it is said how Viconia /shar people got knowledge about the prism. Maybe from Shar herself? But they see Ketheric as betrayer as he worshipped Shar before and then turned away to worship Myrkul, so this might be reason alone to intervene