I agreethat there's probably a few too many returning characters, with Sarevok and Viconia in particular feeling very out of place and pointless in the game. However it's worth noting that various human characters who have returned are all alive based on canon established long before Larian's involvement, so it's not strictly Larian's fault for them being alive beyond what makes strict sense. Minsc was turned into a statue and then turned back into a human (or maybe this Minsc was a statue of the original minsc that got turned into a human, so he's not even the original Minsc to begin with, I can't remember). Jaheira's got a long life. I don't know the original games but she's got plenty of time to do lots of things. I don't think her being back is that strange, and frankly I think she's utilized perfectly in the story and plays exactly the role you'd expect of a character like her. I've said elsewhere that she's basically an old mentor figure but since she's introduced past the point in the story where you'd most rely on a mentor, she doesn't need to die to provide character development for our party. I also know that Volo is alive in D&D canon, not sure why. But I do think you could have lost Volo, Sarevok, Viconia and even Minsc without it doing any harm to the game's story.
It's Larian's fault for including them in the first place and no source books or anything of the sort make some stuff that is THIS bad about those characters. Also some people say "Oh it is 100 years after OG games", but here is the thing. Viconia had to already have an established sect to be a leader of where she would abuse Shadowheart so she has been like it for LESS than 100 years. Maybe even just 50 which for Drows is barely anything. So that is ASININE still. And Sarevok. In one awful book that is not even considered canon he was a drug addict that got chosen by Bhaal I think again, but in this game they say he WAS redeemed and just fell again so they actively made the worst choice that was not mentioned ANYWHERE! And if they were sticking to the "Lore" in HUGE quotation marks then they would make lorroakan Edwin and THAT would be insulting as well if this is how he would end up... And if it IS him then it's just insulting. But as it is... okay. Although I do not like Aylin. I think she comes off as quite toxic and honestly unpleasant, but that's another topic for another day.
